State Bar News
| Publication year | 2014 |
| Pages | 51 |
| Citation | Vol. 27 No. 6 Pg. 51 |
November, 2014
Commission Highlights
The Utah State Bar Board of Commissioners received the following reports and took the actions indicated during the August 22-23, 2014 Commission Meeting and Retreat held at The Canyons Resort in Park City, Utah.
1. Jim Gilson announced that the Commission will do a performance review of the Office of Professional Conduct, the Continuing Legal Education Department, the New Lawyer Training Program, and the Bar budget.
2. The Commission agreed on the priorities for the coming year:
- Improving Access to Justice: Pro Bono Commission & Modest Means Lawyer Referral
- Advocating for the Judiciary
- Reviewing Bar Operations: OPC, CLE, NLTP, Budget
- Planning for the Future of the Profession
- Celebrating Magna Carta/Rule of Law
- Supporting Diversity
3. Commission liaisons and ex officio members of the Commission will request nominations from sections, committees and their membership groups for the Lifetime Service Award and Professionalism Award. Members should request background and qualifications because the Commission needs adequate information to properly consider nominees.
4. Commissioners were selected to prepare a recommendation for the location of the 2016 Summer Convention.
The minute text of this and other meetings of the Bar Commission are available at the office of the Executive Director.
Notice of Bar Commission Election
Third, Fourth, and Fifth Divisions
Nominations to the office of Bar Commissioner are hereby solicited for two members from the Third Division, one member from the Fourth Division and, one member from the Fifth Division, each to serve a three-year term. Terms will begin in July 2015. To be eligible for the office of Commissioner from a division, the nominee's business mailing address must be in that division as shown by the records of the Bar. Applicants must be nominated by a written petition often or more members of the Bar in good standing whose business mailing addresses are in the division from which the election is to be held. Nominating petitions are available at http://www.utahbar.org/bar-operations/leadership/. Completed petitions must be submitted to John Baldwin, Executive Director, no later than February 2, 2015 by 5:00 p.m.
NOTICE: Balloting will be done electronically. Ballots will be e-mailed on or about April 1st with balloting to be completed and ballots received by the Bar office by 5:00 p.m. April 15th.
In order to reduce out-of-pocket costs and encourage candidates, the Bar will provide the following services at no cost:
1. space for up to a 200-word campaign message plus a color photograph in the March/April issue of the Utah Bar Journal. The space may be used for biographical information, platform or other election promotion. Campaign messages for the March/April Bar Journal publications are due along with completed petitions and two photographs no later than February 1st;
2. space for up to a 500-word campaign message plus a photograph on the Utah Bar Website due February 1st;
3. a set of mailing labels for candidates who wish to send a personalized letter to the lawyers in their division who are eligible to vote; and
4. a one-time email campaign message to be sent by the Bar. Campaign message will be sent by the Bar within three business days of receipt from the candidate.
If you have any questions concerning this procedure, please contact John C. Baldwin at (801) 531-9077 or at director@utahbar.org.
“An attorney’s work must be pretty cool.”
Reflections of a fourth grader on Constitution Day
This fourth grader's perspective on being an attorney resulted from the Constitution Teach-in by 200 judges, lawyers, law students, and law school staff in celebration of the 225th anniversary of the U. S. Constitution. The volunteer instructors taught 300 classes throughout Utah on and around Constitution Day, September 17.
This was the third year of the teach-in sponsored by the Bar's Civics Education Committee. Co-chair Benson Hathaway said, "We are so pleased that the number of volunteers increased by one-third and that they taught half again as many classes as last year. We're looking forward to our biggest year yet in 2015, the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta - the world's most enduring symbol of the rule of law."
Volunteers used lesson plans developed by the committee, included mock trials (Cinderella vs. the Step Sisters for elementary schools) or employed their creativity (one volunteer administered the test required for citizenship).
Teachers had these comments about the classes:
"My instructor brought a replica of the constitution and played a very fun game with the students. The students were engaged the entire time and even stayed after to talk to him. I would have him come back every year."
"It got the students thinking about the rule of law and their personal responsibility to uphold the law."
"My class enjoyed the instructor so much they wrote an article for the school paper about how they celebrated Constitution Day."
"My students absolutely loved this! One class had a lawyer do the simulation and my other class had a lawyer do more of a lecture. Both were very enlightening for the students, and when I asked them about it during the next class they remembered a surprising amount. I will definitely use this again next year."
"My students loved the mock trial. They learned so much about procedure and about the law."
"I think it is great that we are getting professionals into the classrooms; students need to meet and get to know real people who work in these fields."
"I really liked how the attorney who talked to my class gave the students great examples of how checks and balances work and about some of the responsibilities of each branch of government.& quot; " We loved it!!!"
And the volunteers seemed to enjoy it as much as the kids:
"The students were wonderful. They were bright and eager to participate. We had a lot of fun, even when the discussion got heated. There were no disciplinary issues. I enjoyed spending time in the classroom with them."
"I look forward to this more than any other...
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