ArkBar News

Thank you to all of the volunteers who made the 2020 Mock Trial Competition a success.

In this year’s high school mock trial case, students tried the case of State of Arkansas v. Landry Brighton. We were making progress toward crowning a state champion when the competition had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brighton was charged with murder in the stabbing death of Lucky Lou Gianna, who was in federal witness protection at the time of his death. The prosecution’s theory was that Gianna’s death was the result of a dispute between neighbors. Brighton argued that the mafia found and murdered Gianna.

Students competed at regional competition on March 7, 2020, in Conway, Fayetteville, and Jonesboro. Teams from Conway High School, Bentonville High School, and Springdale Har-Ber High School were recognized as regional champions. Teams from Springdale High School, Little Rock Central High School, Mount St. Mary and Catholic High Schools, Bryant High School, and North Little Rock High School also qualified for state competition. The following week, however, the Mock Trial Subcommittee announced the postponement of the state championship. At the time, the Subcommittee hoped that it would truly be a delay and not a cancellation. Unfortunately, between the Arkansas Activities Association cancelling spring events, schools being closed for the rest of the academic year, and courthouses limiting access, there was no clear path for holding the competition.

The Mock Trial Subcommittee would like to thank volunteers who helped judge at regionals and those who had planned to judge at the state championship. The Subcommittee would also like to thank employees at the University of Arkansas School of Law, the Craighead County Circuit Courthouse, and the Faulkner County Justice Building for hosting regional competition.

The Mock Trial Subcommittee will soon be making plans for the 2021 competition. We hope that members of the Arkansas Bar Association will help make it special. There are a number of different ways members can help. First, the Mock Trial Subcommittee is always seeking members to serve on the Subcommittee. Members interested in serving on the subcommittee should so indicate on their committee preference forms. Second, we always encourage members to approach their local high schools about starting mock trial programs. Finally, we need members to volunteer to serve as attorney-coaches (particularly in smaller, less-resourced school districts) and to serve as judges for competition. —Anthony L. McMullen, Mock Trial Committee Chair

Nathan Bogart Abby Brenneman Beverly I. Brister Andrea Brock Kelly Brown Elizabeth Caldwell Aaron Cash Brian Clary Robert Coleman Casey D. Copeland Cory Crawford Judge Don Curdie Jason Davis Meagan Elizabeth Davis Jeannie L. Denniston William Alan Finer Bobby Forrest, Jr. Donna Galloway Karen Gillespie Lauren Graham Sarah E. Greenwood Adrienne Morris Griffis Christian Harris Michael B. Heister Denise Hoggard Glen Hoggard Ben Hooten Johnathan D. Horton Lori D. Howard Christopher M. Hussein Matthew C. Hutsell Adam Jackson Parker Jones Kristen Komander Dominique Lane DeAnn Lehigh William C. Mann, III Richard Bryant Marshall Jonathan Martin Skye Martin Heather Renee Martin-Herron Judge Mary Spencer McGowan Anthony L. McMullen Robert Minarcin Barrett Moore Andrew Nadzam Ashley Elizabeth Norman Joseph Paul Smith

John Pesek Constance Brown Phillips Susan M. Purtle Elizabeth Richardson Casey Nicole Richmond Danielle Robertson Mallory Sanders Lindsey Sullivan Jordan Brown Tinsley James D. Tomlin Tim Watson Judge Chip Welch Matthew D. Wells Nic Williams Dennis Zolper

ACCOLADES Steven W. Quattlebaum, Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC, was recently selected as a member of the 2020 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, the eighth time he has received this distinction. Quattlebaum has also been chosen to chair the American Board of Trial Advocates COVID-19 Task Force. The University of Arkansas School of Law Women’s Law Student Association honored Karen Roberts with the Gayle Pettus Pontz Award. Dover Dixon Horne attorney Matthew C. Boch has been appointed to the board of the National Association of State Bar Tax Sections.

APPOINTMENTS AND ELECTIONS Robert Steinbuch, UA Little Rock’s Bowen School of Law, will serve as chair of the Arkansas Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Scott Irby,Wright, Lindsey & Jennings LLP, has been appointed to serve on the Arkansas Ethics Commission.

WORD ABOUT TOWN Rainwater Holt & Sexton announced that Karen Hughes and Hayden Hanna have joined the firm. Dover Dixon Horne announced that William J. Ogles joined the firm as an associate. Jeff Dixon has joined the Bank OZK Trust & Wealth Department. Cathy Underwood has joined the University of California Berkeley Extension as Lead Instructor in Paralegal Studies, providing program implementation and development services, and will be teaching legal research and writing for the university beginning in the fall.

Please send Oyez announcements to ahubbard@arkbar.com.

Executive Director Karen K. Hutchins Celebrates 15 Years with ArkBar

Karen K. Hutchins, ArkBar’s Executive Director, recently celebrated her 15-year anniversary with the association.

During her time as Executive Director, Karen has led the Association in many changes and innovations, and faced many challenges. She diligently transitioned the Arkansas Bar Association to provide a fully-integrated technology system for the infrastructure of the association saving staff time and creating staff efficiencies. She continued to drive innovations with technology allowing members to have quick and easy use of expanding communication tools, including mobile capabilities. These have allowed association members to connect and provide services throughout the state.

She helped prepare to lead the association forward to meet future expectations as it transitions from a longstanding governance Karen K. Hutchins

structure. The new governance structure will allow the association to be more agile and responsive as the legal profession meets the challenges that require quicker responses and increased technology in the practice of law. The association is rolling out this next bar year free CLE specifically to address technology and practice management issues to assist members in their practice including access to free practice management advisors.

In 2019, just weeks before the annual meeting, she led the staff as they faced the challenges of the Arkansas River flood, which included moving their entire office to a temporary work space without disrupting services. Less than a year later, the pandemic of 2020 has required the office to “relocate” once again—this time as staff work remotely to slow the spread.

Karen has been an active leader in her profession both nationally and statewide, serving during her tenure as President of Arkansas Society of Association Executives and President of the National Association of Bar Executives. She recently completed her service as the president of the 2019-20 National Association of Bar Executives. She also served as the 2018-19 President of the Arkansas Society of Association Executives. Karen earned her designation of Certified Association Executive (CAE) in 2013. “Congratulations to Karen for 15 years of service to the Arkansas Bar Association,” said Association President Brian Rosenthal. “We are fortunate to be led by Karen whose commitment to her and our profession is nationally renowned. On behalf of all our members and all lawyers, thank you for your steadfast, skillful and forthright leadership.”

Karen has served in her current position as Executive Director of the Arkansas Bar Association for the past 12 years. Prior to that, she served as the Associate Executive Director, and before that, as Director of Continuing Legal Education. She is licensed to practice law in Arkansas and Texas and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration majoring in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Houston Law Center.