June 2016 - Volume 19
Number 1
in brief newsletter
Content Editor's Letter 3
8 What Judges Want Molly Lucas
Hats Off 4 YLS Events at the arkbar annual meeting
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Tech Tips
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10 Lawyers Need Help, too: The Statistics and how to get assistance Jaletta Smith
Victor Richardson
New Bar Members 7
14 ArkBar Annual Meeting 16 YLS Report Matthew L. Fryar
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Moore
Sparkman
Wooster
McBride
Cooper
Cooper
Yls in brief
editors Editor-In-Chief Sarah Sparkman outgoing Editor-In-Chief Brooke Moore Arkansas Traveler Co-Editors Trey & Mary Cooper What Judges Want Editor Megan Wooster Tech Tips Editor Victor Richardson Flying Solo Editor Stefan McBride
YLS In Brief is published online quarterly by the Arkansas Bar Association.
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editor’s letter
Sarah Sparkman Editor-in-Chief
Lawyers are in the business of helping people. Sometimes, we have to be so focused on the help we give that we disregard our need for help. InBrief will be featuring stories the rest of the year regarding our well-being and what we can do if we need help. This month's feature story is about attorney mental-health statistics and the Arkansas Judges & Lawyers Assistance Program ("JLAP"). If you've dealt with substance abuse or mental health problems, you're certainly not alone in the legal community. Jaletta Smith talks the numbers with us and then gives us the history of JLAP and the services they offer. We also have some practice-practical articles this issue. Most of us probably have a disclaimer at the bottom of our emails that we've slapped on without really knowing what – if anything – they actually do. Victor Richardson, InBrief's new Tech Tips writer, goes into detail about what should be in an email disclaimer and what the practical effects are of including a disclaimer. Molly Lucas interviews Circuit Judge Mike Murphy for our What Judges Want section. Judge Murphy shares his ideas on how the practice of law has changed and his perspective from the bench. As always, we love to have volunteers writing for InBrief. If you have an article idea or submission, send it my way to sparkman@gmail.com.
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hATS OFF Chris McNulty and Molly McGowan got married on December 5, 2015 at Christ Episcopal Church in Little Rock. Chris is a partner at Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates, & Woodyard, P.L.L.C., and Molly is a law clerk to the Honorable Raymond Abramson on the Arkansas Court of Appeals. Sarah Baber, attorney for Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, is celebrating her husband Barrett Baber's topthree finish on NBC's The Voice. Barrett has been performing across the nation since the season's end. Betsy Turner has been named partner at Rose Law Firm in Little Rock. She was also recognized as a 2015 Mid-South Rising Star by Mid-South Super Lawyer. Ellen Tinnin has joined Cypert, Crouch, Clark & Harwell, PLLC, in Springdale as an associate attorney. She will practice primarily in the fields of family law, probate, and guardianships. Matthew Fryar of Cypert, Crouch, Clark & Harwell, PLLC, in Springdale was appointed to a two-year term as the Arkansas Bar Association's young lawyer delegate to the American Bar Association House of Delegates. Katie Mehdizadegan has joined the firm of Gill Ragon Owen, P.A in Little Rock. Before joining the firm, she was the judicial law clerk to Honorable Judge Vann Smith in Pulaski County Circuit Court.
If you have information on YLS members who deserve a Hats Off or would like to submit ideas for articles, please contact the Editor of In Brief, Sarah Sparkman at ssparkman@springdalear.gov
arkbar young lawyers section
executive council chair MATTHEW L. FRYAR Chair-Elect GREGORY J. NORTHEN Secretary/Treasurer VICTOR RAY RICHARDSON Immediate Past Chair jessica s. yarbrough District A Reps. AUBREY BARR WILLIAM M. PRETTYMAN III SARAH A. SPARKMAN District B Reps. CALEB GARCIA ABTIN MEHDIZADEGAN GREGORY J. NORTHEN District C Reps. LESLIE J. LIGON ERIC ANDREW MARKS CHRISTOPHER ALAN RITTENHOUSE
At Large Reps. CHASE ADAM CHARMICHAEL BROOKE MOORE JOHN RAINWATER U of A School of Law Rep.
DAVID TRENT HARRISON UALR School of Law Rep.
ERUORE O. OBOH
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The Annual
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ArkBar
YLS Events at the Annual Meeting
WEDNESDAY WELCOME RECEPTION
Wednesday, June 15 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Exhibit Hall C & D
Join us for a welcome reception immediately following Wednesday’s CLE in the Exhibit Hall. First-time attendees receive a gift from ArkBar and have a chance to interact with Bar leaders.
THURSDAY ROOMS 207-209 (YLS TRACK) 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. (1.0 CLE)
Legal Research with Fastcase Ms. Christina Steinbrecker Jack, Fastcase Ms. Cathy Underwood, Pulaski Technical College
9:00 - 10:00 a.m. (1.0 CLE)
The Ins and Outs of Starting a Law Practice Mr. Brandon K. Moffitt, Moffitt & Phillips, PLLC
10:00 - 10:15 a.m.
Break
10:15 - 11:15 a.m. (1.0 CLE Ethics)
Trust Accounting for Attorneys, with Comments on Difficult Clients and How to Withdraw Mr. Stark Ligon, Arkansas Supreme Court, Office on Professional Conduct
11:15 - 12:30 p.m. Lunch in the Exhibit Hall C & D 12:45 - 2:45 p.m. (2.0 CLE Ethics)
Plenary in Horner Hall
3:00 - 4:00 p.m. (1.0 CLE)
Tips & Tricks for Practice in (and the differences between) District Court, Circuit Court, & Federal Court Ms. JaNan Arnold Davis, Rainwater, Holt, & Sexton Mr. Thomas J. Diaz, Rainwater, Holt, & Sexton Ms. Sarah A. Sparkman, City of Springdale
June 15-18, 2016 Hot Springs Convention Center
YLS ANNUAL SECTION MEETNG 10:00 AM ON FRIDAY, JUNE 17 Rooms 203-204, Convention Center Join the section for their annual meeting. Chair Matthew L. Fryar passes the gavel to incoming Chair Gregory J. Northern. Members will elect new officers and district representatives. Refreshments will be provided.
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Yls in brief
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tech tips
by victor richardson
Using email Confidentially Disclaimers Effectively Email confidentiality disclaimers are ubiquitous. They are used in almost every sector, ranging from government and business to personal. Their use is often predicated on various privacy laws, but a quick survey of federal and state privacy laws reveals no such mandate. Accordingly, any legal effect of email confidentiality disclaimers must be derived from broader concepts of confidentiality. Often, email confidentiality disclaimers include a provision addressing unintended recipients. Such provisions generally request that an unintended recipient assist in the email’s retrieval. In some cases, however, an email confidentiality disclaimer will assert that an unintended recipient has a duty or obligation to return the email and maintain the confidentiality of the information within. Such unilateral constraints are lacking in consideration, and, thus, can never be binding. Two cases touching on email confidentiality disclaimers illustrate what legal effect they may have. In the first case, an email confidentially disclaimer provided evidence to support preserving
the confidentiality of an emailed customer list as a trade secret. B & F Sys., Inc. v. LeBlanc, 2011 WL 4103576 (M.D. Ga. Sept. 14, 2011). In the second case, a court found that an email beginning with the phrase “PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATION” evidenced the client’s “intent to seek legal advice and the client’s belief that he [was] consulting an attorney, i.e., someone who [would] keep the communications confidential.” Mattel, Inc. v. MGA Entm't, Inc., 2010 WL 3705902 (C.D. Cal. Sept. 22, 2010). Thus, in some situations there is legal support for the use of email confidentiality disclaimers. Email confidentiality disclaimers may provide evidence that a communication between two privileged parties was intended to fall under that privilege. They may also provide evidence that a secret was meant to be kept. At the same time, the blanket and automatic use of confidentiality disclaimers in all communications may have unintended consequences for attorneys, and, as a practical matter, such disclaimers may lose their evidentiary value. In no identifiable situation,
however, do email confidentiality disclaimers prevent the recipient of an email from disclosing its contents to whomever they may wish. Furthermore, an email confidentiality disclaimer is almost certain not to protect the sender of an email from any liability arising out of their own inadvertent breach of confidentiality. Still, keeping legal realities and practicality in mind can transform email confidentiality disclaimers from a meaningless to meaningful tool. When email confidentiality disclaimers are used, best practices indicate they should be used contextually to preserve both their effect and evidentiary value. The content of such disclaimers should not be static, and should specifically lay out the reason for their use in a particular situation. The placement of email confidentiality disclaimers is also important. To be most effective they must alert the recipient of an email that its contents are confidential before the email is read.
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Congratulations to the New ArkBar Members Admitted to the Practice of Law May 2016 On May 6, 2016, Arkansas Bar Association President Eddie H. Walker, Jr., welcomed the new admittees to the Bar. Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Howard Brill administered the Attorney’s Oath of Admission. ArkBar hosted a reception at the courthouse to welcome the newest members to the Association. William Cain Avant Caroline Helene Beavers William Blake Belvin Simone Antonette Blagg John Walker Wright Brogden Lisa J. Brooks Sydney Lynn Brown John Michael Bynum Megan Chappelear Chancey Devon Combs Jordan Paul Compton Megan Summer Danielson Clinton Len DeWitt Eric Leo Dixon Randal Allen Farmer Tetiana A. Fayman Michael Fincher Dorothy Vaughan Goodwin Charsie Elizabeth Gordon Charles Lee Hardin Alexandra Kendall Harper Katherine Huntley Harris Luke Matthew Henson Terry Lee Hooten Cameron Brooke Housley Laurtaneous Eshai Johnson Meghan Kathleen Joiner Kristopher Robert Benton Jones Madeline Key John Martell Landis Summer Beth Lang Garrett James Lowe Mark Carlton Lucas Michael Austin Lucas
Catherine Margaret Maness Dustyn Codie Martin Micah Monroe Mathis Michael Cade Mayo Andrew William McClelland Samuel Aaron McFall David Tyler Mills Chelsea Elizabeth Penn Landon Mitchell Reeves Nathanial William Reggish Andres Fernando Rhodes Jeffrey Randall Roeser Lauren Carolyn Rotonda Patrick Joseph Ruettiger Maria Bunting Smedley Courtney Brianne Smith Tyler Allen Squires Michael Dewayne Sutton Benjamin Thomas Townsend Daniel Turklay Stacie Robin Thomas Wassell Jonathan David Michael Welk Megan Lee Wells William Thomas Wisdom James S. Youngblood Jr.
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The Young Lawyers Section Publishes Two New Handbooks on Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence: A Practical Guide for Attorneys, judges And Court Clerks
The Young Lawyers Section (YLS) recently published a pair of companion handbooks on domestic violence. Written for domestic violence survivors, “Domestic Violence: A Practical Guide For Navigating the Legal System in Arkansas,” is a self-help guide for survivors of domestic violence that explains a survivor’s legal rights and how to get help from the legal system. The handbook will guide people through the civil, domestic, and criminal elements of a domestic violence case. YLS printed 20,000 copies of this handbook and will distribute hundreds of copies of these printed handbooks to every circuit clerk and domestic violence shelter in the state. In conjunction with the survivors’ handbook, the committee also completed “Domestic Violence: A Practical Guide for Attorneys, Judges and Court Clerks.” This Handbook is a guide for attorneys who represent or work with survivors of domestic violence. It is divided into two sections: Domestic Violence in the Civil Context, and Domestic Violence in the Criminal Context, and is available on the Association’s website at http://www.arkbar.com/for-public/legalassistance/legal-pamphlets.
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What Judges Want the honorable mike murphy with molly lucas
Circuit Judge Mike Murphy of Conway currently serves as the 1st Division judge of the 20th Judicial District (Faulkner, Searcy and Van Buren counties). A native of Faulkner County, Judge Murphy received both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in 1986. He served as law clerk for the United States Magistrate Judge in Springfield, Missouri. Judge Murphy returned to Conway and hung out his shingle, opening a private law practice in 1988 and forming a mid-size firm in 1991. He later served as Conway’s city attorney for more than 23 years. Murphy is a past adjunct instructor at UCA, member of the Arkansas Judicial Council, Arkansas Bar Association House of Delegates and serves on the boards of the Conway Public Schools Foundation and the Faulkner County Museum Commission. Murphy is a past-president of the Arkansas City Attorneys Association. Murphy is the father of three, ages 20, 15 and 14.
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Q & A with the honorable Mike Murphy Q. What was the primary reason that you decided to attend law school? A. My older brother finished a year ahead of me in law school, but I’d known I was going to law school from the time I saw “To Kill a Mockingbird,” as a kid, then read Harper Lee’s book in high school. The idea of striving for equal justice, honoring our constitutional heritage and helping an underdog even in the face of popular disapproval; it seemed and still seems an honorable calling. Q. How has the legal profession, based on your view, changed or evolved since you began practicing law, in terms of the style or manner in which attorneys interact with one another? A. I hate to sound cliché or like some old-timer (which I suppose I am), but see attorneys’ interactions as more antagonistic. I realize that ours is by nature an adversarial profession in terms of how cases are presented and arguments made. But it seems as if some attorneys have trouble leaving some of their thunder in the courtroom. Folks seem to take things personally. Even hold petty grudges. Life’s too short. Try a little less email and more phone calls. If you’re just down the street, take the walk. Face-toface discussions are more likely to be civil as opposed to an email that we might ought to sleep on before we hit “send.' Q. Do you personally believe that litigants should try to mediate issues before litigating issues in court? A. Yes. We will many times order mediation under our mediation
statute. Actually, I was surprised with how many cases were resolved through mediation. There are safeguards in the statute for situations where it could cause a hardship to litigants, and we are sensitive to that. And we’ve heard the argument that mediation is a cop-out, that judges are elected to resolve these disputes. But with each case that we are able to dispose of through mediation, we can more quickly docket a case where trial is unavoidably necessary and would have otherwise been further delayed but for the successful mediation. Q. Do you have any interesting courtroom stories that you would like to share? A. In a paternity custody case, the father had put on a fairly strong case for custody. On crossexamination, mom’s attorney showed him reams of Facebook private messages in which – as opposed to a homebody caring for his young child while still devastated by the break-up – he was frequently propositioning both acquaintances and strangers for female companionship. In some, he was even bragging about having plenty of recreational substances in the home for their use. Blindsided, dad’s attorney steadied himself and took the only tack he could: attack mom as a sneaky and possibly illegal hacker of his Facebook account: Dad’s Lawyer: “Er… well, I see that you have been cyberstalking my client, downloading his private conversations on his personal Facebook account. I’m sure we’d all like to hear you explain to the Court how you were able to access his private messages.”
Witness: “Well, when he set up his Facebook account, he used my email to register. So every time he was hitting on all these women, I’d get another email.” Dad’s Lawyer: questions.
“No further
Q. Would you mind if young attorneys observed court in your courtroom? If you permit courtroom observation, do you require that young attorneys request permission to observe court? A. No, not at all. Everyone is welcome to observe. Just give us a heads up during a break and introduce yourself so we’ll know that an officer of the court is present for any cases that might be closed to other spectators. Molly Lucas, Attorney and Owner of Lucas Law, PLLC received her Juris Doctor from University of Arkansas at Little Rock Bowen School of Law in 2010. After working for a mid-sized firm in Little Rock directly out of law school, she moved to Conway to start her own practice in 2013. Molly is an active member of her community. She is a graduate of the Faulkner County Leadership Institute, a member of the Arkansas Bar Association and Treasurer of the Faulkner County Law Library. Molly primarily focuses on domestic relations, probate, estate planning, civil litigation, and appeals. She is also an attorney Ad Litem.
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Lawyers Need Help, Too: The Statistics and How to Get Assistance By Jaletta Smith
In February 2016, the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and the American Bar Association Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs released the results of a study examining the incidence of substance abuse and other mental health concerns among licensed and employed attorneys in the United States. The study assessed alcohol use, drug use, and symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress in a group of 12,825 licensed and employed attorneys. The results reveal that significant numbers of licensed and employed attorneys are struggling with substance abuse and other mental health concerns. The authors of the study report that, of the 11,278 participants who answered all of the alcohol related questions, 20.6% gave answers consistent with problematic drinking. In fact, attorneys who had been working for shorter periods of time reported higher rates of problematic drinking than attorneys who had been in the field longer. Those attorneys with the title junior or senior associate drank more than those with other titles. Of those who responded, 22.6% reported feeling that alcohol or another substance had been a problem at some point in their lives.
Those other substances included both prescription medications and illegal drugs. Within that 22.6%, 14.2% reported that the problem was during law school and 43.7% reported that the problem occurred within 15 years of graduating from law school. The most significant predictor of alcohol use was age, with younger attorneys drinking more than older attorneys. The numbers for other mental health issues are equally concerning. According to the study authors, the most commonly reported mental health conditions were anxiety (61.1%), depression (45.7%), social anxiety (16.1%), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (12.5%), panic disorder (8.0%), and bipolar disorder (2.4%). Of the 11,516 participants who completed the questions on mental health issues, 11.5% reported having suicidal thoughts during their career, 2.9% had “selfinjured” in some way in the past, and 0.7% reported at least one prior suicide attempt. Although the data is somewhat opaque, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies lawyers as having the fourth highest rate for suicide when examining suicides by occupation. Doctors, dentists, finance workers,
and law enforcement officers round out the top five occupations consistently cited as having higher rates of suicide than the national average. These numbers make one point abundantly clear: If you are an attorney experiencing problems with alcohol or substance abuse or other mental health concerns, you are not alone. Sarah Cearley, PhD, LCSW, and the Executive Director of the Arkansas Judges & Lawyers Assistance Program (“JLAP”), knows these statistics well. More important than her statistical knowledge, however, is her ability to understand the people behind the numbers and her drive to help them address substance abuse or mental health concerns. JLAP partners with Arkansas’s judges, lawyers, their family members, and law students to provide mental health and substance abuse services. JLAP works to address problems before they arise and jeopardize a lawyer’s practice, judge’s career, or a family member’s health. JLAP offers services designed to assist attorneys, judges, their family members, and law students with anger management, anxiety, grief and loss, stress and burnout,
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substance abuse, transitions.
and
work
Despite more than a 15-year history of helping attorneys, judges, and their family members, many of those who could benefit from JLAP’s programs are unaware of the variety of services offered. JLAP is working to change that. Established by the Arkansas Supreme Court in 1999, JLAP recently began efforts to connect with law students and members of the Young Lawyers Section to promote early intervention and help people at the start of their careers put themselves in a position for long-term success, both personally and professionally. With the Arkansas Supreme Court’s approval, JLAP formed student chapters at both the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Bowen School of Law in Little Rock and the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville. These chapters offer events throughout the year designed to introduce students to JLAP and to offer opportunities to relax, have fun, and get to know other attorneys and law students in Arkansas. For instance, JLAP offers services to students seeking to address substance abuse or mental health concerns prior to graduation and applying for the Bar Examination. While these services are tailored to the needs of the student, law students at the state’s two law schools now have access to the same services as Arkansas’ legal professionals. Importantly, seeking counsel from JLAP for physical or mental disabilities that result from disease, substance abuse, disorder, trauma, or age that might impair a law student’s ability to practice law, are not considered adversely by the Arkansas Board of Law Examiners in its character and fitness evaluation. Further, should a law student choose to participate
in a program designed for him or her by JLAP, and successfully complete that program by the time of graduation, the evidence of such rehabilitation and recovery is considered favorably by the Board during the character and fitness evaluation. Therefore, utilizing JLAP’s resources and services during law school can help a law student gain the upper hand in recovery and be prepared for the character and fitness portion of the Arkansas Bar Examination. In addition to the law school outreach efforts, JLAP is actively seeking opportunities to connect with Young Lawyers and attorneys practicing outside of Little Rock. As the study revealed, Young Lawyers, or those who have practiced for less than 15 years, are more likely to report problematic drinking. JLAP is looking to reach those attorneys directly. JLAP hosts an annual walk in memory of Chris Thomas, an Arkansas attorney and one of the driving forces behind JLAP’s creation, with hopes of attracting younger lawyers to learn more about JLAP’s services. While the Chris Thomas Memorial Walk is JLAP’s newest fundraising and awareness venture, the Advocates Dinner remains the major source of fundraising. The annual Advocates Dinner, which is held at the Governor’s Mansion, helps raise funds for grants that allow JLAP to partner with service providers outside of central Arkansas. In addition, JLAP is trying to utilize technology, where possible, to reach out to younger attorneys and attorneys who are not located in Little Rock. JLAP partners with service providers in all parts of the state to provide services that are convenient to attorneys, judges, and their families. Some
Arkansas Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program Helping judges, lawyers, their families and law students find personal solutions JLAP services address a range of issues: • Stress and burnout • Anxiety, depression or other mood disorders • Anger management • Substance abuse • Process addictions such as food, sex and gambling • Grief and loss • Work transitions • Balancing the demands of practice and family The JLAP website provides private self-assessment tools to help you One of the quickest, easiest and most private ways to determine whether you have any symptoms of certain illnesses is by taking a screening test.
Confidentiality is the Cornerstone
Lawyers and judges need to know when they call or come to JLAP that their involvement with JLAP and their conversations with JLAP staff, committee, agents (referrals), or volunteers are confidential. JLAP client confidentiality is protected by Arkansas Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program Rule 10.
If you need someone to talk to, call or email us today (501) 907-2529 confidential@arjlap.org http://www.arjlap.org
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attorneys use Facetime or Skype, in conjunction with visits to service providers, as part of their treatment and recovery. JLAP is also working to increase access and connect with more attorneys and judges who identify as members of minority communities. Finally, JLAP recently launched a new website that provides information on its services and programs, recovery stories, and links to both local and national groups that focus on treatment and recovery for substance abuse and mental health concerns. JLAP is committed to helping attorneys who are early in their career address substance abuse and mental health concerns so that they can thrive both personally and professionally. Two factors that may impede a law student or young attorney’s willingness to contact JLAP are the cost of treatment and concern about whether other professionals or family members will find out that the person is seeking treatment for a substance abuse or mental health related concern. With regard to cost, JLAP is able to provide free services in many cases and can work with an attorney to make sure that treatment is received even if finances are tight. JLAP’s commitment to confidentiality is even more impressive than their willingness to offer free services. JLAP is protected by Rule 10 of the Rules of the Arkansas Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program, which provides for complete confidentiality. When someone calls or comes to JLAP, their involvement with JLAP and their conversations with JLAP staff, committee, or volunteers are confidential. JLAP does not report client information to any local
or state organizations. JLAP is a separate entity from the Office of Professional Conduct, the Office of Judicial Discipline and Disability, and the Office of Professional Programs. JLAP is not required to report any attorney or judge who seeks out JLAP services, even if that attorney or judge reports conduct that would violate the Arkansas Model Rules of Professional Conduct or the Arkansas Code of Judicial Conduct. The purpose is not to shield attorneys and judges from fulfilling their professional obligations; rather the purpose is to allow attorneys and judges to seek treatment that will help prevent malpractice events from occurring. In fact, seeking JLAP’s services may reduce the risk that an attorney or judge will engage in behavior that violates the rules as a result of a substance abuse or mental health concern. Attorneys in Arkansas have a great tool in their arsenal for overcoming the obstacles of substance abuse and mental health concerns. If you or someone you know could benefit from JLAP’s services, now is the time to reach out and find out more. Their team of service providers and volunteers are ready to help and will keep your contact and treatment completely confidential. You can find out more by visiting www.arjlap.org. Law students are encouraged to contact the Dean of Students at their law school or JLAP directly at (501) 7651673, if they want to learn more. There is no “quick fix” for substance abuse and mental health concerns that face attorneys, judges, and their families, but JLAP is ready and willing to partner with attorneys, judges, family members, and law
students to overcome the obstacles that may be hindering them from achieving personal and professional success. Jaletta Smith is a 2010 high honors graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Bowen School of Law. Since graduating, Jaletta has clerked for both state and federal judges in Arkansas. In 2013, she served as a Staff Attorney at the Office of Professional Conduct.
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Arkansas Bar Association Annual Meeting
MAKE PROFESSIONAL CONNECTIONS
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES TO SUCCESS
June 15-18, 2016 yl s i n bri ef
Register onsite
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Hot Springs Convention Center
Build Knowledge This year there will be three full days of substantive law, in addition to “Business School for Lawyers” on Friday. Experts will present the most current information on a wide range of topics throughout the week.
Build Your Toolkit You will take away tools and skills that can improve your practice. We have a full day of family law “how to” along with the “ins and outs” of starting a law practice and the most current reports from the judiciary.
Build Your Network With over 1,200 attorneys and judges in attendance each year, the ArkBar Annual Meeting is the best event to connect with attorneys and judges from across the state in beautiful Hot Springs.
at the 118TH ANNUAL MEETING www.arkbar.com/AnnualMeeting
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YLS REPORT
Graduation By Matthew L. Fryar
This article was originally published in the Spring 2016 issue of The Arkansas Lawyer magazine and is reprinted here with permission. I always thought kindergarten graduations were silly ... until I had a kindergartener. Now I see it as a special time to celebrate all that my daughter has accomplished over the past year and to anticipate all that she will learn and do in the future. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ll probably cry a little when my mini-me walks across that stage in a couple of weeks. Katie’s upcoming graduation has also caused me to think back over the past year as chair of the Young Lawyers Section. When I signed on for this position, I knew it would be a lot of fun and a lot of hard work, both time consuming and rewarding. And I was completely right in my expectations (if I had multiplied each of them by a factor of 10)! I have had a lot of fun! Over the past year, I have travelled with Chair-Elect Greg Northen to American Bar Association meetings in Chicago, San Diego and St. Louis. At each of these, I met new and interesting people, caught up with young lawyer friends from all over the country, and proudly represented my state in both the YLD Assembly and the ABA House of Delegates. ArkBar YLS also hosted an ABA Young Lawyers Division
conference in Little Rock last October. More than 250 young lawyers from across the country came to our beautiful state for four days of programming. Co-chairing that event with Cliff McKinney and Brian Clary is one of the highlights of my year, and I am grateful to all of the young lawyers who pitched in to help. From making dining reservations to picking people up at the airport, it was truly a team effort and a team success! I have worked really hard! YLS hosted three Wills for Heroes events over the past year—Pine Bluff on January 16, Fayetteville on April 9 and Little Rock on April 16. Cumulatively, more than 70 attorneys donated over 350 pro bono hours to provide free estate planning services to approximately 85 police officers, fire fighters and first responders (and their spouses). Planning these events and seeing them through was a lot of hard work, and I extend my thanks to Chris Rittenhouse, Nick Arnold and Kathleen McDonald for all their help in putting these clinics together, as well as to the volunteers who made them possible. My time has not been my own for the past year. In addition to the ABA meetings and Wills for Heroes events discussed above, I have attended all of the ArkBar Board of Governors and House of Delegates meetings, held two YLS Executive Council meetings, visited the U of A Law School with
John Rainwater to present a seminar on student loan debt, worked with local principals to distribute YLS’s new “Know Before You Owe” information sheet for high school seniors, and written four articles for The Arkansas Lawyer. I set forth this list not to complain or to brag on myself, but to illustrate just how much YLS does within and for the Association. I am proud to be able to dedicate my time to our profession and to the Bar Association. Lastly, this year has been more rewarding than I ever expected. After two and a half years, YLS has finished a pair of companion handbooks that I truly believe are going to change lives within our state. Led by Melissa Grisham and Rebekah Tucci, and in collaboration with nine other entities across the state, ArkBar YLS has published “Domestic Violence: A Practical Guide to the Legal System in Arkansas.” Written for domestic violence survivors, this handbook will guide people through all of the civil, domestic, and criminal elements of a domestic violence case. Thanks to the generosity of Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods, and the Arkansas Bar Association Family Law Section, YLS has been able to print 20,000 copies of this handbook. A grant from the ABA YLD gives us the funds to distribute hundreds of copies of these printed handbooks to every circuit clerk and domestic violence
Matthew L. Fryar is the Chair of the Young Lawyers Section. He is a partner with Cypert, Crouch, Clark & Harwell, PLLC in Springdale. shelter in the state. In conjunction with the survivors’ handbook, the committee also completed a handbook for attorneys, judges, and court personnel who handle domestic violence cases and interact with domestic violence survivors on a day-to-day basis. This handbook is available electronically to Association members, and the Administrative Office of the Courts will soon be distributing it to judges, case coordinators, and court clerks across the state. This is the single most defining contribution which YLS has made to the community this year, and I’m proud to be associated with it. While exciting times await my daughter in 1st grade next year, I’ll be matriculating into the role of YLS immediate past chair. Just as Katie is thrilled about all that she’ll be doing and learning next year, I am equally excited about all of the plans and goals that Greg Northen has for our section. It has been an honor to work alongside Greg for the past year, and I know that YLS is in excellent hands as he takes over as chair at Annual Meeting. So I tip my mortarboard to you and wish you well. Thank you for allowing me to serve as the chair of the Young Lawyers Section!
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The Arkansas Bar Association It’s time to renew your membership for the 2016-2017 Bar year
The voice of the Arkansas lawyer Continue to be a part of the statewide professional network by renewing your membership by June 30, 2016.
Renew now! www.arkbar.com