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ANNUAL REPORT MARYLAND STATE BAR ASSOCIATION, INC. MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 1
2 | MSBA Annual Report 2018-19
Annual Report 2018-2019
MARYLAND STATE BAR ASSOCIATION, INC. Volume XXVIII MSBA is pleased to present its membership with a brief overview of the year 2018/2019, highlighting its many activities, events, and accomplishments. Maryland State Bar Association, Inc. 520 West Fayette Street Baltimore, Maryland 21201 (410) 685-7878 (800) 492-1964 email: info@msba.org www.msba.org
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 1
President’s Message
A
s my term as your President draws to a close, I am proud of all of MSBA’s evolutionary accomplishments over the course of this bar year, starting with the MSBA Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP), which has seen increased usage thanks to the program’s statewide expansion. Thanks to our members, we are able to provide free, confidential drug, alcohol, and mental health counseling services, no matter where in the state an attorney may be. MSBA’s expanded presence across the state has not been limited to lawyer assistance. In March, I traveled to Salisbury where, in partnership with the Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset County Bars, we hosted a “Meet-Up on the Lower Shore”. There, our delegation, including Executive Director Victor Velazquez, mingled with members, answering their questions and sharing with them news of all the developments happening at the State Bar. And in April, the Board of Governors held its monthly meeting at the Donaldson Brown Conference Center in Perryville, in Cecil County, which is rightly renowned for its sunsets overlooking the Susquehanna River.
“
It’s been my privilege to serve as your President this past year.
Much has been going on behind the scenes as well. Our Policy Review Committee, Chaired by Past President Judge Harry C. Storm, is now wrapping up its yearlong study of governance and how MSBA conducts business, now and in the future. Meanwhile, in April, Ben Rosenberg’s Strategic Vision Committee delivered its own recommendations on what course the MSBA should follow over the next five to 10 years to the Board of Governors. And the Section Value Task Force, Chaired by Michael Hudak, is hard at work looking for ways in which we can make our Sections, long a valuable asset to our members and their law practices, even better. We have continued to expand and improve upon the more than 300 events which MSBA hosts or takes part in each year, particularly the Legal Summit & Annual Meeting, the biggest event of the year for the state’s legal profession. This year’s program delivered substantive programming that speaks to virtually every facet of the profession, as well as top-tier featured speakers like CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin, former US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, and DC Attorney General Karl Racine, to name but a few. There was also a host of family-friendly events designed to engage the whole family. It’s been my privilege to serve as your President this past year. Working with volunteers and staff, the MSBA has delivered many advances during my time in this role. I’m humbled by all the positive comments I’ve received and hope to see many of you in the coming years as a proud member of the MSBA. Thank you,
Keith R. Truffer MSBA President 2 | MSBA Annual Report 2018-19
Contents 2
E X E C U TI VE COMMI TTEE
3
B OAR D OF G OVER N OR S
4
F I N A N CES
6
P U B LI CATI ON S
8
T E C HN OLOGY
10
P R OG R AMS
12
ADVO CACY
14
M SB A G I VES B ACK
16
SEC TIONS
25
COMMITTEES
33
LOCA L A ND SPECIA LTY BA RS
38
PA RTNERSHIPS
Agriculture Law Alternative Dispute Resolution Animal Law Business Law Construction Law Criminal Law & Practice Estate & Trust Law Family & Juvenile Law Immigration Law Labor & Employment Law Litigation Negligence, Insurance & Workers’ Compensation Real Property Senior Lawyers Solo & Small Firm Practice Taxation Law Veterans’ Affairs & Military Law Young Lawyers
Audit Continuing Legal Education Diversity & Inclusion Editorial Advisory Ethics Investments Judicial Appointments Laws Lawyer Assistance Program Local & Specialty Bar Liaison Past Presidents Policy Review Professionalism Public Awareness Publications Rules Of Practice Section Value Task Force Strategic Vision
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 1
2018 | 2019
Executive Committee
HON. KEITH R. TRUFFER President
DANA O. WILLIAMS President-Elect
HON. MARK F. SCURTI Treasurer
DEBORAH L. POTTER Secretary
VICTOR VELAZQUEZ Ex Officio Member
THOMAS DOLINA At-Large
MARY ELLEN FLYNN At-Large
JASON DELOACH At-Large
INDIRA SHARMA Young Lawyers Section Chair
EREK L. BARRON Assistant Secretary
M. NATALIE MCSHERRY Assistant Treasurer
2 | MSBA Annual Report 2018-19
2018 | 2019
Board of Governors
OFFICERS
THIRD DISTRICT
NINTH DISTRICT
Hon. Keith R. Truffer President
William C. Chapman
Carl Schlaich
FOURTH DISTRICT
TENTH DISTRICT
Bryan T. Dugan
Ryan J. Dymek
Dana O. Williams President-Elect Hon. Mark F. Scurti Treasurer Deborah L. Potter Secretary Sara H. Arthur Immediate Past President
FIFTH DISTRICT Jason A. DeLoach
ELEVENTH DISTRICT
Walter W. Green
James F. Brewer, II
SIXTH DISTRICT
TWELFTH DISTRICT
David P. Shapiro
Thomas J. Dolina
Mary Beth Beattie
Hon. Pamila J. Brown ABA Delegate
Mary Ellen Flynn
Carl S. Silverman Parliamentarian
Hon. Anne K. Albright
Victor Velazquez Executive Director
David M. Kochanski
FIRST DISTRICT
SEVENTH DISTRICT
Charles M. Blomquist
Anne Colt Leitess
Joshua L. Caplan
Steven Wrobel
Alan F. Garten
Hon. Elizabeth S. Morris
Kerri L. Smith Hon. Hope Tipton Jason T. Wasserman SECOND DISTRICT Steven W. Rakow
Kelcie L. Longaker
David E. Grover Hon. Bibi M. Berry Rhian McGrath
SECTION REPRESENTATIVES Charles B. Jones Estate & Trust Law Jason A. Frank Elder Law Carol Ann Smith Family & Juvenile Law YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION REPRESENTATIVES Indira Sharma, Chair
EIGHTH DISTRICT
Michael Hudak
Kristine K. Howanski
E. Regine Francois
Michael S. Barranco
Nathan K. Risch
Margaret M. McKee Michael W. Siri Hon. Robert J. Thompson
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 3
Finances REVENUE (FY 2017-18)
$5,189,255
4 | MSBA Annual Report 2018-19
Membership Dues
$ 3,380,259
65%
Program Revenue
$ 588,849
11%
Conference and Event Fees
$ 56,114
1%
Advertisement Revenue
$ 194,138
4%
Publication Revenue
$ 454,427
9%
Other Program Service Fees
$ 38,108
1%
Royalty Income
$ 207,639
4%
Investment Income
$ 133,307
3%
Miscellaneous Revenue
$ 136,414
3%
The MSBA continues its multi-year investment approach to modernize the association and position it with tools, offerings and activities that allow it to provide value today and beyond. The MSBA remains the second lowest cost State Bar in the country while utilizing reserves and operating revenue to make needed investments in technology, infrastructure, personnel and other key categories. EXPENSES (FY 2017-18)
$6,376,980 Salaries, Wages and Benefits
$ 2,557,774
40%
Program Expenses
$ 716,082
11%
Consultants and Professional Fees
$ 405,753
6%
Supplies and Materials
$ 239,468
4%
Facility, Equipment and Technology
$ 439,635
7%
Travel, Meeting and Events
$ 618,213
10%
Business and Operational Expenses
$ 169,226
3%
Re-engineering Cost
$ 994,117
16%
Depreciation
$ 39,019
1%
Miscellaneous Expenses
$ 197,693
3%
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 5
Publications Maryland Bar Journal 2.0 This year, MSBA introduced a revamped, fully modernized iteration of our flagship publication, the Maryland Bar Journal. This new Bar Journal builds upon the substantive legal content for which it is known by adding many new segments designed to reflect and speak to every segment of Maryland’s legal profession, with particular emphasis on the faces of MSBA members. The new Bar Journal also features a comprehensive digital edition loaded with value-added content, including supplementary video, extended interviews, hyperlinks, and more. MSBA.ORG/BARJOURNAL
6 | MSBA Annual Report 2018-19
State of the Legal Profession From professional trends to adoption of the Uniform Bar Exam, MSBA’s new State of the Legal Profession National Trends Research Report offers members a concise glimpse of where the profession is, and where it will be tomorrow. MSBA.ORG/STATE-OF-PROFESSION
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Technology Technology is the engine that drives the value, efficiency, and relevance of any successful organization.
MSBA.ORG The hub of MSBA’s digital presence, MSBA.org, is your portal to Maryland’s legal profession, from continuing legal education and advocacy to health and wellness and our online career center. MSBA.ORG
MSBA CONNECT Find answers, ask questions, share knowledge, and connect with the entire MSBA community with our all-new online discussion forum, MSBA Connect, coming soon. 8 | MSBA Annual Report 2018-19
MSBA VIDEO CONTENT Video is a vital platform for telling our members’ stories in the most dynamic and engaging ways possible. MSBA’s video team traverses the state to capture people, places, projects, and events that drive Maryland’s legal profession. Visit our YouTube channel.
ABA sees uptick in two-year bar pass rate Nationwide, nearly 90% of 2016 law school graduates who sat for the bar exam within two years of graduation have passed, according to figures released by the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.
SOCIAL MEDIA To effectively engage your members you must be where they are, which is why your MSBA maintains an active presence on various social media channels with content tailored to each one’s unique environment and audience. Connect with us today on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Flickr, and YouTube.
MARYLAND STATE BAR ASSOCIATION @MDSTATEBAR @MARYLANDBAR @MD_STATE_BAR MARYLAND STATE BAR ASSOCIATION – MSBA
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT RESOURCE PORTAL Curated exclusively for MSBA members, the Practice Management Resource Portal is the go-to resource for solo and small firm practitioners across the state. Our library of videos, whitepapers, and other exclusive content is designed to help you manage every part of your practice, whether it’s building a client base, budgeting and bookkeeping, or choosing the right software to boost your business. Are you trying to start your own practice and not sure how to begin? The Practice Management Resource Portal also contains articles and checklists written by seasoned attorneys with years of experience managing solo and small firms. Take advantage of our checklists and templates to help you plan and get your practice started on the right foot. MSBA.ORG/PRACTICE-MANAGEMENT-PORTAL
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 9
Programs Here is just a sampling of the more than 300 programs that MSBA presents or otherwise takes part in each year to help our members succeed, no matter their practice area.
LOCAL & SPECIALTY BAR ASSOCIATIONS
Conference of Bar Presidents & Young Lawyers Summit Every fall, local and specialty bar leaders from around the state gather at the invitation of the MSBA to share knowledge, experience, and camaraderie in a casual setting. This year, bar presidents, presidents-elect, and executive directors converged upon the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, for the 59th Annual Conference of Bar Presidents, the oldest event of its kind in the nation. The event also played host to the 11th Young Lawyers Summit, an annual gathering of young attorneys from across Maryland representing various practice areas to discuss topics such as career development opportunities, lawyer wellness, and more. MSBA.ORG/BAR-PRESIDENTS-BLOG
IN-HOUSE COUNSEL
Legends of the Boardroom MSBA is home to all segments of the state’s legal profession, including in-house counsel, which is why we teamed up with Judicial Events™ to present Legends of the Boardroom on September 28 at the Downtown Hyatt Regency in Baltimore. This one-of-a-kind opportunity offered the chance to listen to leading general counsel, such as Under Armour’s Kristin Herber and Meryl Burgin of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, speak to hot-button issues facing their field, including cybersecurity and compliance, international arbitration, billing, and much more. MSBA.ORG/LEGENDS-2018-PHOTOS SOLO & SMALL FIRM PRACTITIONERS
Solo Summit From e-discovery to employee wage issues, the 2018 Solo Summit offered vital knowledge for solo practitioners at every stage of practice on November 9 at Maryland Live! Casino & Hotel in Hanover, Maryland. The daylong conference featured many prominent speakers, such as Bar Counsel Lydia Lawless, and touched on, among other things, marketing, courtroom practice and technology, and accounting best practices. MSBA.ORG/SOLO-SUMMIT-BLOG
10 | MSBA Annual Report 2018-19
THE FUTURE OF THE MSBA
Mid-Year Meeting MSBA’s members are the lifeblood of our Association and their voices no less vital when charting the MSBA’s future. From mobile-first technology to expanded member-driven content and resources, the many changes taking place at your MSBA drove discussion at the Association’s 2019 Mid-Year Meeting, held February 19 at the Sheraton Baltimore North Hotel in Towson. Discussion highlights included the newly relaunched Maryland Bar Journal, the Practice Management Portal, MSBA’s partnership with the Maryland Access to Justice Commission, and MSBA Connect, as well as mainstay elements such as continuing legal education, advocacy, and the Lawyer Assistance Program. MSBA.ORG/MID-YEAR-BLOG PROFESSIONAL EXCURSIONS
Escape. Engage. Explore. MSBA Professional Excursions offer one-of-a-kind travel experiences, where you can meet fellow MSBA members, gain valuable learning experiences, and explore beautiful world-class destinations, like Playa Mujeres, Mexico, where members gathered March 31-April 6, 2019.
Legal Summit & Annual Meeting MSBA’s Legal Summit & Annual Meeting is the biggest event of the year for Maryland’s legal professionals, combining learning, camaraderie, and fun. Each year, the Legal Summit & Annual Meeting draws high-profile speakers. For example, in 2018, attendees heard from Preet Bharara, NYU School of Law Distinguished Scholar and host of Cafe’s “Stay Tuned with Preet”, and former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. The 2019 Legal Summit will feature a host of prominent speakers, including former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin, Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh, D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine, and many more.
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 11
Advocacy For more than a century, the MSBA has been the voice of lawyers across the state, from nearly every practice area, career stage, and demographic. This representation extends to the public policy arena. The MSBA takes an active role in shaping legislation considered in Annapolis and Washington, D.C., to realize the best possible outcomes for Maryland’s lawyers and legal professionals. We do so by leveraging the networks, skills, and knowledge of our members. Here are a few highlights from this year’s Advocacy initiatives. ANNAPOLIS SUMMIT The MSBA helped to kick off the 2019 Legislative Session of the Maryland General Assembly as Presenting Sponsor of the 2019 Annapolis Summit, held January 9 at the Governor Calvert House in Annapolis and presented by The Daily Record. MSBA President Judge Keith R. Truffer set the stage for a line-up that included Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, Senate President Mike Miller, and House Speaker Michael Busch in a 90-minute live conversation with interviewer Marc Steiner that addressed some of the most prominent legislative issues facing the state of Maryland. MSBA.ORG/ANNAPOLIS-SUMMIT-BLOG
12 | MSBA Annual Report 2018-19
ADVOCACY HOMEPAGE This year, the MSBA launched a new Advocacy homepage, providing members with a one-stop resource for MSBA’s Legislative Action Center, the State Legislative Program, and more. MSBA.ORG/ADVOCACY
LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER Powered by TrackBill, the MSBA Legislative Action Center keeps you apprised of bills tracked by MSBA’s advocacy team throughout the legislative session. This easy-to-use software enables easy reference of which bills MSBA supports, opposes, or simply monitors.
ABA DAY 2019 Hosted by the American Bar Association (ABA), ABA Day is a three-day conference that brings together leaders of the ABA, state, and local bars from across the country together in Washington, D.C. to advocate before members of Congress on behalf of the profession on issues of great importance, such as the funding of legal services. This year, the MSBA delegation met with Maryland’s elected representatives, including U.S. Congressman Anthony Brown.
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 13
MSBA Gives Back This year, the MSBA partnered with the Maryland Access to Justice Commission (A2JC), working toward the shared goal of uniting leaders to drive systemic reforms and innovations to make the civil justice system more accessible, user-friendly, and fair for all Marylanders. Among the many ways in which A2JC achieves these ends are the legal reference trainings for public librarians from communities across the state it cohosts with the Maryland State Law Library. These trainings provide librarians with the skills they need to effectively help their patrons find accurate legal information, because access to justice starts with access to quality legal information.
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MSBA.ORG/ACCESSINFORMATION G HO US IN DI SP UT ES
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FACES OF ACCESS TO JUSTICE
Commissioners
MARYLAND ATTORNEY GENERAL BRIAN FROSH Commissioner
WARD B. COE III Chair REENA SHAH Executive Director
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 15
Sections MSBA’s 30 unique Sections facilitate connections between our members in every field of practice. Organized by practice area, these groups are where MSBA members go to share news and resources, learn from each other via regular events and CLE programming, and stay connected to the profession by way of discussion groups and newsletters. Here is a sampling of this year’s many Section activities. MSBA.ORG/SECTIONS
16 | MSBA Annual Report 2018-19
AGRICULTURE LAW This Section held three events focused on engaging its membership and young lawyers - A Day at the Races, held in Laurel Park, and the Family Day at the Farm in Cordova, both in October, and, in May, a tour of the Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick. It focused on networking and outreach with its booth at the Maryland State Fair in Timonium and the event “Taste of Maryland”, held in February in Glen Burnie. The Section also hosted its Agricultural & Environmental Law Conference in November, and awarded a $300 summer internship stipend to Agriculture Law Student Member Kyla Kaplan. Members also worked to regularly submit articles to the Maryland Bar Journal and the Bar Bulletin, and the Section actively worked with the MSBA Section Value Task Force and updated its webpage. It received regular updates on regulations proposed by the Maryland Department of Agriculture, and actively monitored and analyzed proposed legislation, although it did not take any positions.
Kathleen J. P. Tabor | Chair
MSBA.ORG/DAY-AT-THE-RACES-PHOTOS
Day at the Races
This Section continued in its mission to encourage the courts and lawyers to incorporate alternative dispute resolution (ADR) into their systems and practices, actively engage in the work of the ADR Commission, and monitor state and national legislation and proposals on uniform confidentiality rules and unauthorized practice of law. In April, it featured a four-part panel discussion covering ethics and mediation skills with retired judges and esteemed mediators from across Maryland at its Spring Seminar and Chief Judge Bell Awards Dinner, where it also honored this year’s Bell Award recipient, Queen Anne’s County Circuit Court Administrative Judge Thomas G. Ross. It will present the program “ADR in a Box: How Can It Help Your Clients Grow Your Practice” in June at the Legal Summit & Annual Meeting.
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION Cynthia M. Jurrius | Chair
MSBA.ORG/ADR-SPRING-SEMINAR-PHOTOS
Spring Seminar & Chief Judge Bell Award Dinner
This Section sponsored several education initiatives, including an Animal Law Lunch and Learn hosted by the Maryland Animal Legal Defense Fund in April at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law; guest speakers Kimberly Fullerton, Section Chair, and Section Council member Fernando Guerra discussed pathways to a career in animal law and developments in the field. The Section also sponsored a film screening and subsequent panel discussion on animal advocacy and sustainability with the Baltimore Environmental Film Series and Loyola University. It will host a family night focusing on wildlife conservation as well as an “Animal Law 101” seminar at the Legal Summit & Annual Meeting.
ANIMAL LAW Kimberly Fullerton | Chair
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 17
SECTIONS Business Law Section Council Hosts MSBA President
BUSINESS LAW Sharon A. Kroupa | Chair MSBA.ORG/BUSINESS-LAW-PHOTOS
18 | MSBA Annual Report 2018-19
This Section, including its 13 standing committees and two ad hoc task forces, had another active and productive year producing several terrific programs for its members and effecting positive results for Maryland’s business community. Its Consumer Credit and Financial Institutions Committee organized a volunteer training and customized the Money Smart for Older Adults presentation materials which it implemented in numerous presentations at senior centers throughout the state. Its International Law Committee hosted “Global Trade: Legal Trends Business Challenges and the Changing Political Landscape”, an MSBA event covering a wide range of trade issues including the current trade war with China, issues with the EU and Brexit, and the differences between conducting business in the US and in other countries at the Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business. The Committee on Corporation Law’s two bills, namely SB 136 (“Corporate Records and Electronic Transmission”) and SB 137 (“MGCL Miscellaneous Provisions”), passed in the Maryland Senate and the House and were signed into law by the Governor. The Committee on Securities Law continued its tradition of regular educational lunches covering recent developments in federal and state securities laws on a variety of topics including digital assets/token securities, disclosure of hedging policies and practices and offerings under Regulation A, among others. The Committee on Franchise, Antitrust & Distribution Law hosted four presentations on topics of interest to practitioners, including joint employer/ NLRB/employee anti-poaching issues and landlord-tenant issues for franchised businesses; the scope of the Committee was also broadened to include the impact of antitrust laws on franchised businesses. The Section’s Ad Hoc Task Force to Study the Uniform Protected Series Act delivered its report and recommendations to the Section Council regarding the enactment of Series LLCs in Maryland (the Section appreciates the hard work of this task force over a two-year period and the assistance of the University of Baltimore School of Law Fellows in the research process). Finally, the Section held its 2019 Advanced Business Law Institute in April, featuring a general counsel panel as well as programs on client demands for indemnification and data security, choice of entity under the new tax law, alternative financing options, the intersection of securities regulations, and social media and business issues related to medical cannabis.
SECTIONS
CONSTRUCTION LAW This Section made a considerable effort to bridge the gap between it and other MSBA Sections with common interests and overlapping practice areas. It collaborated with the Labor & Employment Law Section to present a fall program on a new law that took effect on October 1, 2018, entitled “General Contractor Liability for Unpaid Subcontractor Wages”, preceded by a networking opportunity for the Sections’ members. The Section also hosted a networking happy hour with the Administrative Law Section in the fall, and co-presented a winter program with the Real Property Section on “Current Issues and Challenges Using HUD Insured Construction Loans” (also featuring a member networking opportunity). Finally, the Section updated its bylaws, which it will submit to the Board of Governors for approval.
This Section held a planning meeting in September where it welcomed the many new members who were nominated to join the Section Council the previous year, and also hosted guest speaker Victor Velazquez, MSBA Executive Director, who discussed the many changes that have been made and continue to be made to the MSBA to make membership and engagement in the Association attractive to practitioners at all levels of practice. In November, the Section Council welcomed as its featured speaker Maryland District Court Chief Judge John P. Morrissey, who shared data on Md. Rule 4-216.1 for bail and release and discussed the effect of the rule regarding the rate of releases on recognizance and unsecured bond. The Section hosted its first full program in January, featuring guest speaker Robert K. Hur, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, who discussed the numerous priorities of his office, including terrorism, criminal violence, and opioids, and fielded questions from Section members during dinner. The Section’s Legislative Committee, comprised of both prosecutors and defense attorneys, worked tirelessly both before and during the Legislative Session to provide the Section’s positions on the many criminal law and procedure bills filed this year; it also hosted Maryland Senator Bobby Zirkin, Chair of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, and Delegate Luke Clippinger, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, who provided their insight and analysis at the Section’s March meeting. In April, the Section partnered with the Young Lawyers Section to provide a half-day CLE entitled “The Nuts and Bolts of Criminal Practice in the District Court” to its members at no cost, and, in May, presented its 2019 Robert C. Heeney Award, given annually to an individual who exemplifies the highest professional standards and achievement in the field of criminal law and practice during their distinguished career, to Maryland Public Defender Paul B. DeWolfe. It will partner with the Litigation Section in presenting a program celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Maryland Rules of Evidence in June at the Legal Summit & Annual Meeting.
Robin G. Banks | Chair
CRIMINAL LAW & PRACTICE Kimberly Smalkin Barranco | Chair
MSBA Executive Director Victor Velazquez meets with the Criminal Law & Practice Section Council
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 19
SECTIONS
ESTATE & TRUST LAW Jonathan G. Lasley | Chair MSBA.ORG/ESTATE-TRUST
This Section’s members undertook a very successful legislative effort through proposing, reviewing, monitoring, and testifying before the Maryland General Assembly on bills affecting estate and trust law in Maryland; among other things, that effort resulted in the passage of legislation reforming the state’s spousal elective share law, protecting the sanctity of will executions, affording more options for the delivery of trust notices, and granting trustees more flexibility to divide or combine trusts. It continued to provide its members with extensive educational resources and opportunities to engage with each other, such as: a robust roster of CLE programs including the Estate Planning Evening Series, Recent Developments in Estate Administration, Using and Drafting Trusts, and the Advanced Estate Planning Institute; the Estate and Trust Study Group, which meets monthly from October through June; a biannual newsletter; an active Section email discussion list; monthly email blasts to members; and a revamped Section webpage. Members of the Section Council participated in three joint meetings with Registers of Wills, Orphans’ Court judges, and representatives of the Office of the Attorney General to discuss and address issues in estate administration, probate rules, and other matters impacting the practice of estate and trust law. The Section Council also established a Diversity and Inclusion Committee to work on improving both the Section and Council’s diversity.
MSBA Executive Director Victor Velazquez attends a meeting of the Family & Juvenile Law Section Council
FAMILY & JUVENILE LAW Deena Hausner | Chair
20 | MSBA Annual Report 2018-19
This Section held a series of open meetings featuring special discussion topics, including the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence re: Maryland’s new Extreme Risk Protective Order law in October; Special Education Law and IEPs in November; and special guest MSBA Executive Director Victor Velazquez in December. It also presented a host of continuing legal education programs such as: Evidence and Family Law; Family Law University - Issues in High Conflict Custody Cases; and Training for Best Interest Attorneys, with the Anne Arundel Community College Legal Studies Institute. It also played an active role in the Legislative Session of the Maryland General Assembly, published its Maryland Family Law Advocate newsletter, and created a Child Support Guidelines Advisory Committee.
SECTIONS
IMMIGRATION LAW This Section’s guiding theme for the 2018-2019 bar year was “Education and Pro Bono Service”. Besides hosting free educational webinars, the Section organized two full-day immigration law conferences, presented a program at the Legal Summit & Annual Meeting, and provided volunteer attorneys for pro bono legal clinics on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, assisting 165 low-income clients. It started off the year by hosting and organizing a new fall conference and CLE entitled “Federal Court Litigation and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Nuts and Bolts” in cooperation with Kids in Need of Defense (KIND). The program included: a judicial panel on Special Immigrant Juvenile Status presented by the Family Division Magistrate of the Prince George’s County Circuit Court and the Special Magistrate from the Montgomery County Circuit Court; discussion covering the Latest Strategies on Pereira v. Sessions and How to Prepare, File, and Prosecute a Writ of Habeas Corpus in U.S District Court; and two drafting workshops on Writ of Habeas Corpus and KIND Special Immigrant Juveniles. The Section hosted its annual Spring Conference, dedicated to “Immigration 911: Putting Out the Fires”, in May, where topics included A New Attorney’s Guide to Handling Matters Before the Immigration Court, Defending Cases Involving Marriage Fraud at USCIS, How to Conduct Yourself at USCIS Interviews, Updates on Business Immigration, Addressing Notices to Appear with Fake Hearing Dates, and Pursuing Federal Court Litigation; the program also included an ethics panel presented by Bar Counsel. The Section also partnered with the Chesapeake Multicultural Center in Easton, where Section members volunteered at bimonthly pro bono legal clinics at the Center, assisting 80 Eastern Shore clients without easy access to legal representation in their immigration matters over the course of the year. It also provided volunteers for a pro bono legal clinic held in connection with the grand opening of the recently BIA-accredited Word of Life Center Immigration Services in Salisbury, assisting 35 low-income clients. Finally, the Section will present a joint program with Maryland Legal Aid in June at the Legal Summit & Annual Meeting, where it has also organized its 4th Annual Legal Clinic at the Word of Life Church in Salisbury, providing free legal consultation to approximately 50 low-income clients living on the Eastern Shore.
This Section collaborated with the Construction Law Section in presenting a fall program on a new law that took effect on October 1, 2018, entitled “General Contractor Liability for Unpaid Subcontractor Wages”, which was preceded by a networking opportunity for the Sections’ members. It will present the educational program “Marijuana in the Workplace” in June at the Legal Summit & Annual Meeting.
Klaudia Hall | Chair
LABOR & EMPLOYMENT LAW Melissa M. McGuire | Chair
MSBA.ORG/NEW-CONTRACTOR-PHOTOS
New Contractor Liability Law Focus of Panel Discussion MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 21
SECTIONS
LITIGATION Hon. Michael DiPietro | Chair
This Section enjoyed another successful year with a focus on appellate practice, organizing two mid-year educational programs - “Appellate Nuts & Bolts”, held in the fall, and the winter program “Recent Impact Cases”. In April, it co-sponsored a Bicentennial Symposium and Celebration of McCulloch v. Maryland, featuring special guests Neal Katyal and Gregg Garre. The Section also honored Maryland Court of Appeals Judge Robert McDonald for his outstanding service to the judiciary and the legal community at its annual Harrell Award Dinner, and recognized Julia Doyle Bernhardt of the Maryland Attorney General’s Office as its “Litigator of the Year” at the Section’s Annual Spring Dinner. It also produced two issues of its newsletter, The Litigator, and embarked on a significant upgrade to its webpage. It will co-sponsor a program recognizing the 25th Anniversary of the Maryland Rules of Evidence in June at the Legal Summit & Annual Meeting, where it will also once again hold its annual “Supreme Court in Review” program. MSBA.ORG/MCCULLOCH-PHOTOS
McCulloch v. Maryland Bicentennial Re-Enactment
NEGLIGENCE, INSURANCE & WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
This Section carried on in its mission to further the development of the law concerning negligence, insurance, and workers’ compensation; stimulate and extend the study of these fields of the law; cooperate in obtaining legislation and administration in all matters concerning negligence, insurance, and workers’ compensation; and work to simplify and improve the application of justice in these fields of law. It will present the educational program “Insurance Policy 101 and More…” in June at the Legal Summit & Annual Meeting.
Fatima H. Garland | Chair
Let’s Get Serious: WCC Discussion of Serious Disability
MSBA.ORG/SERIOUS-DISABILITY-PHOTOS
REAL PROPERTY Matthew L. Kimball | Chair
This Section provided full-day continuing legal education seminars this year, including the Advanced Real Property Institute in October and, in March, the Land Use Institute. It hosted regular monthly Real Property Discussion Group lunches featuring guest speakers on topics of interest to real estate practitioners. The Section also co-sponsored a presentation on HUD-Insured Construction Loans with the Construction Law Section. Its Legislative Committee actively supported several pieces of important Maryland legislation leading to enacted bills, chiefly HB 1065 - Maryland Commercial Receivership Act and SB 678 - State Government - Notarial Acts and Notaries Public.
MSBA Executive Director Victor Velazquez meets with the Real Property Section Council. 22 | MSBA Annual Report 2018-19
SECTIONS
SENIOR LAWYERS Rob Ross Hendrickson | Chair This Section hosted a wide range of speakers at its bimonthly lunch meetings, and continued to publish its newsletter with the same frequency. It hosted its annual Senior Lawyer of the Year Award & Banquet honoring this year’s recipient, Ben Rosenberg, in May, and will co-sponsor the Senior Judge of the Year Award, presented in June at the Legal Summit & Annual Meeting, with the Maryland Judiciary. MSBA.ORG/SENIOR-LAWYERS-PHOTOS
Senior Lawyers Section Luncheon
This Section carried on its mission to help its members to improve their ability to deliver the highest quality, most efficient legal services to their clients and enhance the competence and skills of solo and small firm practitioners in their roles as contributing members to and leaders of the MSBA, the legal profession, and their communities. Its annual Solo Summit, held in November in Hanover, Maryland, offered a full day of programming tackling topics such as wage law, marketing, ethics, and more. The Section will sponsor several educational programs, including “Bits, Bytes & Blogs: An Attorney’s Guide to Digital Marketing”, “Practice Tips from the Bench”, “MDEC Practical Training and Q&A Session”,and co-sponsor “50 Tech Tips and Tools” with the Delivery of Legal Services Section, in June at the Legal Summit & Annual Meeting.
SOLO & SMALL FIRM PRACTICE Anthony I. Butler | Chair
MSBA.ORG/SOLO-SUMMIT-VIDEO
Solo Summit
TAXATION LAW This Section’s activities this year included hosting its Annual Tax Section Networking Night in November in Hanover, Maryland. It will present the educational program “Marijuana, Sales Tax, and Donald Trump’s Tax Code” in June at the Legal Summit & Annual Meeting.
Beverly L. Winstead | Chair
MSBA.ORG/TAX-NETWORKING-VIDEO
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 23
SECTIONS VETERANS’ AFFAIRS & MILITARY LAW Swapna Yeluri | Chair
This Section marked its 11th anniversary of teaching and training attorneys, veterans, case workers, and others on various legal issues pertaining to veterans. In April, it hosted the 2nd Annual Patriot Ride to raise funds for pro bono legal representation for veterans, and honored Mike Comeau for his work with veterans and their families by presenting him with its 8th Annual Brigadier General Phillip Sherman Award. The Section supported expansion of veterans’ courts in Maryland, and will present the panel discussion “Going from Veteran to Entrepreneur” in June at the Legal Summit & Annual Meeting. Brigadier General Philip Sherman Award Presentation MSBA.ORG/SHERMAN-AWARD-PHOTOS MSBA.ORG/PATRIOT-RIDE-PHOTOS
YOUNG LAWYERS Indira K. Sharma | Chair
This Section began a very active year by cosponsoring a Kickoff Mixer with the Bar Association of Baltimore City in September. In January, it welcomed December 2018 admittees to the Maryland Bar with a special reception held in Columbia, and continued its tradition of raising money for Special Olympics Maryland by participating in the 23rd Annual Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis. Proceeds from its 28th Annual Charity Event, held in April at the Baltimore Museum of Art, went to support the work of the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition. The Section also co-sponsored a Lawyer Wellness Retreat with the MD/DC Chapter of the Mindfulness in Law Society in May in Columbia as part of Chair Indira Sharma’s yearlong emphasis on attorney health and wellness. MSBA.ORG/OYSTER-RECOVERY-VIDEO MSBA.ORG/POLAR-BEAR-PLUNGE-VIDEO
YLS Swearing-In Celebration
24 | MSBA Annual Report 2018-19
Committees Led by our members, Committees shape the MSBA experience into one that is both valuable and effective. Here is a sampling of this year’s many Committee activities and accomplishments. MSBA.ORG/COMMITTEES
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 25
COMMITTEES AUDIT Edward J. Gilliss | Chair
CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION Jack Orrick | Chair
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION Yolanda F. Sonnier | Chair
This Committee is pleased to report that the MSBA’s most recently audited financial statement received an unqualified audit opinion from its independent auditor, Ellin & Tucker, meaning it was free from material misstatements and there are no material findings or instances of non-compliance. It met several times to review the work of its auditors, and recommended acceptance of the Audited Financial Statement to the Board of Governors.
This Committee oversaw the presentation of 35 live and live simulcast educational seminars held in Baltimore, Columbia, and Montgomery County in fiscal year (FY) 2019. In August, the CLE Department conducted its first annual CLE Institute, during which national trainer Steve Hughes came to Maryland to help 15 applicants in the program develop presentation and curriculum development skills; two of those graduates have already presented programs for the CLE Department. Further, the Committee proposed and began researching the idea of a “certification” program in light of the Maryland Rules Committee’s modification of its “specialization” rule in 2017. The proposal is to bundle a designated number of on-demand programs by practice area (chosen by those practice area Sections) and, upon completion of those programs, the lawyer would receive a secure, digital “badge” that they could display on their website, LinkedIn account, etc., to attest to the fact that they have completed ongoing and advanced education in their practice area even though Maryland is not a mandatory CLE state. A business plan on cost and pricing for such a program is now being developed by the Committee to present to the Board of Governors with the hope that this program can be rolled out on a pilot basis next year. In addition, the Committee also oversaw the first programming offered in partnership with the Learning Studies Institute of Anne Arundel Community College, offering the first Best Interest Attorney training held by the CLE Department since its inception in 2010. Finally, the Committee recommended, and the Board of Governors voted to approve, that the CLE Committee and the Publications Committee be recombined for FY 2020.
This Committee held its inaugural Diversity & Inclusion Conference on March 21 at the University of Baltimore. The Conference included four panels: Change Comes to Washington: A National Discussion on Race, Gender, Disability, Equality & Justice for All; Diversity is Good for Business; We’ve Been Here Before: Views from and an Interactive Conversation with Trailblazers; and Judicial Panel: Views Regarding Diversity & Inclusion from the Bench. Attendee feedback will help to inform the planning of sessions for the next Conference. The Committee also established a social media presence to publicize events and post other relevant content. It also worked to develop a diversity and inclusion plan, which it will present to leadership in the coming bar year, and will host a training on Implicit Bias at the 2019 Legal Summit & Annual Meeting. First Annual Diversity & Inclusion Conference MSBA.ORG/DIVERSITY-CONFERENCE-PHOTOS
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COMMITTEES
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This Committee worked collaboratively with the Maryland Bar Journal Editor and MSBA leadership to redesign and launch a new Bar Journal beginning with the Winter 2019 issue. The new Bar Journal is published quarterly. Each issue will continue to feature substantive theme-based articles. Each issue will also include more diverse content with the goal of broadening the publication’s appeal across the legal profession. The Committee has continued its traditional role of identifying substantive themes for Bar Journal articles, identifying and recruiting writers, editing, and providing feedback to the Bar Journal Editor.
Hon. Vicki Ballou-Watts | Chair
New Maryland Bar Journal
O RG
This Committee continued to staff the Ethics Hotline throughout the bar year, holding informal conversations with numerous Maryland attorneys to assist them in working through various ethical topics. It also issued seven opinions on a variety of topics, ranging from the duty to report the unauthorized practice of law by an out-of-state attorney to the rules governing an attorney’s donation of services to charity.
ETHICS Randolph Sergent | Chair
INVESTMENTS This Committee continued its ongoing mission of overseeing MSBA’s prudent investment of Association assets. Its investment objective is to earn a fair return while ensuring that sufficient funds are always available for the smooth operation of MSBA functions.
Cleaveland D. Miller | Chair
MSBA.ORG/INVESTMENTS-COMMITTEE-VIDEO
This Committee, comprised of over 100 bar members from across the state, successfully launched an online Judicial Applications Portal, through which it may securely receive applications for each judicial vacancy in the State of Maryland, as well as perform peer evaluation and make recommendations to the Governor and the Governor’s Judicial Nominating Commission. MSBA.ORG/JUDICIAL-APPOINTMENTS
JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS Tiffani Collins, Diane E. Feuerherd, Andrew N. Illuminati & Tara A. Taylor | Co-Chairs
Judicial Applications Portal
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 27
COMMITTEES
LAWS Hon. Steven G. Salant & Margaret McKee | Co-Chairs
LAWYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Hon. William Simmons & Jay D. Miller | Co-Chairs
This Committee reviewed bills introduced to the Maryland General Assembly and made position recommendations to the Board of Governors. Bills of importance included SB 205, which added Circuit and District Court Judgeships and passed both chambers (and currently awaits the Governor’s signature); SB 246, which would have eliminated judicial elections for circuit court judges (supported by the MSBA); and SB 1049, which intended to mandate all future and current asbestos cases in Baltimore City Circuit Court be sent to mediation (opposed by the MSBA). The Committee will review the MSBA’s State Legislative Program this summer, with a particular focus on a possible addition regarding privacy laws, as this issue has generated a large volume of legislation.
This bar year saw the Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP) experience its most significant expansion since its inception in 1981. Now, through a national network of therapists, LAP can serve lawyers in every county of the state, as well as Baltimore City. The Committee, as part of its ongoing mission to serve the health and well-being of bar members, also continued its outreach program involving regular talks to local committees, law firms, and law schools. The Committee’s individual members, as well as Program Director and Counselor, helped over 100 lawyers, judges, and law students this year who were suffering from problems with alcohol, drugs, and mental health issues. The confidential program also continued to assist by providing loans and grants from the Bates-Vincent Foundation to help those financially unable to afford treatment. MSBA.ORG/TRUFFER-LAP-VIDEO MSBA.ORG/LAP-COMMITTEE-PHOTOS
LAP Committee Meeting
LEADERSHIP ACADEMY Hon. Dana M. Middleton & Jessica A. Quincosa | Co-Chairs
This Committee continued its ongoing mission of assisting lawyers in becoming better leaders in both the bar and greater community through a 12-month program that focuses on enhancing soft skills, mentoring through MSBA Past Presidents and current bar leaders, and the development and implementation of a public service project. This year’s Class of Fellows focused their public service on mental health awareness by hosting a two-day program in Frederick. Leaders in Law event featuring Robert K. Hur, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland MSBA.ORG/LEADERS-IN-LAW-PHOTOS
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COMMITTEES
This Committee hosted the 59th Annual Conference of Bar Presidents on October 26-27 at the Gaylord National Harbor in Prince George’s County. In addition to the traditional plenary sessions, the two-day Conference featured topical programming, including a timely discussion on cybersecurity threats and best practices for law firms to reduce the risk, as well as an impactful discussion on civility in the legal profession. It also featured an entertaining legislative update from Timothy Maloney, as well as a lively discussion with WBAL-TV Chief Investigative Reporter Jayne Miller on fake news and the role and state of journalism in today’s society.
LOCAL & SPECIALTY BAR LIAISON Ranju R. Shrestha & Taren Butcher | Co-Chairs
MSBA.ORG/BAR-PRESIDENTS-BLOG
PAST PRESIDENTS Past Presidents Committee meeting
This Committee, which met twice this bar year, is an important vehicle through which the MSBA maintains communication with, and involvement by, its Past Presidents. The dedicated members of this group provide institutional history and serve as sounding boards for MSBA policy and ideas, in addition to serving as MSBA ambassadors and cheerleaders.
Hon. Harry C. Storm | Chair
MSBA.ORG/PAST-PRESIDENTS-PHOTOS
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 29
COMMITTEES POLICY REVIEW Hon. Harry C. Storm | Chair
This Committee, in conjunction with the Bylaws Committee, has been involved in a multiyear, comprehensive review and revision of the MSBA’s bylaws, policies, rules, and regulations. Last year, the membership voted on several bylaw amendments, and it is anticipated that additional amendments will be presented this year. The MSBA’s policy manual, comprised of collected policies, rules, and regulations developed over many years, was in need of a complete review and modernization. Recognizing this need, President Keith R. Truffer appointed this Committee to undertake this sizeable project. The Committee wishes to acknowledge and thank Anna S. Sholl, Esq., MSBA Director of Profession and Practice Advancement, for her many hours of work on this project.
PROFESSIONALISM Hon. Robert B. Kershaw & Barry M. Nudelman | Co-Chairs
This Committee continued its mission of promoting professionalism and civility among Maryland lawyers, judges, and citizens. It will present a program at the 2019 Legal Summit & Annual Meeting, where it will also present its Charles H. Dorsey Award for Professionalism and Civility.
PUBLIC AWARENESS Myriem Seabron | Chair MSBA.ORG/LAW-DAY-PHOTOS
Law Day 2019
30 | MSBA Annual Report 2018-19
This Committee facilitated several One Bar | One Community volunteer opportunities in conjunction with the Young Lawyers Section, including the MSP Polar Bear Plunge, Frederick Soup Kitchen, and Our Daily Bread. It also teamed with the Maryland Historical Society, MYLAW, and the Maryland Association of Administrative Law Judiciary in co-sponsoring the 2019 Law Day Program, illustrating this year’s theme, “Free Speech. Free Press. Free Society”, for 50 middle and high school students, with a keynote address by retired Chief Judge Robert M. Bell. The Committee’s annual Adopt a Family Drive provided holiday gifts for 10 families this past winter, and donations made to the YMCA allowed for the purchase of items for others in need. The Committee is currently partnering with the People’s Law Library in guiding the public to up-to-date legal information, as it is no longer updating and publishing the series of 24 public legal information guides that it has historically curated.
COMMITTEES PUBLICATIONS This Committee served the MSBA as an advisory group in reviewing and considering new titles and schedules. It worked closely with the Continuing Legal Education Committee, including making joint recommendations to the Board of Governors. The Committee will continue either on its own or as a distinct part of the Continuing Legal Education Committee in providing the same services, as well as any additional as appropriate.
This Committee’s Co-Chairs served as liaisons to the Court of Appeals’ Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure (“Rules Committee”), which identifies, drafts, and presents changes to the Maryland Rules of Procedures, as well as newly drafted Rules, to the Court of Appeals for Adoption. These Rules changes then become the Rules of Practice followed by Maryland Courts. The Rules Committee meets monthly from September to June each year, and its 19 subcommittees meet irregularly throughout the year. Rules changes are usually indicated by changes in legislation, such as the new Rape Survivor Act, as well as opinions of the appellate courts, but also as identified by practitioners who are encouraged to appear before these subcommittees as well as the Rules Committee. The major issues addressed by the Rules Committee this bar year included the development of implementing Rules in regard to the adoption of the Uniform Bar Exam, significant changes to the Rules pertaining to judicial disabilities and discipline, and substantial revisions to the Rules regarding guardianships of the person and property for both adults and minors. Additionally, there have been changes to the Rules pertaining to Special Immigrant Juvenile Status cases, the entry of judgments, including foreign judgments and post-judgment practices, standards for Mediators and other Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) professionals, and the implementation of a requirement for pre-trial custody statements in divorce and custody cases. Throughout this process, numerous changes were required to be made to the Rules pertaining to MDEC, the Rules regarding public access to Court records, and the Rules pertaining to attorney professional responsibility. Throughout this bar year, the Co-Chairs attended and participated in the subcommittee and Rules Committee meetings and provided insight and practical guidance to these bodies as they considered the adoption or revisions to these Rules changes. Members of the ADR Section and the Immigration Law Section, as well as others, provided testimony in subcommittee and Committee meetings over the past year. In addition, the interaction between the MSBA and the Rules Committee now allows us to receive communications from the Rules Committee regarding upcoming meetings as well as agendas for the subcommittee meetings, and the Committee ensures that these notices are passed promptly to MSBA Sections and Committees.
This Committee was convened in September with the goal of working with MSBA’s substantive law Sections to help produce more content for their respective pages on MSBA. org. As part of that work, the Task Force partnered with the Estate & Trust Law Section to develop a new Section page design, which enables the Section to choose whether certain portions of its page are available to the general public, MSBA members, or Section members. The new Section page template, which may be viewed at www.msba.org/estate-trust, will be rolled out to all Sections over the course of the summer, with all Sections being transitioned to the new layout by the end of September 2019. The Task Force has also helped Sections to develop, curate, and collect content for their pages, including articles, templates, and checklists. Its work will continue into the coming bar year as it works to increase the available content on various Section pages.
Stanford G. Gann, Jr. | Chair
RULES OF PRACTICE Thomas J. Dolina & Thomas B. Stahl | Co-Chairs
SECTION VALUE TASK FORCE Michael Hudak | Chair
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 31
COMMITTEES
STRATEGIC VISION Ben Rosenberg | Chair
MSBA President Judge Keith R. Truffer appointed this special committee as one of his primarily initiatives, tasking it with developing 4-6 priorities and objectives to guide the MSBA’s efforts over the next several years. Given the importance of this role, the Committee was comprised of a diverse group of attorneys representing various sectors of the legal profession, including solo & small firm, midsized, and large-firm attorneys, in-house counsel, government lawyers, and public interest attorneys, as well as attorneys representing various career stages, from young lawyers to MSBA Past Presidents. Starting with its first meeting, the Committee spent considerable time reviewing survey data, townhall data, and other research on the state of the MSBA and the legal profession in general. It also heard from speakers from related professions and associations, and collected additional data and research through its own surveys. After reviewing significant information, the Committee spent several meetings discussing and formulating priorities and objectives. In April, Chair Ben Rosenberg presented the Committee’s six recommended strategic priorities and accompanying objectives to the Board of Governors, which unanimously approved all recommendations at its May retreat. These strategic priorities and objectives will serve as guideposts for the MSBA over the next several years and will help to determine how the Association should best focus its resources. In sum, the Committee’s recommendations conclude that the MSBA must 1) be for all legal professionals in Maryland; 2) be the voice for the legal profession in Maryland; 3) advance access to justice; 4) provide value to its members; 5) be accessible to its members; and 6) be innovative. A more detailed report on the MSBA’s Strategic Priorities & Objectives will be available in late 2019. MSBA.ORG/STRATEGIC-VISION-PHOTOS
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Local & Specialty Bars As a statewide network of lawyers and legal professionals, the MSBA regularly partners with Maryland’s local and specialty bar associations to strengthen members’ ties to their local communities and fields of expertise. Here is a sampling of the many local and specialty bar programs and events that took place this bar year.
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 33
LOCAL & SPECIALTY BARS MARYLAND HISPANIC BAR ASSOCIATION 25 TH ANNIVERSARY GALA MSBA Executive Director Victor Velazquez and Mayda Colon-Tsaknis, founder of the Maryland Hispanic Bar Association, attend the MHBA’s 25th Anniversary Gala.
A veritable who’s-who of the Maryland legal community joined the Maryland Hispanic Bar Association in celebrating its silver anniversary at the Association’s 25th Annual Gala, held in September in Greenbelt. Expounding a recurring theme of the evening - immigration - MSBA Executive Director and keynote speaker Victor Velazquez discussed his own professional and personal journeys, from childhood in Vieques, PR, and the mainland United States through his battle with cancer and, finally, taking charge of the MSBA executive staff in early 2017. MSBA.ORG/MHBA-GALA-VIDEO MSBA.ORG/VELAZQUEZ-SPEECH-VIDEO
BALTIMORE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION “PROM”
Each winter, the Baltimore County Bar Association’s Annual Black Tie Event - known colloquially as the “Prom” - draws 600-700 attorneys from around the county and across the state. As a key networking opportunity, “this event reminds people why [bar] associations are important,” says BCBA Executive Director Rachel Ruocco. MSBA.ORG/LAWYER-PROM-VIDEO
34 | MSBA Annual Report 2018-19
LOCAL & SPECIALTY BARS PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION HONORS LOCAL JUDGES
The Maryland Bar and Bench have long cultivated their positive, collegial working relationship, at both the state and local levels. In September, the Prince George’s County Bar Association (PGCBA) honored Prince George’s County Circuit Court Administrative Judge Sheila R. Tillerson Adams with its Judge James H. Taylor Award at its fall membership meeting in Mitchellville. PGCBA Immediate Past President and MSBA Board of Governors member Walter Green presented Adams with the Taylor Award “in grateful recognition for years of dedication and commitment to the law, the courts, and the community.” PGCBA also paid homage to retiring Circuit Court Judge Toni E. Clarke’s career of service. MSBA.ORG/PGCBA-JUDGES-PHOTOS
More than 500 legal and civic luminaries turned out for the J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association’s 34th Annual Scholarship Awards Banquet - the Bourne Bar’s premier annual event - in November in Greenbelt. The focus of this year’s Banquet program was “Yield Not Toward the Path of Justice”. Baltimore City State’s Attorney and keynote speaker Marilyn Mosby joined a host of prominent lawyers, judges, bar and civic leaders that included United States Senator Ben Cardin, Congressman Steny Hoyer, Maryland Delegate Erek Barron, Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, and MSBA President Judge Keith R. Truffer, among many others.
J. FRANKLYN BOURNE BAR ASSOCIATION 34 TH ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS BANQUET
MSBA Past President Judge Pamila J. Brown with U.S. Senator Ben Cardin MSBA.ORG/BOURNE-BANQUET-PHOTOS
The Wicomico County Bar Association hosted a retirement celebration for the Honorable Sally D. Adkins of the Court of Appeals of Maryland on December 1, 2018, at Salisbury University on Maryland’s Lower Eastern Shore. In March, Governor Larry Hogan appointed Easton attorney Brynja McDivitt Booth to fill the high court vacancy left by Adkins’s departure.
WICOMICO COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION HONORS JUDGE ADKINS
MSBA.ORG/JUDGE-ADKINS-PHOTOS Judge Adkins (center) with WCBA President Gil Allen (right) and Immediate Past President (and graduate of the MSBA Leadership Academy) Andrew Illuminati.
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 35
DAY OF SERVICE
MARYLAND LAWYERS GIVING BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITIES
Local and specialty bar associations around the state, as well as the MSBA, joined in the first annual Maryland Lawyers’ Day of Service April 27-28, 2019. The theme for this day of service was helping the state’s homeless populations. From pro bono trainings to home repair, Maryland’s legal professionals turned out in force to help the communities in which they live and work. Thank you to all of the Bar Associations and individual members of the legal community who made the first annual Lawyers’ Day of Service a success.
PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS Alliance of Black Women Attorneys Baltimore County Bar Association Bar Association of Baltimore City Bar Association of Montgomery County Calvert County Bar Association Howard County Bar Association LGBTQ Bar Association of Maryland Prince George’s County Bar Association Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester County Bar Associations Southern Maryland Women’s Bar Association St. Mary’s County Bar Association Bar Association of Frederick County Everett J. Waring / Juanita Jackson Mitchell Law Society Anne Arundel County Bar Association
36 | MSBA Annual Report 2018-19
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 37
Partnerships THE DAILY RECORD MSBA actively partners with The Daily Record, a vital multimedia news source for Maryland’s legal profession and greater business community, in a variety of ways, such as the weekly Maryland Law Digest, which lands in our members’ inboxes each week as a benefit of membership. The Daily Record handles printing and distribution of our monthly newsletter, the Bar Bulletin. It also publishes more than 30 special products per year, such as the annual Leadership in Law Awards recognizing excellence in the profession, which the MSBA is proud to co-sponsor. We also work with The Daily Record to kick off the annual legislative session of the Maryland General Assembly every January as Presenting Sponsor of the Annapolis Summit. The Daily Record is also a regular presence at our Legal Summit & Annual Meeting, where each year it sponsors a happy hour, as well as the Young Lawyers Sun Run.
MSBA President Hon. Keith Truffer, award recipient Ryan Dymek, and The Daily Record Publisher Suzanne Fischer-Huettner at the Leadership in Law Awards.
Members participate in the Young Lawyers Section’s Sun Run, sponsored by The Daily Record, at the 2018 MSBA Legal Summit and Annual Meeting.
The printed Bar Bulletin is made possible by The Daily Record. 38 | MSBA Annual Report 2018-19
BALTIMORE MAGAZINE Like the MSBA itself, Baltimore magazine has deep roots in the region. Through worldclass design, bold photography, and captivating writing, Baltimore points its readers to the area’s best arts, culture, fashion, food, drink, and more in dynamic, forward-thinking print and digital formats, making it a natural fit for the printing and distribution of our newly revamped flagship publication, the Maryland Bar Journal. Baltimore magazine also hosts an online Attorney Directory, a comprehensive resource guide of legal professionals in the Baltimore area. Through these efforts, as well as its annual Profiles of Law feature, Baltimore magazine is playing a key role in the evolution of your MSBA.
BALTIMOREMAGAZINE.COM/ATTORNEYS
MSBA Annual Report 2018-19 | 39
A FINAL WORD FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Since my tenure commenced in January, 2017, we have seen our MSBA rapidly begin its evolution into an association of today and tomorrow. From branding to technology, dozens of new offerings, a more compelling value proposition, numerous firsts and even more refreshes, although our work is not yet done, our efforts are clearly resonating with members of Maryland’s legal profession. Thank you for your membership, engagement and overall support. I’m both humbled and privileged to serve as your Executive Director.
Victor Velazquez
MARYLAND STATE BAR ASSOCIATION, INC. 520 West Fayette Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201 410-685-7878 • 800-492-1964
40 | MSBA Annual Report 2018-19