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ADVOCATE VOLUME 32, NUMBER 1 - FALL 2017
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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR BY MICHAEL HUDAK, SECTION CHAIR
“The meeting of preparation with opportunity generates the offspring we call luck.” - Tony Robins Today’s recent law graduates face a challenging job market that demands that young attorneys develop innovative ways to market themselves across legal fields – private sector, public interest, or government work. We must be better prepared and more willing to look for new opportunities to succeed. After more than nine years of involvement with the MSBA Young Lawyers Section (YLS), I am excited to bring this focus to YLS for the upcoming year: professional development; business development; and personal development. I first became involved in YLS in 2009 and over the years have reaped the benefits of YLS committee involvement, working with Disaster Relief, Habitat for Humanity, Annual Charity Event,
Membership, and several other committees. YLS has provided me with opportunities to make great contributions to my profession and my community. Now, as Chair, it is a privilege to see fellow young lawyers moving up through the ranks. Working with the MSBA YLS is a tremendous experience. As an Assistant State’s Attorney, I practice criminal law only in Baltimore City. However, through the MSBA YLS, I have met practicing attorneys and judges throughout the entire State of Maryland. As with many of my peers, my time is precious and I want to make sure that I can dedicate it to organizations I feel strongly about and also ones where I am able to have meaningful involvement. That is exactly what the MSBA YLS offers. 2
This year, we are expanding YLS offerings by introducing a new committee to YLS, Business Development, and increasing our focus on technology. The Business Development committee started off the year with a dynamic presentation by Michelle Lipkowitz, Esq. of Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr, LLP on how to network effectively. Over the course of the upcoming year, the Business Development committee will provide YLS members with several more opportunities to hone their skills and network with other young professionals across different fields like real estate and finance. As new attorneys, we must also embrace the increasing role of technology in the legal field. This year, we have added a Social Media committee to work handin-hand with the Technology committee. Technology provides endless opportunities for recent grads to stand-
out from the crowd in the legal field. At the recent American Bar Association conference, representatives from YLS presented to bar associations nationwide on MSBA YLS innovations like the first ever virtual reality attorney training video shot in 360. I believe that professional development and business development are critical to success and the MSBA YLS offers the training, networking, and mentoring that is necessary to thrive in today’s job market. YLS has helped me become a better lawyer and has helped me develop skills that have been indispensable in my career. I am excited to work with so many driven and innovative young lawyers this year as we expand opportunities for our members to grow their careers. Sincerely, Michael Hudak
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RIDING THE CIRCUIT
6TH CIRCUIT - FREDERICK COUNTY BY DETRIC L. KEMP, CIRCUIT REPRESENTATIVE •
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On June 10, 2017 the Young Lawyers Section (YLS) of Frederick County volunteered at the Annual Brewfest at Milkhouse Brewery and raised over $1,000 for Camp Jamie. Camp Jamie is a grief camp for children between the ages of 6 to 14. The camp is held every year at a retreat in Frederick County after Mother’s Day weekend. Members of the YLS along with other volunteers serve as Big Buddies and Support Staff at the camp. From July 14 through July 15, 2017 members of the YLS of the Frederick County Bar joined seasoned members of the bar in Rockhall, MD for the 9th Annual Fishing for Civility Trip. This event is designed to foster civility between attorneys in and out of the courtroom. The event kicked off with a social hour Friday afternoon and concluded with fishing on the Chesapeake Saturday morning.
from the hooks. •
On September 19, 2017 the YLS of Frederick County had a New Practitioners Happy Hour to welcome new law clerks and practitioners in Frederick County.
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On September 27, 2017 the YLS of Frederick County along with MSBA YLS held a chambers chat with The Honorable Donald E. Beachley. Judge Beachley talked to attendees about preserving the record, concise briefing, and effective oral argument techniques.
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On Saturday October 7, 2017 the YLS of Frederick County volunteered at the Walk a Mile in Their Shoes event sponsored by Heartly House. Heartly House is a nonprofit that provides services for victims and survivors of domestic violence.
On July 21, 2017 several members of the YLS of Frederick County volunteered at Culler Lake to assist children at the Salvation Army Day Camp fish. YLS assisted by casting, baiting the hooks, and removing fish
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BEYOND THE COURTROOM WITH THE 29TH CAB LEGAL TEAM
BY CAPT. STEPHEN JAMES 29TH COMBAT AVIATION BRIGADE PUBLIC AFFAIRS TAJI MILITARY COMPLEX, Iraq – The Judge Advocate General can often conjure thoughts of courtroom battles, but that is not always the case with the 29th Combat Aviation Brigade’s JAG team which operates both at Camp Buehring, Kuwait and Taji Military Complex, Iraq. More often than not, the 29th CAB JAG are providing helpful advice and counsel to both Soldiers and civilians. The legal experts from the 29th CAB are a valued asset due to their knowledge, professionalism and the services that they provide to a diverse range of audiences. “The 29th CAB legal office provides notary, power of attorney, legal reviews, consultations, wills and information on the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act”, said Capt. Julius Blattner, trial counsel for the 29th CAB. In addition to those services, the JAG team provides advice and counsel to commanders and Soldiers so they can make informed decisions. “I love working with my legal section, as part of the Brigade staff, as advisor to our brigade, battalion and company command teams and with the individual Soldier to help them solve their legal issues at home, so they can concentrate on the mission,” said Capt. Michael
Terhune, the 29th CAB JAG. Some examples of these actions include: legal briefings to the brigade, assisting command teams in creating policy, preparing and litigating court-martials, helping plan operations by identifying legal constraints, legal reviews of unit purchases and assisting and advising Soldiers with a divorce or purchasing a home, said Terhune. Offering these types of documentation and advice is a team effort, to ensure that proper regulations are being followed, which often involve debate amongst one another. “We have some of the best researchers and arguments in the brigade, we work with both JAG officers and they listen to our arguments and we conduct a lot of research,” said Staff Sgt. Theresa Goldsmith, the 29th CAB JAG noncommissioned officer in charge. At the end of the day, the discussions and debate held by the JAG team are for the benefit of the Soldiers and the commanders they serve. “Many issues are thoroughly discussed before one of our attorneys comes up with a final opinion,” said Terhune. “This collaborative effort ensures we give the command the best possible advice.” 5
“The benefit of this is that they [paralegals] are able to share the work and engage in legal debates or discussion which has helped us in the way that we look at the cases.”
What is also unique is that fact that the 29th CAB legal team also has the capability to project itself from Taji to other locations throughout OIR for legal support and investigation assistance. “It has been good to lean forward as a JAG to get out in the field,” said Capt. Kasey Deiss, 1-147th Assault Helicopter Battalion JAG.
The 29th CAB JAG section is unique due to the fact that active-duty and Army National Guard paralegals from the CAB’s subordinate battalions are consolidated to form a brigade-wide legal office.
Deiss, who has helped investigating officers with a recent investigation involving aviation assets, says that it is his job “to guide IOs through any legal questions, troubleshoot and to determine if the investigation is sufficient.”
“The benefit of this is that they [paralegals] are able to share the work and engage in legal debates or discussion which has helped us in the way that we look at the cases,” said Blattner.
For Soldiers looking for legal assistance, they should not hesitate to seek advice by reaching out to the 29th CAB JAG paralegals.
Due to the consolidation of the legal team, the JAG section has expanded and allowed for more Soldiers in Iraq and Kuwait to receive legal advice. In order to best serve those in Iraq, “the 29th CAB legal team established a fulltime office at Camp Taji, Iraq, which assists both Soldiers and civilians, which provides the legal team experience that they wouldn’t have been able to get in Kuwait,” said Blattner. “The Base Operating Support Integrator identified a need for legal assistance and there wasn’t a dedicated person to do that, so they offered a dedicated work area at the mayor’s cell to the post,” said Blattner.
“We educate the commands and we help Soldiers,” said Spc. Mattia Lester, a paralegal from the 4th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment. The 29th CAB is an Army National Guard Brigade that provides aviation assets, offensive strike capability, operational and logistical support to both Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Spartan Shield. CJTF-OIR is the campaign to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The 29th CAB JAG section also enhances Soldier readiness for Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve by providing a variety of legal services to deployed Soldiers and advice to commanders.
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CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait –The 29th CAB JAG section enhances Soldier readiness at both Camp Buehring, Kuwait and Taji Military Complex, Iraq, by providing a variety of legal services to deployed Soldiers and advice to commanders.
Spc. Gabriela Koenig (left), a paralegal from 1-147th Assault Helicopter Battalion and Capt. Michael Terhune, 29th Combat Aviation Brigade’s judge advocate general, pose for a picture at Taji Military Complex, Iraq, August 8, 2017. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Stephen James).
Capt. Kasey Deiss (left), 1-147th Assault Helicopter Battalion judge advocate general and Chief Warrant Officer 4 Dirk Brandt, an investigating officer, inspect a RQ7Bv2 Shadow at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, August 3, 2017. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Thomas Upshaw).
The 29th Combat Aviation Brigade’s judge advocate general section pose for a picture outside of 29th CAB headquarters building at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, August 10, 2017. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Isolda Reyes).
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BALTIMORE’S GUNS
BY KELLY GOEBEL, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE LAW REVIEW
The six panelists that participated in the University of Baltimore Law Review’s fall symposium.
On Oct. 24, 2017, the University of Baltimore hosted a symposium that challenged a group of qualified panelists to analyze and discuss the elephant in Baltimore: guns. The event, entitled “Do We Have a Gun Problem? If We Do, How Do We Fix It?”, was organized by the University of Baltimore Law Review in collaboration with attorney and adjunct professor James B. Astrachan who served as moderator for the A-list panel on Tuesday morning. Among the panelists were Jonathan Thompson, executive director for the National Sheriff’s Association; Major Byron Conaway, commanding officer of the Baltimore Police Department’s Homeland Security Section; Cassandra
Crifasi of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; defense attorney Chris Wheatcroft of Alperstein & Diener, P.A.; Baltimore City Deputy State’s Attorney Janice Bledsoe; and WBAL-TV investigative reporter David Collins. Throughout the morning, the panel’s discussion zigzagged from talking about the state’s restrictions on legal purchasing and possession to speculating the number of guns in Baltimore and how so many of them end up on the streets. Overall, the panelists generally agreed that yes, we have a gun problem in Baltimore. In fact, the problem is so wide, so deep, and so perpetual that it will take much more than one politician or one piece of legislation to fix. 8
“A large majority of teenagers really don’t know how to settle a conflict without violence.” It’s going to take the whole community. Why? Because our gun problem stems from our other problems like poverty, drug use, unemployment, and education. Panelists spoke openly about our need to understand and tackle such problems as a community. “We need to address not just regulation of guns, but what are the underlying issues for people who have guns,” said Ms. Bledsoe. “We have an education problem and a conflict-resolution problem,” said Mr. Conaway. “A large majority of teenagers really don’t know how to settle a conflict without violence.” “We must start thinking out of the box,” said Mr. Collins. “Why not call prosecutors, police, judges, social workers and health officials to the same table. They need to consider sharing resources and budgets.”
Many law students in attendance agreed that while this symposium was an effective way of bringing the national conversation surrounding gun violence to a local level, we can do more. “As future lawyers, there may come a time when we are standing in front of a judge advocating for our client over a gun-related matter,” said Tiffany Meekins, a third-year evening student and staff editor for the Law Review at UB. “It is extremely important and necessary for people to be aware of the gun problem in our city so that we can effectively explore the causes and possible solutions.” “Our panel could have been much bigger, and the event could have gone far longer,” said Erin Benson, symposium editor for the University of Baltimore Law Review. “We started the conversation, but it barely scratched the surface. We hope to see more initiatives follow ours.”
CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER! William Buschur, Esq. On October 4, 2017, William Buschur, Esq., Vice-Chair of the MSBA YLS Technology Committee was awarded the Young Lawyer of the Year Award by the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service at their annual Celebrate Pro Bono Event held at the American Visionary Arts Museum. Congratulations William! 9
PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE For questions or comments about The Advocate please contact any member of the Publications Committee: Letam Duson Chelsea Crawford Chaz Ball Paul Farmer
LDuson@stattorney.org CCrawford@browngold.com cball@sbwlaw.com pfarmer@gjblawfirm.com