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ADVOCATE VOLUME 34, NUMBER 3 - Spring 2020
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 Message from the Chair 4 COVID-19 Resources for Lawyers 5 Committee Updates 5 Disaster Relief 6 American Bar Association 6 Legislative 7 Mentorship 8 Public Service 9 Events 9 Celebration Happy Hour 10 Back to School Student Networking Event 11 Announcements 11 Congratulations to YLS Section Council Leadership in Law Honorees 12 Leadership Academy Class of 2019-2020 Blazers & Belts Donation Drive
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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR BY NATHANIEL K. RISCH, SECTION CHAIR (nate@mannrisch.com) Our community is in a drastically different place than it was when I last wrote to you, as two crises dominate the headlines and affect our daily lives. One of these problems is new. The other is not. The COVID-19 emergency shuttered our community. Many of us are experiencing professional hardships. Firms are contracting. New clients are not calling, or at least not as often. Courts are only beginning to reopen. We are juggling our professional obligations with our responsibilities at home, whether we are homeschooling or providing care for friends and loved ones. This is all occurring under the dark cloud of COVID-19 and the fear that any time we leave the house, we could bring it back with us. With all that is happening, it is easy for any of us to feel anxious, stressed, and depressed. Wellness has long been a focus of the Young Lawyers Section (YLS) because of the stress and burnout that can occur too easily in this profession. Now, perhaps more so than any other time during our careers, we should be mindful of the need for wellness. Social distancing, handwashing, and avoiding unnecessary gatherings will decrease the spread of COVID-19. However, take the time to be mindful of your mental and emotional well-being. If you take care of yourself and the things you can control, you will
be better equipped to help others. As we struggle with one emergency, our communities are, once again, confronted with the consequences of systemic racism that pervades our society. The death of George Floyd due to police brutality has brought this issue back to the collective attention of our nation. It cannot be ignored. It must not be cast aside and thought of as someone else’s problem, because this is our problem. We, as members of the legal community, must support the rights afforded under the Constitution, such as the right to protest peacefully and the right to equal justice for all. We have an obligation to pursue these rights and to provide access to justice for every member of our society. To do that, we must confront the issues of inequality, systemic racism, and bias. We have begun to address some of these issues in our courts, but significant inequalities remain in our courts and our communities. We can do better. We must do better. If you would like to offer pro bono legal services to help with these issues or others, I encourage you to reach out to your local legal services entity, the Maryland Access to Justice Commission, or to me at nate@mannrisch.com. I hope you stay safe and well.
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COVID-19 RESOURCES FOR LAWYERS We have all been impacted by COVID-19. As young lawyers, the way we work and interact with others has drastically changed in the past couple of months. Here are some helpful resources and ways you can help those in need during these trying times. HELPFUL RESOURCES https://www.msba.org/covid-19/ https://www.msba.org/health-and-wellness/ https://gosv.maryland.gov/coronavirus-resources/ https://commerce.maryland.gov/fund/maryland-small-business-covid-19emergency-relief-grant-fund
DONATE Maryland Food Bank: https://mdfoodbank.fenly.org/drive/backup-box/ Meals on Wheels: https://www.mealsonwheelsmd.org/our-covid-19-impact/ Maryland Carey Law Student Emergency Fund: https://law-umaryland. networkforgood.com/causes/16572-maryland-carey-law-student-emergency University of Baltimore Student Emergency Assistance Fund: https://www.ubcommunity.org/covid19?erid=3566179 PURCHASE Support local businesses by ordering carryout, delivery, or gift cards!
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COMMITTEE UPDATES DISASTER RELIEF The Federal Government has statutory authority to make arrangements for the provision of legal services to victims of major disasters. See 42 U.S.C. § 5121. Thus, upon a declaration by the President or other designated official, Maryland attorneys may be called upon to provide free emergency legal services to lowincome Marylanders through the Disaster Legal Services (DLS) Program. U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado, along with other representatives, introduced the Pandemic Response and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act to help prepare communities for the economic impacts of the coronavirus, which could potentially trigger the implementation of the DLS program throughout the entire country. The DLS program, which allows low-income Marylanders to request the assistance of a lawyer, is a partnership between the MSBA, the MSBA YLS, the American Bar Association (ABA) Young Lawyers Division (YLD), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). While the DLS program has not been enacted for the present COVID-19 pandemic yet, the MSBA YLS Disaster Relief Committee is being proactive in expanding its list of potential volunteer attorneys. A volunteer attorney could be needed to assist with accepting phone calls, placing callers/clients with pro bono attorneys, or providing pro bono representation (if desired). Please share this request widely throughout your firms, organizations, and legal networks. If you are willing to assist, please provide your name, email address, phone number, and mailing address to Sean O’Keefe (spokeefe@okeefelegal.com) and Kerri Smith (KSmith@silvermanthompson.com).
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AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION Left: YLS Members Avigayil Pearlman, Kerri Smith, Justin Hoy, Elisabeth Rosen, and Michael Hudak attend the 2020 American Bar Association Convention in Austin, Texas.
LEGISLATIVE The February 19, 2020 and March 5, 2020 hearings on HB1068 and SB916 (respectively) were canceled and, after they received an unfavorable report by Health and Government Operations, were both subsequently withdrawn. HB1628 (2020): Sales and Use Tax – Rate Reduction and Services; hearing held on March 2, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. Message from Richard Montgomery, Director of Legislative and Governmental Relations for the MSBA [On March 4, 2020], the Revenue Subcommittee of the House Ways & Means Committee killed House Bill 1628 - Sales & Use Tax - Rate Reduction and Services (Del. Luedtke et al). On Monday of this week, MSBA President Dana O. Williams, testified against the proposal on a panel which included Dwight Stone, President of Maryland Defense Counsel, and Kelly Donohue of the Maryland Association for Justice. That legal community panel gave the Ways & Means Committee a brief but comprehensive explanation of the negative impact of taxing legal services, in terms of its impact upon access to justice, the administrative burden on solo & small firm practitioners, the potential competitive disadvantage for large law firms, and multitude of consequences affecting contingency fee agreements and injury awards. 6
MENTORSHIP On January 27, 2020, the Mentorship Committee showcased a panel on young attorney involvement and opportunity in their community. Panelists included: Keswick VP Maria Darby, JHU Compliance Investigator Kara D. Beverly, Hon. Keith Truffer, and Ryan Dymek. The panel was moderated by Kerri Smith. Panelists discussed unique ways young lawyers can engage with their local communities through bar association work, volunteering, and board service. Particular attention was paid to the mutual benefits the individual and the community received from this involvement. Panelists also highlighted ways for young lawyers to turn down opportunities that did not make sense for them personally or professionally.
Above: Panelists (from left to right) Hon. Keith Truffer, Ryan Dymek, Kara D. Beverly, and Maria Darby.
On February 19, 2020, the Mentorship Committee held the event, Cultivating Your Young Lawyer Career at the University of Baltimore Law School. The event was moderated by past YLS Chair Michael Hudak. Panelists included: Hon. Erik H. Nyce of the District Court of Maryland for Prince George’s County, Alicia SheltonAssociate at Zuckerman Spaeder, LLP, and immediate past YLS Chair Indira Sharma, Esq.-Partner at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP. The panelists provided great tips and advice to attendees!
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PUBLIC SERVICE
MSBA YLS Members at the Polar Bear Plunge on January 25, 2020 at Sandy Point State Park!
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EVENTS CELEBRATION HAPPY HOUR On February 6, 2020, the YLS hosted a celebration happy hour at Union Jack’s in Columbia, MD to welcome and celebrate Maryland’s newest attorneys and MSBA members. It was a great turnout!
Above and Right: YLS Chair Nathaniel K. Risch and MSBA Treasurer M. Natalie McSherry address attendees. Below: Attendees listen to words of welcome from YLS Chair Nathaniel K. Risch and MSBA Treasurer M. Natalie McSherry. Below: YLS Chair Nathaniel K. Risch mingles with attendees.
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BACK TO SCHOOL NETWORKING EVENT The YLS and Maryland Hispanic Bar Association co-hosted a Back to School Networking Event at Little Havana in Baltimore, MD on January 16, 2020. It was a well attended event, and a great way for law students to meet and mingle with young attorneys and members of the bench.
Attendees of the Back to School Networking Event.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS Congratulations to YLS Publications Chair, Letam Duson, Esq. of Rollins, Smalkin, Richards & Mackie, LLC and YLS Diversity Committee Co-Chair Maya Zagara, Esq. of HIAS for being selected as recipients of The Daily Record’s 2020 Leadership in Law Generation J.D. Award! The YLS congratulates all of this year’s winners! They will be honored in a virtual ceremony on June 29, 2020.
Letam Duson, Esq.
Maya Zagara, Esq.
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PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE For questions or comments about The Advocate please contact any member of the Publications Committee: Letam Duson Chelsea Crawford Chaz Ball Paul H. Farmer, Jr.
Letam.Duson@gmail.com CCrawford@browngold.com cball@sbwlaw.com pfarmer@gjblawfirm.com