THE
ADVOCATE VOLUME 34, NUMBER 2 - Winter 2019
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 Message from the Chair 4 Committee Updates 4 American Bar Association 5 Activities 6 Education 7 Lawyer Wellness 10 Pro Bono 11 Public Service 12 Riding the Circuits 12 Baltimore City 14 Harford County 15 Young Lawyers Around Town Young Lawyers Committee of the Lawyers Campaign Against Hunger Happy Hour 16 Announcements 16 Leadership Academy 17 Swearing In Celebration Happy Hour
2
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR BY NATHANIEL K. RISCH, SECTION CHAIR (nate@mannrisch.com) Dear Young Lawyers Section (YLS), I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season! The YLS Council had a great time celebrating the season (see photo below) and now it is time to get back to work. During the past few months, the YLS had some great programs and events. The Education Committee in conjunction with the Monumental City Bar Association and University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law Black Law Students Association (BLSA) put on a great program about Trial Evidence Basics. YLS Publications Chair, Letam Duson, Esq. was a panelist and there was a great turnout! The Fall Open Meeting at the University of Baltimore had a lively panel discussion on Maryland cannabis regulation with leading voices in the field.
The YLS has some exciting upcoming events. On January 25, 2020, we will once again be participating in the Polar Bear Plunge at Sandy Point State Park. It is always a great time and I hope you will come out. Next, plan to join me on Thursday, February 6, 2020 at Union Jack’s in Columbia, MD to welcome and celebrate Maryland’s newest attorneys and MSBA members! Also, mark your calendars for the YLS Annual Charity Event, which will be held on at Gertrude’s on April 24, 20220. The charity I have chosen for this bar year is MYLaw: Maryland Youth and the Law. I look forward to seeing you at many of the upcoming events the YLS has planned. If I can be of any assistance to you in your professional journey, do not hesitate to contact me. Members of the YLS Council at our Annual Holiday Party on December 13, 2019.
3
COMMITTEE UPDATES AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION (ABA) The ABA Young Lawyers Division seeks involvement from young lawyers who are interested in furthering their leadership skills and advancing national initiatives and causes. Through your involvement you will be plugged into a robust network of peers from all backgrounds and expertise, providing a rich opportunity to meet fellow young lawyers and exchange ideas, insights, and resources. You will also have the chance to leverage your skills and expertise for pro-bono engagement and be able to give back through a number of programs and initiatives that better the legal profession and our society more broadly. If you are interested in getting involved, this is your opportunity! There are more than 200 available positions. The nominations period is now open and will remain open through February 23, 2020. More information can be found at: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/young_lawyers/leadership/appointments/
4
ACTIVITIES
BENEFITING
FR I DAY, A P R I L 2 4 , 2 0 2 0 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Gertrude’s at the Baltimore Museum of Art
5
EDUCATION COMMITTEE On November 4, 2019, the MSBA YLS Education Committee, in conjunction with The Monumental City Bar Association and University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law Black Law Students Association (BLSA) hosted a program on Trial Evidence Basics at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. Right: Back row front left to right: Event sponsor-David Plant of D.P. Plant & Associates; Moderator-The Honorable Lynn Stewart Mays; Monumental City Bar Association Executive Board MemberTrevonne Walford, Esq., Attorney at Kahn Smith & Collins, P.A. Front row from left to right: Panelists-Letam Duson, Esq., Associate Attorney at Rollins, Smalkin, Richards & Mackie, L.L.C.; Tara Barnes Taylor, Esq., Partner at Rollins, Smalkin, Richards & Mackie, L.L.C.; and Jamar R. Brown, Esq., Associate Attorney at Rosenberg Martin Greenberg, LLP. Below: Attendees of the Trial Evidence program actively participate in the discussion.
6
LAWYER WELLNESS Top Ten Healthy Ways to Relieve Work-Related Stress BY: ELENI C. VANRODEN, ESQUIRE (ELENI@VANRODENLAW.COM) Having a work-life balance is important, but still requires work and maintenance. Burn-out can happen in all areas of law, and it can happen often. While stress can be positive, it usually appears in overwhelming and sometimes harmful doses. Here are some suggestions to help you take control over your stress before stress takes control over you: 10. Network. Keep in mind that most of your colleagues probably feel the same stressors that you do, and just as often. Networking, even for a lunch or CLE event, can allow you to converse with your colleagues and get tips and tricks for how to better navigate issues in a case with difficult clients or opposing counsel, or to learn their secrets to alleviating stress. 9. Get Involved in your Community. Whether it is through your local Bar Association or through an organization in which you find interest, getting involved in other activities is a great way to mentally separate from work-overload. Doing this also helps you to realize that there is more to your community, and to life, than your needy client’s “emergency” situation (which is usually not an emergency). Bonus points if your involvement is also community serviceoriented so that you can get some “good feels” out of your involvement.
8. Listen to Music. Whether you are pumping yourself up for an upcoming court appearance or looking for some soothing/uplifting background music while in the office, listening to music is a great way to internally relax while remaining productive. 7. Rekindle an Old Hobby. Were you artsy in your previous career? Did you enjoy sports growing up? Getting back to the activities that you enjoyed prior to practice is a great way to get excited about the “life” part of your work-life balance. 6. Find a New Hobby. Maybe your old hobbies just don’t cut it anymore, whether the enjoyment is lacking or your location has changed. Taking a look at your interests and developing a new hobby can be a great way to leave your comfort zone and challenge yourself outside of the office. 5. Read. Reading for pleasure in a non-workrelated fashion is a great way to unwind at the end of a long day or week and expand your mind. Have a long commute? Try downloading audio books. Hoopla is a free app that connects with your library card to check out items and download directly to your phone monthly. 7
4. Meditate. Taking some time for yourself at the beginning of the day to clear your head and make way for peace can make a huge difference in how you react to the rest of the day. Need assistance? Downloading an app on your phone, such as Headspace, can help walk you through the beginning stages of meditation and mastering the understanding that awareness of your surroundings is just as important as total silence. Headspace is free to download, and has some in-app purchase options if you find that you want to delve deeper into meditative practices.
2. Get Therapy/Counseling. The most successful people can and usually do benefit from counseling of some sort. If you find that you want to speak with someone outside of the legal community about daily stressors, ask your primary care physician for recommendations or look to your insurance handler to determine who is in-network, accepting new patients, and in your area. Another option is contacting the MSBA Lawyer Assistance Program and requesting assistance. The Lawyer Assistance Program is a free and confidential service that may point you in the right direction.
1. Ask for Assistance. Are you struggling with your workload? Are you unsure how something works for other attorneys and not for you? Reach out and ask questions. Say something. The legal community is saturated with amazing lawyers that, for better or worse, try to handle everything themselves. Asking for help, whether it’s for a legal purpose or not, is not a showing of Interested in getting involved in an weakness; it’s a sign of maturity. activity but not wanting to commit? There are plenty of studios and organizations that offer free courses, or a free first session. Groupon and Living Social are also great ways to explore different types of exercise, without a monthly subscription. 3. Exercise. Movement, no matter how much, is so important. Whether you are walking around the block during your lunch break, taking a yoga class, or lifting weights, getting the serotonin going and the blood flowing is a great way to alleviate stress.
8
9
PRO BONO PAST EVENT
The YLS Pro Bono Committee co-sponsored an Estate Planning clinic with the Pro Bono Resource Center on Veteran’s Day at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore. 11 volunteer attorneys served 16 Baltimore City senior citizens and executed 39 estate planning documents in total. UPCOMING EVENT
10
PUBLIC SERVICE
11
RIDING THE CIRCUITS BALTIMORE CITY
PAST EVENT
Bar Association of Baltimore City (BABC) Young Lawyers Division (YLD) Council members attend the BABC 85th Annual Holiday Party with BABC President, The Honorable Dana M. Middleton at The Lord Baltimore Hotel on December 4, 2019. UPCOMING EVENTS
•
January 22, 2020 – YLD CLE Committee’s monthly Breakfast with the Bench. This one will feature Hon. Lawrence P. Fletcher-Hill who will discuss motions practice from the bench’s perspective. ⊲ 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. at Whiteford Taylor & Preston LLP 12
•
January 24, 2020 – BABC CLE “Tips for Effective Opening Statements and Closing Arguments” presented by Personal Injury Litigation Committee. ⊲ Panel includes Hon. Cynthia Jones, Chaz Ball, Kurt Heinrich. ⊲ 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., Room 504, Mitchell Courthouse
•
January 29, 2020 – Pathways to Leadership for Women ⊲ Speaker, Elaine Weiss, author of “The Woman’s Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote” ⊲ 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., Room 504, Mitchell Courthouse
•
February 10, 2020 – BABC CLE “The New Standards are here for Mediators, What Do I Do Differently as a Mediator?” presented by ADR Committee. ⊲ Guest speakers will be from Maryland Judiciary Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office ⊲ 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Room 504, Mitchell Courthouse
•
February 19, 2020 – YLD Public Service Committee will volunteer at the Maryland Food Bank. Volunteers will repack donated food, pack assorted food kits, pack health & beauty kits, and check expiration dates. ⊲ 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., 2200 Halethorpe Farms Road
•
February 20, 2020 – YLD and Daily Record evening for New Admittees. Panelists will speak to new admittees and other interested lawyers about the benefits of bar membership. ⊲ 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., 200 St. Paul Place
13
ANNOUNCEMENT
The Nominating Committee of the Young Lawyers’ Division (Divya Potdar, Chair, Richard L. Adams, Aaron DeGraffenreidt, Michael J. March, Jr., Angela Pallozzi, Rachel Samakow, and Kerri L. Smith) is soliciting applications for the following YLD positions for the 2020-21 Bar year: Chair Elect Treasurer Secretary 3 Members-At-Large 1 Elected Member Applications may be made by anyone who is a young lawyer and a member of the BABC. Any member of the BABC may recommend the name of any Division member for consideration by the Nominating Committee. If you are interested in being considered for any of the above positions, please write to Divya Potdar, Chair, YLD Nominating Committee, c/o Bar Association of Baltimore City, 111 N. Calvert Street, Suite 627, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, or email to info@baltimorebar.org. Your letter and resume must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, February 3, 2020. All applicants or recommended persons must be available for an interview by the Nominating Committee.
HARFORD COUNTY On Wednesday, December 18, 2019, members of the Harford Chapter of the Women’s Bar Association (WBA) gathered for their second annual holiday event at Peace Yoga in Fallston for a workout, followed by Earth, Wood, and Fire next door for food, beverages, and gift exchanges. Attendance was limited to members of the Harford Chapter of the WBA, but was open to new members and included male and female attorneys and judges. With one week before Christmas, it was the perfect way to end the calendar year on a peaceful and positive note!
14
YOUNG LAWYERS AROUND TOWN
On November 19, 2019, the Young Lawyers Committee of the Lawyers Campaign Against Hunger hosted a fundraising happy hour at Gordon Biersch in Baltimore City to raise money for the Maryland Food Bank. Pictured above: Attendees of the fundraising happy hour. 15
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Young Professionals
Learning To Lead The MSBA Leadership Academy Committee is looking for applicants for the 2020-2021 Fellows Program Are you interested in a legal leadership program focused on training young lawyers for opportunities and leadership in the Bar? Are you available for an intensive 12-month program that includes training, social events, conventions, and public service? Do you have a diverse background or experience that would enrich the program for all participants? If so, the Leadership Academy Committee is looking for you!
If you are interested in learning more, please attend one of our upcoming information sessions:
January 15, 2020, 6 - 7 PM Whiteford Taylor & Preston, LLP 7 St. Paul St. Baltimore, MD 21202 msba.org/Leadership-Info-1
January 24, 2020, 12 - 1 PM Upper Marlboro Courthouse Attorney’s Lounge 14735 Main St, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 msba.org/Leadership-Info-2
A P P LY T O D AY
MSBA.ORG/LEADERSHIP
16
17
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