theWRITS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE BUCKS COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION
WINTER 2016
An Italian Adventure Crusing with a Smile: A Friend in Every Port
My Journey to India:
A Estate Planning Attorney’s Perspective...
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theWRITS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE BUCKS COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION
CONTACT INFO
WINTER 2016
President’s Message .......................................................................................... Page 4
President Grace M. Deon Vice President/President Elect David J. Truelove Secretary Jessica A. Pritchard
An Italian Adventure, Part 1: Venice Italy has always appealed. This seems to be true for almost all of us. When I was young, I fantasized about beautiful sunny days roaming the Tuscan hillsides...
.......................................................................................... Page 6 Cruising with a Smile: A Friend in Every Port...
Treasurer Robert T. Repko Editorial Staff Scott L. Feldman Writs Committee Susan Dardes Scott I. Fegley H. Paul Kester Dianne C. Magee Paul Perlstein Christopher J. Serpico David J. Truelove Bar Association Office Deanna Mindler, Executive Director 135 East State Street Doylestown, PA 18901 215.348.9413 www.bucksbar.org
When my stepfather retired after 30 years in the Navy, and at an age younger than I am today, he became...
........................................................................................ Page 10 2015 Alaska Adventure Thinking wistfully about an Alaskan vacation may seem anomalous in the midst of the chilly, dark post-holiday season. Being in Alaska in January...
e....................................................................................... Page 14 My Journey to India: An Estate Planning Attorney’s Perspective hy India? Along with its history of cultural diversity and its stable democracy, the sheer size of India enhances...
........................................................................................ Page 18 Coffee at the Commonwealth Court: An interview with The Honorable Rochelle S. Friedman Sitting down with Judge Rochelle S. Friedman...
........................................................................................ Page 22 Bucks County Children and Youth: An Inside View
email submissions to deannam@bucksbar.org
I am proud to be a social worker for the Bucks County Children & Youth Social Services Agency (BCYSSA)...
........................................................................................ Page 24 PUBLISHER Hoffmann Publishing Group, Inc. 2921 Windmill Road Reading, PA 19608 610.685.0914 x201 HoffPubs.com
Tech Tips From a Recovering Geek: Keyboard Over Mouse When I first made the transition from IT Professional to law student many years ago, I came to the realization...
........................................................................................ Page 28 Also in This Issue: • Spotlight on PFA Pro Bono Work • Memorial Resolution for Howard Paul Kester • Learning With Lawyers • BCBA 2016 Annual Dinner • Pro Bono Honor Roll • Music Snob’s Top 5 List
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The written and visual contents of this magazine are protected by copyright. Reproduction of print or digital articles without written permission from Hoffmann Publishing Group, Inc., and/or the Bucks County Bar Association is forbidden. The placement of paid advertisement does not imply endorsements by Bucks County Bar Association.
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WINTER 2016
President’s Message
So in between establishing your own resolutions (and fulfilling them), expanding your practice, spending quality time with family and friends, cheering on the American Olympians as they head to Rio de Janeiro this summer and voting for our next President on November 8, 2016, please consider expanding your role in the BCBA. Whether you are new to our association, an active member or someone that used to be an active member, why not consider attending our CLE programs, coming to a social outing that you have never before attended or becoming a more active participant in one of our many committees, sections and divisions?
Dear BCBA Members:
Grace Deon Bucks County Bar Association President
By the time you receive this first issue of the Writs, January will have already past. Following the holiday season, I have always enjoyed the feeling of a fresh start in the New Year. I find myself searching the internet and speaking with friends about setting meaningful resolutions.
In preparation for my role as President, I expanded my knowledge of our Association’s members and BCBA’s member services and activities. Although I was initially met with, “Hi Grace, what in the world are you doing at a Family Law CLE?” I persevered. In fact, even though I do not practice in the area of Family Law, the presentation involved the use of technology for managing communication between divorced parents. In addition to learning some useful information, I had the opportunity to interact with colleagues who, but for our interaction with the Bar Association, I rarely see.
Many of the resources delineate the same usual suspects: save more, spend less; more family time; lose weight; stop smoking and limit drinking; eat healthier; and embrace a new hobby. The one that ranked at the top of one list was “Enjoy Life to the Fullest”. Depending upon your stage in life, your resolution for lifestyle maximization will likely vary greatly from those in your circle of friends and colleagues. After some contemplation, I concluded that certain of my proposed scenarios (i.e. residing in a dwelling that overlooks the magnificent landscape of Tuscany or Provence) may in fact be insurmountable. When reviewing dates slated on my calendar for trials in the upcoming year, coupled with my BCBA and family obligations, revitalizing my search for how to better manage the balance between my personal and professional life seems like a worthy task. Publicizing my resolution to all of you may help keep me on track, at least according to one article.
Please take a moment to visit the BCBA website calendar to note the dates of those activities and programs you will not want to miss in 2016. Should you have any questions about how you can become more involved in our Association or about the BCBA’s member services and activities, I welcome you to contact me. May 2016 be a year to remember.
Bucks County Bar Association 2016 Leadership
New BCBA Board officers for 2016, Front row Left to right: Jessica Pritchard, Secretary; Grace Deon, President, Back row left to right: Dave Truelove, President Elect; Bob Repko, Treasurer.
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2016 Officers
2016 Directors
Grace M. Deon, President David J. Truelove, Vice President/ President Elect Robert T. Repko, Treasurer Jessica A. Pritchard, Secretary Joanne M. Murray, Immediate Past President Thomas P. Donnelly, Past Presidents’ Representative
Christopher J. Brill Denise M. Bowman Maureen B. Carlton Scott L. Feldman Georgeann R. Fusco Julie D. Goldstein Daniel M. Keane Barbara N. Lyons Dawn Padanyi Lawrence R. Scheetz, Jr. Herbert K. Sudfeld, Jr., Tyler Tomlinson
Executive Director Deanna M. Mindler 4
From the Editor...
My own relationship with Paul Kester was quite limited. Other than some fleeting interactions years earlier in his capacity as Court Administrator, I was merely a fellow newsletter committee member and subsequently the editor and chair. I found Paul to be sharp, opinionated and industrious – all excellent qualities for a committee member and contributor. I thus expressed to him how honored I was for him to have shared this most intimate information with me and how its timing was auspicious as it allowed me to put a certain personal matter of my own in its proper perspective.
I have always enjoyed Paul Kester’s contributions to this publication. He seemed to have a limitless supply of war stories retold in his unique and entertaining style as “Key Smedly”. During a recent committee meeting several months ago – not attended by Mr. Kester – while reviewing possible submissions for the Fall, 2015 issue, an attendee brought up his rather unique pseudonym. Someone said something clever, someone else said something more clever, we all chuckled and the meeting moved forward.
On September 11, less than a month before he passed, Mr. Kester responded with the following: Dear Scott, Thanks for your kind words. I long ago came to the conclusion that on the day we are born we begin a journey that has only one destination – end of life. No matter how many detours and side trips we may take, there is only one door out. So, I gave up worrying about things I could do nothing about and have enjoyed a wonderful life. Take comfort in everything around you and be happy. Peace, Paul
A few weeks later, I was pleasantly surprised when upon my request, Paul submitted a “biography” of Key Smedly along with his retelling of “Cause of Death”, which would be his final submissions to The Writs. I was truly touched that in the same correspondence, Paul confided in me that he was in fact quite ill and provided certain details. His e-mail closed:
Clearly, I am far from being the first individual touched by Mr. Kester in his remarkable life, though I may have been one of the last.
Anyway, there is no cause for lamentation. I have had a wonderful life, full of friendships, accomplishments, and happiness. So, rejoice!
Elsewhere in this issue we have reproduced Doug Praul’s Memorial Resolution for Mr. Kester, providing an insight into his remarkable life. This resolution was originally presented and adopted by the Bucks County Bar Association at its annual meeting on December 3, 2015.
-Scott L. Feldman
Need a Lawyer?
Welcome to the Bucks County Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS) serving all of Bucks County. The LRIS is a public service of the non-profit Bucks County Bar Association. Each year the LRIS responds to thousands of callers, referring them to attorneys with experience in the appropriate area of law or to area agencies able to provide assistance. Persons identified as needing legal representation and who do not claim inability to pay an attorney will be referred by LRIS to a participating attorney. LRIS participation is open to all Bucks County Bar Association members having their primary office in Bucks County. You can contact the LRIS at 215-348-9413.
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WINTER 2016
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An Italian Adventure
– By – Chris Serpico
Part 1: Venice Italy has always appealed. This seems to be true for almost all of us. When I was young, I fantasized about beautiful sunny days roaming the Tuscan hillsides and exploring the streets and piazzas of Florence. Or, after parking my Alfa, strolling along the Via Veneto in Rome with my suit jacket draped across my shoulders and a cigarette dangling from my lower lip. Hidden behind my sunglasses, I could stare with insouciance at all the girls. What a wonderful escape from the anxiety of teenage years wracked with insecurity and low self-esteem that made the approach to any girl the most frightening experience I ever had.
But for unknown reasons, Venice never prompted any fantasies. Even after adolescent awkwardness evaporated in college, no fantasies were ever conjured featuring Venice. This may have been due, perhaps, to Thomas Mann. On my list of all-time classics I had to read and never enjoyed, Death in Venice occupies a prominent position. I simply could not stand the story of von Aschenbach and his obsession for Tadzio. I would have had to drop the class were it not for all the pretty coeds who were enthralled by the story. So, in typical sophomoric fashion, I read the Cliff notes, used my skills at expressing glib but phony platitudes, impressed the girls, passed the course and crossed off Venice as a place I must visit. In the decades since I have had the pleasure of visiting Italy many times, but never Venice.
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ment that we can’t carry our own bags. The FastTrain is fast, clean, modern, and comfortable.
Last year, my wife and I were fortunate enough to win a trip to Florence. We know the travel gods are not to be trifled with. We would not ignore their message. On this trip, we would include Venice. I prepare for a vacation like I do for a trial. Up came the websites and out came the guidebooks. We chose to take our trip in early November when the rainy season had not quite started; the temperatures are still warm and the days cool enough to allow for comfortable walking around. We decided the best flight schedule would be round-trip to Rome from Philadelphia. We would travel north to Venice and then work our way south to Florence and end in Rome.
We always buy first class tickets. There are so many deals around that the cost over second class is negligible and the seats are more comfortable, the cars are roomier, and there is always a place for your luggage. In first class you also get a beverage and a newspaper but on a four-and-a–half hour train ride we made use of the club car. Train is also a wonderful way to see the countryside. But as interesting as we always find it anywhere in Europe, we truly believe that there is no more beautiful place than the United States.
We arrived in Venice mid-afternoon. We stepped out of the train station onto the Grand Canal, surveyed the scene and immediately came to the same conclusion. Venice is kind of shabby. Many of the buildings are run down and in need of repair. There is no beauty or serenity to the Grand Canal. It was like Coney Island. Does Vegas really do it better? Maybe we were just too exhausted to appreciate it. We needed to get to our hotel. There are no cars on the islands. Gondolas don’t serve a taxi function and they are 80 Euro for 35 minutes. A water taxi would have cost about the same or more. We elected to take the vaporetto. It’s a kind of waterbus whose routes circumnavigate all of the islands. We bought a three-day pass for about 40 Euro and it is one of the most fun travel bargains we ever experienced. But during the day it is possibly easier to get on a Japanese commuter train at rush hour.
Yes, we over-packed. Despite our conceit in believing ourselves to be experienced and independent travelers, we broke the rule: Pack everything you think you want to take and then unpack half of it. But nature and travelers abhor a vacuum. It was going to be two weeks and who can resist adding just one more thing when the zippers still close so easily? Flying today is as bad as a south American bus ride. But we arrived in Rome to the dawn of a magnificently beautiful day. Life is grand! Off to Venice. One can fly from Rome to Venice. It’s only about an hour and you are already at the airport when you arrive. But flights are not that frequent and even allowing just a short time to get through customs would have required us to wait about five hours for a flight. But Italy has a marvelous train system, including the high-speed FastTrain. Not so long ago one had to get a train from the airport and then change to the FastTrain at Roma Termini but it is even more convenient now. The schedule has many departures directly from the airport. We picked up our luggage and went off to get our train, and realized just how over-packed we were. If you’d like to use them, porters to carry your bags are available at the airports and train stations. They are convenient but my wife and are just too stubborn, insisting to ourselves that we will never give in to anything that smacks of an acknowledg-
When we got off the vaporetto we resisted the temptation to drop our luggage into the canal and walked the few hundred meters to our hotel. We stayed at the Palazzo Abadessa, a renovated palazzo well located but far
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feature But Venice does have the Peggy Guggenheim museum and it is worth the trip. Housed in her former palazzo on the Grand Canal is a small but high quality collection of the greatest of 20th century masters from Pollock to Picasso and Klee to Kandinsky. We had no trouble spending hours here enjoying the art and the grounds. And Venice does have the Piazza San Marco and it is beautiful, romantic and fun. Here you can sit for hours drinking and dining alfresco at a cafĂŠ never being bored watching the change of the architecture as the direction of the sunlight shifts with the passing hours. The crowds of people who wander in front of you are like the sea, at once always the same but yet different with each passing moment. At first, chasing the pigeons drawn by the tourists who feed them can be super annoying as they peck at the food on your table (and sometimes leave reminders of their visit), but the sheer joy of the children who delight in being photographed with as many birds as their outstretched arms can accommodate becomes infectious and even the most hard-boiled curmudgeon softens with the pleasure of the moment. At this point, who can resist getting up to dance with your best friend, your lover, your wife, all the same person, when the strolling musicians begin to play near your table. Had we not gone to Venice we never would have known that we could tango in front of a thousand strangers and when the dance was over, exult not in their applause but in the joyousness of a moment agonizing that it had come to an end but rapturous in the memory already created. When it was time to leave Venice we could do so, happy that we had been there. ďƒŁ
enough away from the Grand Canal to allow you to enjoy the quiet serenity of its beautiful garden. Be aware that there are no hotel bargains in Venice. But we felt fortunate to have gotten an excellent rate for three nights at this very highly recommended hotel. You pay a premium for a hotel on the Grand Canal and there is no guarantee that your room will open onto it. We checked in, chatted with the staff who I felt I already knew well from the many emails we exchanged setting up dinner reservations, familiarized ourselves with the hotel, and, fortified with a cappuccino from a close-by sidewalk cafe, set out to explore, followed by dinner and collapse. Over the next two days, gorged on the hotel’s complimentary breakfast buffet, we walked miles to sense as much of Venice as we could. Venice is extremely touristy. And it is extremely expensive. We had no memorable meals. And although we did not feel compelled to take a gondola ride, we thought that perhaps we should just suck up the cost and do it. You must be willing to brave the swells in the Grand Canal that appear about to swamp the boats with their low gunwales until the gondoliere maneuvers it into the calmer, narrower canals that are the back alleys of Venice. But each time we were tempted, the romance was lost, first by the gondoliere who was busy talking on his cell phone, next by the gondoliere who was smoking and worst, by the gondoliere who had to take off his Pittsburgh Pirates baseball cap to don his straw boater. We once took a gondola ride in Las Vegas at the Venetian. That will have to satisfy our bucket list. theWRITS
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community
Legal Aid of Southeastern PA: Spotlight on PFA Pro Bono Work
woman told me that her only regret about her new appearance was that she could not wear shorts due to the scars that her abuser had inflicted over the years on her thighs by cutting her with a knife and poking her with corn cob holders. At her hearing, she had testified that he always hurt her in places that would be covered by her clothing when she went to work. PFA cases are particularly well suited for pro bono work, as PFA law can be learned very quickly, and the time involvement in representing a client is minimal. PFA court is held only on Wednesdays. If you would like join our pro bono ranks to handle Protection from Abuse cases, you begin by contacting Randi Riefner in our Bristol office at 215-7811111. Randi has been recruiting attorneys, managing case follow up and matching pro bono attorneys to cases for over 18 years. Randi has seen many changes, especially an increase in the number of PFA cases. Just tell Randi what Wednesday you would like to volunteer and how many cases you would like to take and she’ll put you on the court list for the date you request.
– By Barbara Kaner –
Legal Aid of Southeastern PA For those of us who work in the Legal Aid office or who are pro bono attorneys, we often see domestic violence plaintiffs at their worst...exhausted...coming into our offices after spending hours in a police station...wearing a hospital ID bracelet from the ER, or wearing borrowed clothes because they had to leave suddenly from their home. But if we are successful in court we get to see our clients as the truly capable and resourceful people they can be, and will be, once safe from the terrifying threat of injury and abuse. Sometimes they are almost unrecognizable.
You’ll learn about your cases before you get to court. Mitchi Shafer, a member of our support staff in Doylestown, will scan or fax you copies of your clients’ petitions and their contact information so that you can talk to them before the hearing date.
Representing plaintiffs in Protection from Abuse cases is extremely rewarding because you immediately see the results of your work when your clients leave with an order of protection. Clients begin to put their lives back together knowing that their abuser is prohibited from coming back to the home, harassing them at work or contacting them in any way.
The day you come to court you’ll meet Mardi Busanus, a long-time Legal Aid volunteer and a fixture in the courtroom who is recognized by almost everyone who is involved with PFA court. She is in Court to give you any of the forms you may require and can help you in any way you need.
Unfortunately, the small staff at Legal Aid of Southeastern PA cannot meet the needs of all of these clients on our own. But with the help of smart, competent and generous volunteers, fewer abuse victims have to face the courts alone. And our staff Pro Bono Team is always available to help those volunteers who are willing to step forward.
As the attorney on the Pro Bono Team for Bucks County, I’m available at any time, including during Court, to answer questions you may and address any issues that may come up during the representation. LASP also provides pro bono services for many other types of cases such as custody, bankruptcy and estate planning, so if you are interested in handling a different type of matter, please give me or Randi a call.
I’ve been representing plaintiffs in PFA cases for 14 years. Women have approached me in public places, said hello and asked if I remembered them from court. Often I’ve had to say ‘I›m so sorry, I don›t recognize you...I see so many people.’ But when they tell me their names, I remember them and recall the details of their abuse and their testimony. The women are delighted that I didn›t recognize them and thank me profusely for helping them to get out of their abusive situations and move on with their lives. Their transformations are remarkable, and unlike the last time I remember seeing them, they have smiles on their faces. One
At the end of the day of your pro bono service, I am sure that you will feel a deep sense of satisfaction when you walk out of PFA Courtroom 560.
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Cruising with a Smile:
A Friend in Every Port... When my stepfather retired after 30 years in the Navy, and at an age younger than I am today, he became a travel agent – the perfect second job for someone who spent his first career plying the Seven Seas. In that occupation, he continued to spend a lot of time on ships, as a passenger rather than an operator, taking cruises with my mother and their bands of demanding, but paying, guests.
Of course, as a 20-something, my daughter was not overly excited about something as subdued as a cruise, but my frequent chattering about my dream vacation attracted my friends’ attention. And, fortunately for me, one of them acted upon it! At Easter, Melissa Bond presented me with cruise ship brochures from her travel agent next door, and, before I could say “Lithuania,” we were booked and off on our adventure the first week of August.
One of the trips my parents enjoyed so much that they took it more than once was a Baltic Sea cruise, and I saw many photos of them in those Scandinavian countries, where everything looked clean and well-ordered. When my daughter moved two years ago to a spot in Northern Germany a mere 20-minute train ride from the beaches of the Baltic, I became determined that I would one day replicate my parents’ favorite sojourn.
After a sleepless night squashed upright in the plane’s economy class, with our faces one foot removed from the seats in front of us, we first landed in the inviting confines of Heathrow Airport, where Melissa had her first taste of international friendship. The security guards there took such a liking to Melissa that they selected her carry-on for the special treatment line, where a guard, who had no sense whatsoever of any urgency that there might be to catch a connecting flight, was methodically removing the entire contents of each bag and spraying every single item with some transparent, explosive-seeking, or, perhaps, detoxifying, chemical.
– By – Dianne Magee
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With minutes to spare, we convinced another guard that the socks in Melissa’s bag were not weapons of mass destruction, and it was diverted and spared from fumigation.
Sadly saying goodbye to my daughter, we hightailed it out of Stockholm for the docks at noon that day, just before the city was to be jammed with hundreds of thousands of participants and spectators for a Pride parade.
We arrived exhausted in Stockholm, from which the “Quest” was to depart the next day, and spent a foggy (our minds, not the weather) afternoon exploring historic Stockholm with my daughter and her boyfriend, who came from Germany to meet us for the weekend. Melissa, of course, knows friends with an apartment in Stockholm, and we dined with them in an old, authentic Swedish restaurant that night, savoring dishes like elk and reindeer (it doesn’t taste like chicken).
After clearing check-in (Melissa’s socks passed without scrutiny), we were greeted by our many new friends on the Quest. The ship holds 450 passengers and 350 crew members, making for service beyond your wildest expectations. And the hedonistic feasting and drinking began immediately, starting with a buffet lunch and champagne and some kind of fruity vodka drinks (many more to be foisted upon us throughout the voyage) on deck as we sailed away from Stockholm. Before the emergency drill, which spared us the indignity of wearing the life vests safely tucked away in our cabin closet, we met our charming and most helpful room attendant, KB from South Africa. The crew hailed from over 50 countries, although the passenger list was 50 percent American and, hence, not as diverse.
We walked around the harbor the next day. Stockholm is a city of islands, so water is everywhere, and it is incredibly scenic. We learned, as we did at each stop thereafter on our trip, that we had brought the sun with us from across the Atlantic. Everywhere we went, the weather was sunny and perfect, and we were told that, literally until the day of our arrival, the rest of the summer had been cold and rainy. That morning we toured the Vasa museum, where an early 17th century warship, which sank in the Stockholm harbor on her maiden voyage, has been meticulously restored to its original splendor.
“One of the trips my parents enjoyed so much that they took it more than once was a Baltic Sea cruise, and I saw many photos of them in those Scandinavian countries” KB’s job was to make us happy, and she did her job exceedingly well. A bottle of champagne cradled in ice awaited just off of our balcony, and she encouraged us to order whatever we wanted to stock our room bar. Every day she left us a different kind of fresh fruit, and at night she gave us chocolate tidbits and sprinkled rose petals on our beds, sometimes also inspiring us with handwritten quotes on top of the next day’s schedule of activities, such as “You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore,” from Christopher Columbus. We felt like intrepid, albeit spoiled and inebriated, adventurers! Tallinn, Estonia, a town dating back to the 12th century, was our first port of call. Our friend, and almost lifesaver
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there, was the young man who accompanied us on our perhaps too daring bicycling tour. (Yes, I chose the daily excursions, with a little, probably not enough, input from Melissa.) Riding through the cobblestone streets packed with tourists was a bit challenging. We survived, however, to numb our underused muscles with, you guessed it, champagne on our veranda that afternoon, followed by the restoration of any calories we might have burned off at the gourmet dinner that night. Such is our tale of woe!
Great (the city is named after him, and he is omnipresent there) and in front of a famous, gold-topped church, the tour guide, in broken English, effectively told us to arm ourselves if we dared to depart the cozy confines of the bus to take photographs. “They are thieves,� is the way she described the peddlers perched on the sidewalk, some in Russian costumes, waiting to sell us curios and then plunder and rape. Boldly, but avoiding the criminal element as best we could, Melissa and I walked outside for five minutes. I look unnaturally pregnant in the photos, though, as I am clutching my handbag on top of my stomach, underneath my jacket. We tried to explain to the guide that we had to strike out weaponless since the people in Heathrow didn’t allow us to import our American handguns.
Next on the agenda were three days parked in St. Petersburg, Russia, a breathtaking place, which, like Venice, is built between many rivers and canals, and connected by over 300 bridges. Mr. Putin, who is not our friend, hails from St. Petersburg, and he and his government want to make sure that anyone visiting his hometown, and country, for that matter, knows who is in charge. St. Petersburg was the only port where we were not free to come and go from the ship as we wished. We were required to pass through immigration when we departed or returned, and the dour, scowling officials, who wordlessly took our passports, certainly were not our friends. Also, unless we were on a tour sponsored by the ship or accompanied by a recognized tour guide, we were required to have visas, something that Melissa and I had not bothered to get.
Once again, though, Melissa had an actual acquaintance in St. Petersburg, of all places. The Russian exchange student, Natasha, whom Melissa and her daughter had sponsored at Buckingham Friends School 20 years ago, lives in St. Petersburg. She met us at the dock one afternoon in her lime-green Saab convertible and acted as our official guide,
Our beginning encounter in St. Petersburg was somewhat concerning. At the first stop of our first sanctioned tour in St. Petersburg, in a square with a monument to Peter the theWRITS
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treating us to a real Russian lunch and a climb up to the top of a gilded church, from which we appreciated a panoramic view of the city. Thankfully, we were not arrested by the secret police, and we privately taunted those nasty immigration people on our way back into the ship.
and were jetting home the next day. Melissa’s laundry duty was worthwhile, and we passed unobtrusively through the Heathrow security maze. Arriving early at our gate, we had a surprise encounter with Bob Salzer, who was incognito since he was wearing a baseball cap and no business suit.
By the way, highlights of St. Petersburg were a private tour, replete with a concert by an orchestral group, ballet dancers and an opera singer, at St. Catherine’s Palace, two tours of the Hermitage, where you could spend most of your life and still not see all of the exhibits, and a day trip to Peterhof Palace, the summer palace of Peter the Great, including magnificent gardens and fountains. Peter was quite the jokester and installed hidden fountains around the gardens, which he gleefully activated from a hidden location to soak his shocked guests.
So, we’ve been back several months now, sadder but wiser. I learned four important things: Senior citizens, and this is true, who choose to live on cruise ships instead of going into long-term care facilities, are smart (and wealthy);
“I learned four important things: Senior citizens, and this is true, who choose to live on cruise ships instead of going into long-term care facilities, are smart (and wealthy);”
After St. Petersburg, in Helsinki, Finland, we took a bus ride to the quaint village of Porvoo, followed by a river cruise. Our guide was a fount of knowledge and regaled us with every fact you would ever want to know about Finland, its history, its culture, its economy, its government, its laws, you name it. She was incredible! Alas, she spoke of all of this on our ride back to Helsinki, after lunch with, yes, more wine, so I can’t share any of her wisdom. I fell asleep after five minutes. The bus was much more comfortable than economy class on United.
Like my dad, I’m destined for a second career at sea. Cruise ships hire lecturers, who speak for an hour two or three times a week about various topics of interest and who cruise for free with a small stipend. Since the majority of cruisers are getting up there in years, I think that I could offer my expertise to speak on issues of importance to the passengers, such as endof-life decision-making and protective services for older adults. Isn’t this what everyone would like to explore on vacation?
Our final day of the cruise was at sea. I lounged at the pool, while Melissa waited in line down the hall from our room for the most popular attraction of the day – the handful of mini-washers and dryers in two closet-like rooms per deck. I had overlooked the information on that important, onboard activity, but Melissa wanted to make sure that her socks would be odor-free and would not be detained on our flight home through Heathrow.
I am totally expendable. The Quest lost Internet service three days out, and I could not see emails from work. It was a tragedy, indeed, but no one in the office missed me; Melissa is the best travel companion. She was always happy, she never complained, other than expressing a tad of reluctance about the Tallinn bike ride, and she graciously tolerated my idiosyncrasies. Her smiling demeanor attracted lots of attention, and, because of her, we were invited to dine with one of the ship’s captains, with the bandleader, and with the lecturer. There is a reason why Melissa has friends throughout the world!
We left our new, Quest friends in Copenhagen, after a wonderful week’s voyage and, at least in my case, packing some extra body insulation. Yes, we spied the Little Mermaid on our boat tour of Copenhagen, skipped Tivoli Gardens on our lengthy walk around the city,
Happy trails to you! Dianne Magee...
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feature Thinking wistfully about an Alaskan vacation may seem anomalous in the midst of the chilly, dark post-holiday season. Being in Alaska in January would not be an advisable remedy to cure those who suffer from sunlight deficiency. However, for those of us fortunate enough to experience Alaska when each day includes 20-plus hours of daylight, reminiscing about the scenery and abundant wildlife in our 49th state can become a mental vacation, in itself.
Alaska landmass (as opposed to the narrow, coastal region, where Juneau, the state capital, is located). After a one-night stay in Anchorage (surrounded by mountain ranges, which greeted us as we flew over before landing), we trained it up to Denali (formerly Mt. McKinley, but always Denali to the locals), enjoying a great meal while taking in the beauty of the landscape on either side of the tracks. Along the way we passed through Wasilla, Sarah Palin’s home town. While we could see Denali looming in the distance, Russia was not visible, not even on a clear day.
I had the good fortune to see Alaska for the second time in my life, vacationing with my wife and two teenage stepsons, all of whom were seeing it for the first time. My wife is an Animal Control Officer, who also maintains a wildlife service company (after a transition as a jewelry business buyer and designer), so the prospect of encountering wildlife in a genuine wilderness setting was appealing. As the venture included a cruise/land combination, the oceanic feature was a novelty for me, as I had never been a cruise participant. Needless to say, for all of us, including the boys, the time was interesting, memorable, and fun.
At Denali we were able to enjoy a rustic, but comfortable lodge, next to a snow-fed river. As the daylight extended to 10:30-11 pm, the ability to look for wildlife in to the late daytime hours was a plus, especially on an ATV adventure, where we saw an adult female moose, and her calf, followed within minutes by a grey wolf, all within 50 yards of our location. Inside Denali Park, we were able to stop several times to take in the vistas from several perspectives, Denali always dominating the landscape. Among the observed fauna were: grizzly bears (mother and cubs, enjoying an abundance of wild blueberries), Dall sheep, moose, caribou, and eagles. The mountain air was especially invigorating – crisp and clear. At one stop we were able to walk on tundra, observing lichen and other plant life specific to the tundra. Reaching under
The first leg of the trip was a flight to Anchorage, the state’s largest city, located in the Southern portion of the large
2015 Alaska Adventure
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the ground surface about 6 inches, the temperature difference from the outside air was nearly 15-20 degrees colder.
After Denali we trained back south, embarking on the cruise ship in Homer, located on the Kenai Peninsula. For 2-1/2 days we were on the ocean, over 1700 passengers and 700 crew. As most know, a cruise ship is a small floating city, and this vessel was no different. Numerous restaurants, bars, a casino, reading and recreation areas, basketball court, swimming pools – all were distributed throughout. We became familiar with the piano bar entertainer, who no doubt increased the Dewar’s consumption on board, due to my nightly presence. The boys were able to connect with other kids their age, and pretty much had the run of the ship. While on board we were treated to close up visits to coastal glaciers, and the occasional whale. The itinerary included stops along Inside Passage coastal towns of Haines, Juneau and Ketchikan. While at Haines we disembarked and traveled to an animal sanctuary, which housed moose, black bears, wolverines, reindeer, weasels, lynx, and other species native to the Northwest. My wife, the naturalist, was able to interact with the animals, getting up close and personal with a porcupine (not incurring any injury in the process), and took some great photos of many of the sanctuary’s inhabitants, with her new camera. The proprietor of the sanctuary is also affiliated with many nature filming entities, including National Geographic, although he appeared to be a 1970s dropout who woke up in a smoky haze and discovered an off-beat, but lucrative, venture. He bounded from animal to animal, barefoot, a backwoods version of Ty Pennington. In any event, his shtick worked – the sanctuary and animals were captivating (but not necessarily “captive”).
was not something I ever thought possible, outside a zoo setting. Again, video and photos recorded the activity, including tree-climbing black bear cubs. On board ship, en route to Vancouver, we were treated to great meals, wine tasting, and a well-stocked library. This last leg also included many whale watching opportunities. Among the “fun facts” learned on the trip: Alaska boasts five different types of salmon (my favorite being the “Sockeye”); Grizzly bears and Kodiak bears are the same species (brown bears), differentiated by their respective sizes (Kodiaks being larger, sometimes 1600 pounds, due to the meat-oriented diet (salmon, again) as opposed to the plantdominated diet of the grizzly); that Alaska is 95% uninhabited, and that its population of slightly over 700,000, falls between the respective populations of Bucks and Montgomery Counties.
The next stop, Juneau, provided a visit to the majestic Mendenhall Glacier, which, sadly, has regressed thousands of feet over the past few years, a victim of climate change. At Juneau we also participated in a day cruise, observing orcas, humpback whales, Dall Porpoises, sea lions and harbor seals, all within a few hundred feet. Eagles were also in attendance, in the forest lining the bay. The day provided some of the best photo ops of the trip.
The best part of the trip was that in Alaska, one is truly “away” from work, home, and the hot summer. Cell phone accessibility was scant, and I was able to keep track of baseball scores enough to feel connected to civilization, while enjoying physical and mental separation from daily monotonous routines. Next time away we’ll surely opt for Europe. However, for anyone interested in experiencing some of the last remaining wilderness, in comfortable circumstances, Alaska in the summer comes highly recommended.
The last stop, prior to flying from Vancouver, was Ketchikan, where another animal sanctuary trip was arranged, this time, with many native exotic birds recovering from injury (bald eagles, numerous owls) observable from a few feet. In this same location is an old-growth forest, where the sanctuary proprietors built hanging bridges and decks, looking upon and over salmon-fed streams, which were being fished by black bear adults and cubs. The proximity to such creatures 15
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community is certainty that a scheduled event will take place at the time and place scheduled.” While stories of Paul’s frugality are legendary, he was generous to a fault with his time and knowledge. Not only within Bucks County but across the United States, Paul was known to be willing to share his knowledge and experience with anyone who had a desire to learn about court administration. Those same skills enabled Bucks County to maintain a level of efficiency in the disposition of cases that was unmatched in Pennsylvania, and continues to this day to set the standard for our handling of cases. Paul served his community as well as the Court. He was a clerk in Newtown Monthly Meeting of Friends, and assisted in other Quaker organizations. He was a trustee at Pennsbury Manor. He sat on the planning commissions of Bucks County, Newtown Area Regional and Newtown Township. He was a member of the Freemasons and the Newtown Historical Society. And for a generation of children, he was Newtown’s Santa Claus, resplendent in a real beard.
Memorial Resolution for Howard Paul Kester
In conjunction with his spiritual inclinations, Paul was quite devoted to the study of Chinese culture and philosophy. He learned Chinese calligraphy, and ink and brush drawing. In 2000, he took a once-in-alifetime solo journey to China. With only the slightest prompting, he would regale any listener with recollections of that journey.
– By Douglas R. Praul – WHEREAS, Howard Paul Kester, passed away on October 10, 2015, at Pennswood Village, Newtown. Paul, as he was known, was born on December 9, 1929, in Abington. Paul was a life-long resident of Newtown. He is survived by three daughters, Valerie Kester Morrisey, Robin Davis Kester Patterson, and Dana Louise Kester-McCabe. He was predeceased by his wife, Mary, and his daughter, Karen Ann Kester.
No matter the time of day, Paul would always greet you with “Good morning,” because to him it meant the better part of the day was still ahead of him. And if you inquired after his welfare, the response inevitably was, “First rate in spite of everything!” But no doubt many of us will remember him best for the unique parking spot he established in front of the Justice Center on the day of its dedication.
Paul was proud of his Quaker heritage, which extends back through many generations. He graduated from both George School and Earlham College, two renowned Quaker institutions. After a stint in the U.S. Army, Paul entered Temple Law School where he earned his law degree.
AND NOW THIS 3rd day of December, 2015, be it resolved that the Bucks County Bar Association recognize the life, dedication and professionalism of H. Paul Kester, Esquire, and his contributions to the profession of law, to the administration of justice and to his community, and express its loss and extend its condolences to his family; and
Paul returned to Bucks County and took a position with the Bucks County law firm of Power, Bowen and Valimont. In 1961, he was hired as the law clerk to the Honorable Edward G. Biester. The following year, Paul was appointed Court Administrator for Bucks County – only the second person so appointed in Pennsylvania.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution be made part of the Minutes of the Bucks County Bar Association, that a copy be recorded in the Office of the Prothonotary of Bucks County, and a copy thereof be forwarded to his family.
Paul was a pioneer in the nascent field of court administration. He helped develop the concepts of case management that are fundamental to our handling of cases even now. His guiding principle, uttered many times in the course of his career, was that “Cases are moved most efficiently when there theWRITS
Mr. Praul is the Court Administrator of the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas. 16
community
Learning With Lawyers
“compromise”, a word that seems quaint in today’s political environment. It’s definitely not a notion that seems to be in evidence in the current Congress. The concern that the “big states” would have more power in the newly formed national government than the “small states” threatened to scuttle the entire process until the socalled “Great Compromise” was worked out whereby it was agreed that Congress would have two houses: one of which would be based upon population-to satisfy the Big States; and the other which would have an equal number of representatives- to satisfy the concerns of the Small States. Hence, we had the origin of the House and the Senate.
– By Chris Serpico – Just before Thanksgiving, I had the opportunity to participate in a project that the Bucks County Bar Association has been involved in for the past few years. The Learning with Lawyers program has Bucks County lawyers volunteering a half day of their time to instruct elementary school students on the history of the US Constitution.
It was also pointed out by the students that another important compromise was made when it was agreed that slaves would be counted as three fifths of a person rather than not at all, thereby giving the Southern states a greater number of representatives than they would have otherwise had.
Barb Lyons and I made the drive from Doylestown to Maple Shade Elementary School in Croydon, (where Judge McGuffin’s wife is employed as a teacher). After an introductory meeting with Principle Mark Willicki, we were escorted to a fifth grade classroom comprised of approximately fifty rambunctious students anxious to demonstrate to us their knowledge of U.S. history.
The students were extremely attentive and seemed to enjoy our presentation.
Although both Barb and I had prior experience in speaking to large groups of people, and each had served before as instructors to high school and college students, we felt a bit uneasy before settling into the task assigned to us. But, within a short time, our anxiety was overcome by the exuberant interaction we had with the students.
We had no difficulty in engaging them and my fears of speaking to a class of stone-faced automatons proved to be unfounded. I look forward to taking part in the program next year, and I recommend the experience to my colleagues in the Bar Association looking for a way to give back to the community, especially in ways that can help our young people learn to become more productive citizens.
The kids had already been provided with a full-color eighty page book entitled: “If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution”.
Although at first glance, the booklet did not appear to be as daunting as my old law school texts, I was glad that I took the time to read through the manual before standing in front of the students. Otherwise, I probably would not have known that Shay’s Rebellion, a ragtag group of farmers who banded together in 1786 to prevent the Massachusetts militia from forcibly ejecting them from their farms for failure to pay their debts, was a primary motivation for the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Nor would I have known that of the fifty-five delegates who gathered in Philadelphia during that stifling summer, Jonathan Dayton of New Jersey, was the youngest delegate at age twenty-seven (although I probably would have guessed that Benjamin Franklin was the oldest delegate at age eighty- one). Those participating in the discussion agreed that the main reason a durable Constitution emerged from that historic gathering was the willingness of all parties involved to 17
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feature
My Journey to India: – By – Yvette E. Taylor-Hachoose, Esq.
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An Estate Planning Attorney’s Perspective 18
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hy India? Along with its history of cultural diversity and its stable democracy, the sheer size of India enhances its significance for research on estate planning. According to the last Indian Census conducted in 2011, India has a population of more than 1.2 billion. China, with a population of almost 1.4 billion, is the only country larger than India. The United States, with more than 325 million people, is about a quarter of the size of India. Taken in perspective then, Mumbai, which is India’s largest city, has a population of 12.5 million, closely followed by Delhi with a population of 11 million. In comparison, New York City’s population is only around 8 million.
gion and the ability to bequeath property depends upon the religion of the testator. This interplay of India’s secular laws with religious customs and traditions was very intriguing.
India is also known for its religious diversity. The largest religion in India is Hinduism with more than 80% of the population of Hindu faith. India’s second religion is Islam with about 13.4% of the population being Muslim. Other major religious groups in India are Christians (2.3%), Sikhs (1.9%), Buddhists (0.8%) and Jains (0.4%). During my travels in Northern India, I conducted inte rviews with people from all walks of life; men and women of different religions, different occupations and with different perspectives on their legacy planning. Written surveys were also completed. From my background research, I found that there is a cultural reluctance among people in India to discuss succession. However, with significant wealth locked up in family businesses in India, the need for succession planning is more important than ever for transference of personal and business wealth to the next generation. The purpose of my interviews and surveys were to ascertain whether and when individuals in India had wills for their succession and estate planning purposes and how similar or dissimilar their responses are from the experience with my clients in the United States.
“Based on my research, putting off estate planning and making a will is a fairly universal tendency whether one lives in India or the United States. ” Based on my research, putting off estate planning and making a will is a fairly universal tendency whether one lives in India or the United States. Similarly, some of the reasons for this lack of planning in India resonate in the United States. Those respondents without a will (77% of those I surveyed) stated that they either owned no assets, owned assets jointly with another person, did not want to face their mortality, believed only rich people needed a will, or preferred to wait until they were old or had an illness to make a will. Sound familiar? Another reason, unique to India, for not making a will, was that different religious groups in India adhere to different personal laws on succession. Those without a will felt that the laws (which take into consideration their religion tradition and customs) for handling distributions upon death worked best for them.
The findings in India revealed that there is some awareness of the need for and availability of wills, but most people do not have one. There are also laws governing estate planning in India. Of course, very different from the United State, succession laws in India are based on one’s reli-
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“The journey to India was to understand how people in another part of the world address their legacy.” The journey to India was to understand how people in another part of the world address their legacy. It served as an opportunity to interview India residents and law firms about legacy planning which is a primary goal in my practice and many estate planning attorneys’ practices. I find that a global perspective helps establish best practices in estate planning. The personal conversations and surveys provided a unique perspective on India’s life and culture as it relates to the protection of one’s legacy through the making of a will. Just like in the United States, in India, there remains a continued need for estate planning education. Ms. Taylor-Hachoose, Esquire is an estate planning attorney in Yardley, Pennsylvania and author of “Stop! What Are You Waiting For?” Your Step-by-Step Guide to Estate Planning. www.ythlaw.com. theWRITS
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BCBA events 1 2
- BCBA 2016 Annual Dinner
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1. Grace Deon, Incoming President thanks Joanne Murray Outgoing President for her year of service. 2. Michael Mills accepts the Mark E. Goldberg Award for Community Service 3. John Trainer presents the William H. Eastburn award to Jonathan Salomon on behalf of Tabor Children’s Services. 4. Meg Groff receives the Arthur B. Walsh Jr. Award for her many years of Pro Bono work.
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5. Marijo Murphy is acknowledged for her many accomplishments and contributions to the Bucks County Bar Association upon her retirement.
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6. Elizabeth Fritsch, Executive Director of Legal Aid of Southeastern PA thanks the BCBA Attorneys for their support to the Legal Aid Program.
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community
Coffee at the Commonwealth Court: An interview with The Honorable Rochelle S. Friedman – By Susan E. Dardes, Esq. – I had the distinct pleasure of sitting down with Judge Rochelle S. Friedman, of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, on Monday, December 30, 2015, at her Hyde Park chambers in Doylestown. “Shelly” to her friends, the Judge greeted me warmly as we sat and had coffee as if we were classmates and confidantes. Warning her that I had a handful of written questions but was likely to go “off brief”, I started with the perhaps expected question. I asked her how it was she came to the field of law in the late 60’s, a profession then not particularly female-friendly. She told me that growing up in the public school system in Pittsburgh; she had an 8th grade teacher who told her that she could be whatever she wanted to be. Two plus hours later, I was enthralled by this lady’s life and accomplishments.
Upon graduation from law school in 1961, Irwin served as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army at Ft. Benning, GA, Ft. Devin, MA, Ft. Bragg, NC and Homestead Air Force base in Miami, FL, where he was in charge of the troops in the Keys during the Cuban missile crises. The couple and their two daughters returned to Pittsburgh in 1963, where Irwin began his law practice in a prominent PI firm, and Shelly began part-time fundraising for the Heart Fund and Epilepsy Foundation.
Judge Friedman (then Rochelle Weiss) graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1959 and married Irwin Mark Samuels. Her husband had graduated from Washington and Jefferson University and then the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Mrs. Samuels worked at Lit Brothers in Philadelphia in 1959; one of the few jobs she could find out of college. Snelling and Snelling, an employment agency, told her that no one would want to hire her because she was Jewish. (She applied for a job with the Philadelphia Bulletin but never got a response.) Between her and her husband, they held down 8-9 part time jobs during his Penn years. After graduating from Pitt, she became associate editor of The Jewish Criterion, a weekly Jewish Newspaper, and edited the house newspaper at Lits the two years she was there, but was forced to quit the department store when she was 4 ½ months pregnant.
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In April, 1968, Irwin died at the age of 32, and Shelly worked as a nursery school teacher until her admission to the University of Pittsburgh Law School in September 1969 and her daughters attended Falk School on Pitt’s campus. There were only 7 other women in Shelly’s first year class and a total of 25 enrolled in the law school. (Sister classmates include Commonwealth Court Judges, the Honorable Doris A. Smith-Ribner, retd. and the Honorable Bonnie Brigance Leadbetter, past President Judge. When Shelly applied for a law school scholarship, the Dean pronounced, “If you want to be a man, you have to act like a man.” The future appellate judge retorted,“ I came for an education; not for a sex change.” The Allegheny County Bar Association came to her rescue with a $500 annual loan provided that she did not quit or fail prior to law school completion.
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While at Pitt, Shelly was instrumental in founding the University of Pittsburgh Women’s law group and worked summers as an Indian Princess at the Highland Park Zoo, with her two daughters, Sharon and Michele and brother, Joel, serving as Indians and helping her conduct themed children’s birthday parties at the Indian Village, then not politically incorrect. (There was no day care available at the time and the children spent considerable time at the Children’s zoo with staff and pre-veterinarian students. They were fabulous summers for the family. In fact, she recalls that newly elected Justice David Wecht celebrated his 9th birthday party at the zoo.
candidacy and the PBA deemed her “uniquely unqualified”. Talk radio gave Shelly three days of invaluable free press. On went a grassroots campaign, because she could not afford to hire a manager. She told me that she was grateful for this because she ran the campaign from a woman’s, rather than a man’s, perspective and that resonated with the voters across the State. She and a cousin drove across Pennsylvania, giving everyone along the way – from turnpike workers and waitresses – her literature. She is grateful for many things: her wonderful family, the opportunity to go to law school, practice law, and ultimately be elected to Commonwealth Court. “Adversity brings advantage”, she says. Would she do it all over again?“ In a heartbeat”, she said.
Upon her graduation, she again found that work was hard to come by because of her gender. When she applied at HUD, she was told that her work history was just a series of “early motherhood jobs” and wasn’t taken seriously. In 1974, she was hired by the Clerk of Courts of Allegheny County as his solicitor, and then clerked for 12 years with a Criminal Court Judge while beginning a private practice by sharing space with two other local attorneys and taking their “leftover” cases. Thus she successfully prevailed in two immigration cases and embarked on a career defending 1st Amendment rights, a relatively new field at the time. In 1974, she filed a lawsuit challenging the continued appointment, without election, of four judges appointed by the Governor to fill newly created judgeships in Allegheny County.
Elected in 1991 and retained in 2001, the Judge who has served as a senior judge on the Commonwealth Court since 2008 attempted, with Judge Alan Rubenstein, to strike Pennsylvania’s mandatory retirement age Constitutional amendment. The legislature and the voters may have the last word on this issue. Consider that issue...under advisement.
You take care of your clients, but who takes care of you?
In 1982, she argued before the PA Supreme Court, overturning the involuntary deviate sexual intercourse statute on the grounds that it violated an individual’s right to privacy. Eventually, Shelly became the Solicitor to the Allegheny Clerk of Courts and in 1974 ran as the Republican nominee for the Clerk of Courts. Determined to win, she once told a local Republican Committee to either “join me, get out of the way, or…get run over.” She believed that if you don’t convince the electorate that you are a winner, they will not vote for you. Although she was unsuccessful in that race, she enjoyed the political process. In 1977, 1985, and in 1989, still on the Republican ticket, she ran for the Allegheny Court of Common Pleas. She lost those times as well but persevered. She then switched political parties to register as a Democrat.
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Male friends suggested she forego future attempts at a judgeship, but a woman attorney friend encouraged Shelly to run for the Commonwealth Court in 1991. She thought, no “man is going to set limits on what I can do!”, and run she did, with the support of the unions and trial attorneys. (But not with the party leadership, since she was not an endorsed candidate on the primary ballot on the Democratic ticket when she began.) The Allegheny Bar did not endorse her
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community
Bucks County Children and Youth: An Inside View
Social work is an exceptional occupation rich with meaning, achievement, and the power to make a difference. Social workers pull communities together; help individuals and families find resolution, advance changes in social guidelines, support social justice, and foster human and global well-being. Social workers are found in all places, including public agencies, nonprofits, private businesses, hospitals, schools, nursing homes, police departments, courts, and in private practice. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) reported that employment of social workers increased by approximately 22 percent during the 2006-2016 decade, a faster rate than the average for all other U.S. occupations.
– By Matthew Wasel, MSW –
For the past six years, I have been employed as a social worker for the BCYSSA, presently located in Furlong. I can without a doubt tell you it’s a hard job, but also a very gratifying and rewarding one (though not so much financiallyJ; however the benefits are the best!). Each day I feel that I make a difference in the life of a child and their family in Bucks County. I work with school age children 8 to 18 years of age mostly in Lower Bucks, and help them and their families with issues and concerns including: truancy, child or family substance abuse, mental health concerns, assistance with homelessness, and many other social maladies that exist in our community.
I am proud to be a social worker for the Bucks County Children & Youth Social Services Agency (BCYSSA).
BCYSSA has evolved in its 50 years of existence and has progressed in the six years that I have been employed. Specifically, the most changes have occurred in the past five years as a result of the sexual abuse by former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky. Various bills were passed by Pennsylvania lawmakers allowing more professionals and social workers to better investigate child abuse in Pennsylvania.
“I was seeking a vocation with meaning, action, diversity, satisfaction, and an abundance of options. Social work seemed to be a good fit and became my career.”
The biggest changes were to the classification of abuse and who reports it directly. Previously, for actions to be considered child abuse, a child had to be in severe pain, with serious impairment. The law lowered that threshold to what is called substantial pain; and a number of acts, like kicking a child or locking him or her in a closet, are now considered abuse.
I had aspired to be a teacher and coach; but a few years after graduation from College, I ended up as a carpenter and painter. After soul searching and feeling unfulfilled and changing occupations as many of us do, I longed for a meaningful career. I was seeking a vocation with meaning, action, diversity, satisfaction, and an abundance of options. Social work seemed to be a good fit and became my career.
Another major change mandated that adults who come in contact with children in a professional setting, whether medical, educational, religious or through social or civic services, report suspected child abuse directly to the state, rather than to a supervisor or designated reporter. So under the new laws, it will not matter if doctors or police cannot decide right away who abused a child; it still will be recorded as abuse. By lowering that threshold, more people are reporting more cases of suspected abuse.
Social workers are people who think about others, who want to make things improved, who want to alleviate suffering, and who want their work to make a difference.
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An online reporting system is also now in place. Other changes include a training program for mandated reporters and a broader use of Child Abuse History Clearance certifications.
issues as: housing, drug/ alcohol treatment, mental health treatment, parent education, and family counseling. The agency’s goal is to provide these services to help and protect children while keeping the family together. Court action may be necessary to protect children who are dependent as defined by Pennsylvania’s juvenile act.
Bucks County Children & Youth does a superior job of helping children. It has one of the most modern, reliable and updated communications systems and technology in the state. Each social worker now has a portable laptop and county cell phone that allows for the most effective communication and reporting. BCYSSA also now has an emergency fund called the Charles Kane Fund that provides additional emergency funding for social workers in the field to buy food or other items needed on the spot. I am proud and privileged to work for such a caring and professional organization. Here is a brief summary of the workings of the BCYSSA.
Placement Services
“Social workers increased by approximately 22 percent during the 2006-2016 decade, a faster rate than the average for all other U.S. occupations.”
Children come into foster care placement in cases where they are in imminent danger of abuse or neglect and all other efforts to prevent placement have been unsuccessful. Children may be placed with relatives, in a foster home, group home, or residential facility, depending on the needs of the child. When placement occurs, the agency’s goal is to plan for the return of the child to the family as quickly as possible.
Intake/Information and Referral: Initial inquiries to the Bucks County Children & Youth Social Services Agency are received by a professional social worker in the agency’s intake office. The function of the intake social worker is to take the report, assess initial risk to the child, respond immediately in cases of emergencies involving the child, and if appropriate, provide information and referrals to the family. If it is determined that social services involving a child under age 18 are needed, the intake worker will refer the family to one of the agency’s specialized services. Child Protective Services: Specific allegations of child abuse (physical-sexual-emotional) are investigated by an agency social worker. All investigations are handled within the guidelines of Pennsylvania’s child protective services law and in a timely and professional manner with regard to the best interests of the child and the family. At the completion of the investigation, if further social services are warranted, the agency will assist the family in locating the appropriate resources and will continue to provide ongoing general protective services.
Emergency Services The agency is available for emergency services during nonbusiness hours and may be contacted through the Emergency Services Non-Emergency police radio room number: 888-245-7210, Ext. 21. Efforts are made to work with the family to remove the risk to the child in order to ensure a safe return to the family. Supportive services continue to be provided to the family after a child is reunited with the family. In cases where a child is unable to return to the family, BCCYSSA seeks to find a permanent home for the child, either through relatives or adoption.
Adolescent Services: Adolescent services are available to families experiencing ongoing conflict with children ages 1217. Services are provided to the entire family by experienced caseworkers who work solely with this population.
Other Services
General Protective Services: General protective services are provided to families who are in need of ongoing social services support and unable to maintain a minimal level of medical care supervision, and/or education for their children. The agency helps families find resources surrounding such
The agency provides a variety of other services to children and their families. If you have questions about these services, or if you are interested in becoming an agency volunteer or foster parent, please contact the Bucks County Children & Youth Social Services Agency at 215-348-6900.
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BCBA events
Pro Bono Honor Roll Third and Fourth Quarters 2015 (July 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015)
Wow – What an Oustanding, Giving, Generous Bar Association!!! Thanks to all of you for your generosity.
Richard Abramson Judith Algeo Hugh Algeo Maureen Anderson William L. Antheil Dean Arthur Wendy Ashby W. Austin Allen
Julius B. Ciesielka Richard K. Clark Peter Classetti Terry W. Clemons Ernest Closser John Cook Patricia Cooley Rob Cox
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Lisa L. Backentoss Thomas Barlow David Baun Erica & Ryan Becker Sheena Bediako John Bender Begley, Carlin & Mandio John Benson Michael Betts Keith Bidlingmaier Edward Biester Gary Bloom Ronald Bolig Gerald Bowen Jeffrey Brahin Dina Brilliant Richard Brown Paul Brownstein Steven Brush Meredith Buck Dawn Burke
Henry Dantzig Robert DeBias Gary Deck Frank Dillon John W. Donaghy Jeffrey A. Drake William Dudeck Timothy Duffy Joseph Duome
.................................... Brendan Callahan Melissa Cantwell Kathryn Carlson William H.R. Casey G. Michael Carr Stephen K. Carr Tracy Cassel-Brophy Christine Cattani Dale Caya David Chandler Christopher B. Chandor Jahn Chesnov Michelle Christian
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.................................... Carol A. Edwards Susan Eisenberg Ronald Elgart
.................................... Robert E. Faber Thomas E. Fasching Scott L. Feldman Ryan Fitzgerald Eleanor M. Flannery Marianne Flood Judith & Carl Fonash Georgeann R. Fusco
.................................... Frank N. Gallagher Jeffrey P. Garton Martin Ghen Noah Gladstone Josh Goldblum William L. Goldman Gregory Gore Francis X. Grabowski Geoffrey Graham Caitlin Gray Todd P. Gregoire
Colby S. Grim William Gross E. Garrett Gummer
.................................... Richard Habgood Kevin Hand Kimberly Hardiman Judy Hayman Mary C. Helf Jack Hetherington Jerold Hoffman Neil Hoffman Matthew Hoover
Pamela McGrath Brian McGuffin Diane Mellot Adrian Meyer Kristine Michael Leslie A Mitnick Greg Mitsch Karen Model Marijo Murphy Robert B. Murray
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Peter Nelson Glenn C. Neiman Neal E. Newman
Richard Irwin
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Carin A. O’Donnell Ethan O’Shea Richard C. Osterhout
Colin Jenei David J. Juall
.................................... John Kalinkos Ellis H. Katz Robert Katzenstein Daniel M. Keane Michael P. Kelly Stanton C. Kelton, III John M. Kenney John S. Kerdock Barbara Kirk Steven Kitty Michael Kracht Marshall Kresman Anthony Krzywicki
.................................... Gavin Laboski Paul G. Lang Maris Langford Larry Lefkowitz Nicholas Leonard Jay B. Lieberson Jeff Liebmann Alan E. Liebowitz Charissa Liller Barbara Lyons
.................................... Diane Magee Richard D. Magee Matthew Mann Joseph J. Marinaro Gail Marr David Marshall Don Marshall Charles O. Marte Martin & Martin, P.C. Susan Maslow Tina Mazaheri Mary Beth McCabe Gregory McCarthy 26
.................................... Dawn Padanyi Thomas Panzer Michael Parlow Lisa Patterson Perlstein Law William M. Posner Jessica Pritchard Lee Derrico Profy
.................................... Linda Ramsey David Ray Tami Reichley Lawrence Reinfeld Jonathan Reiss Peter L. Reiss Robert Repko John B. Rice Jill Richter Stefan Richter Marc Rickles Judy Rodriguez-Martyak Deborah A. Romanski Catherine Roth Cheryl B. Wolf Rovner Jason Rubinstein Susan Rudman Edward Rudolph Gina Ruggieri Jonathan J. Russell
.................................... Steven Sailer Todd Savarese William Schaefer John N. Schaeffer Daniel Schwartz William E. Scott Chris Serpico Kurt Shaffer
Carol Shelly Michael Shelton Edward Shensky Linda Shick Stephanie Sikora Robert Silverman Arlene Simolike Jack Sirott Michele Skole Susan J. Smith T. Thomas Smith Ronald Smolow Mindy Snyder Jeffrey Solar David Sowerbutts Francis X. Stecklair Joel Steinman Michael J. Sternberg Christopher Steward Herbert K. Sudfeld James W. Sutton Brandon Swartz Joyce J. Sweinberg
.................................... Mary B. Templeton Allen Toadvine Eric Tobin Jeff Toner Julia Toner Samuel Totaro John D. Trainer Jeffrey G. Trauger Jill E. Trayer Jeanne Trivellini David J. Truelove
.................................... Jessica VanderKam
.................................... Thomas J. Walsh John J. Warenda Seth Weber Sara Webster Marc E. Weinstein Jason R. Weiss Donna J. Wengiel Edward M. Wild Donald E. Williams Keith Williams Peter Williams Shari Williams Clair E. Wischusen Jeffrey Wong Donald Williford David Woosley
.................................... Jordan Yeager Andrew Young
Save the Date!
2016 Annu
al Bench Bar Conference September 22, 23, 24; 2016 Grand Cascade Lodge Hamburg, New Jersey Bucks County Bar Association
27
WINTER 2016
technology
Tech Tips From a Recovering Geek: Keyboard Over Mouse – Jason R. Weiss, Esquire –
Your first reaction is most likely, how much time can we really save by using the keyboard instead of the mouse? The answer: up to an astounding 8 days per year per employee (see Brainscape’s article How keyboard shortcuts could revive America’s economy at https://www.brainscape.com/ blog/2011/08/keyboard-shortcuts-economy/). By avoiding the estimated 2 seconds per minute it takes to switch to the mouse for 8 hours per day for 240 working days, you can save a total of 64 wasted hours per year!
When I first made the transition from IT Professional to law student many years ago, I came to the realization that the individuals that would ultimately become my peers were not the most tech-savvy. Students and faculty alike had difficulty with the most common tasks when it came to operating a computer. Desktops were littered with dozens of outdated icons, email accounts stored items from decades ago, and finding a needed document was more difficult than deciphering the Rule Against Perpetuities. Viruses and malware were the norm.
Your next reaction is likely, how is it possible to avoid using the mouse? Simply, keyboard shortcuts. For every icon or button clicked and every option available under the rightclick menu, there is a corresponding set of keys on the keyboard that will perform the same action, again, in less time. There are hundreds of combinations – most of which will not be relevant for our purposes. However, there are many timesavers with which we can all benefit.
While hopeful that these computer-related shortcomings were limited to law students and faculty, I found much of the same in the legal field. When I asked colleagues or coworkers why a particular computer system was setup the way it was, the answer was always the same: “Because that’s how it was always done.” Such an unsatisfying response made me realize that most attorneys and firms can use some guidance and assistance with their everyday use of computers.
Below is a brief list of common keyboard shortcuts that should save you and your staff time everyday. While these are based on use of Microsoft Windows, most of the shortcuts can also be used on a Mac by replacing the Ctrl key with the Mac Command key (⌘).
Much of my computer-related advice over the years focused on efficiency and organization. I have found that one of the most common causes of inefficiency in law firms is a tremendous dependence on the mouse. Thus, the remainder of this column will focus on saving time, much more than you would expect, by adapting keyboard-related skills and weaning use of the mouse. theWRITS
The above list is by no means all-encompassing. However, these shortcuts provide the basic building blocks to start your journey towards more efficient computing. A simple Internet search will provide you with countless more as well as application-specific shortcuts. 28
Ctrl+C
Copy what’s selected
Ctrl+X
Cut what’s selected
Ctrl+V
Paste what you last copied or cut
Ctrl+A
Select all content
Ctrl+S
Save the current document
Ctrl+P
Print the current document
Ctrl+N
Create new document
PageUp
Move up a page
PageDown
Move down a page
Home
Move to the beginning of the line
End
Move to the end of the line
Ctrl+Home
Move to the beginning of a document
Ctrl+End
Move to the end of a document
Ctrl+←
Move left one whole word
Ctrl+→
Move right one whole word
** Use the movement shortcuts while holding the SHIFT key to select words, lines, or paragraphs.
Ctrl+Z
Undo your last action
Ctrl+B
Bold the selected text bold
Ctrl+I
Italicize the selected text italic
Ctrl+U
Underline the selected text
Ctrl+Backspace
Delete the previous word
Ctrl+H
Find and replace text
Alt+Tab
Switch between active windows
Alt+F4
Exit the active window
Win+D
Show desktop/windows
Alt+Home
Go to your homepage in your browser
Ctrl+T
Open a new tab in your browser
Ctrl+Tab
Switch between open tabs
Ctrl+Enter
Add “http://www.” and “.com” around an address in your browser
Alt+PrintScrn
Screenshot/Copy of Active Window
I am hopeful that these tools will help you and your staff increase efficiency and save time (and money) each and every day. Happy computing... Mr. Weiss is an associate with HGSK Lawyers and has a technology background dating back 15 years. He can be reached at jweiss@hgsklawyers.com 29
WINTER 2016
entertainment
p o T s ’ b o n S c i s u The M
5
List:
The Music Snob’s nephew’s top five list: Alt-J (7/27)
The Music Snob’s top five live shows seen in 2015:
• Red
Rocks Amphitheater (Morrison, CO)
Breaking Benjamin (8/29)
Musical Box (2/27)
• Trump
• Keswick
Taj Mahal (Atlantic City, NJ)
Theater (Glenside, PA) • Performing Genesis’ Selling England by the Pound
Tame Impala (10/5)
Rolling Stones (7/11)
My Morning Jacket (11/19)
• Ralph
• Tower
• Tower Theater
Wilson Stadium (Buffalo, NY)
Hot August Music Festival (8/15) • Oregon
Ridge Park (Cockneysville, MD) Counting Crows, Railroad Earth, Punch Brothers, Infamous Stringdusters
Photo Courtesy: www.wbls.com
• Featuring
Photo Courtesy: www.wbls.com
(Upper Darby, PA)
Photo Courtesy: www.gratefulweb.com
Theater (Upper Darby, PA)
Strand of Oaks (12/11) • Boot
and Saddle (Philadelphia, PA) • Acoustic show
Stevie Wonder (10/7) • Wells
Fargo Center (Philadelphia, PA) • Performing Songs in the Key of Life
Phil Lesh & Friends (11/7) • Capital
Theater (Port Chester, NY) David Nelson
• Featuring
Photo Courtesy: www.tameimpala.com
Making a Murderer At this point you have either seen this Netflix true crime documentary, or you know someone who has, and they can’t stop talking your ear off about it. In the odd chance that you have been in hiding the past few months, Making a Murderer tells the stranger than fiction story of Stephen Avery, who was convicted of a brutal assault he did not commit, was fully exonerated after serving eighteen years in prison, and within two years of his release was charged with a murder for which he again asserts his innocence. The filmmakers combine trial footage, interviews and fly on the wall footage to tell a compelling story about the pursuit of justice in Manitowic County, Michigan. So let’s hear what you have to say! Please forward your thoughts, comments, questions, insights and rants to: BCBAWrits@yahoo.com We will incorporate your submissions into an article for the next Writs. theWRITS
30
Chick Corea & Béla Fleck
Najee
The Manhattan Transfer
Mavis Staples
April 1-10, 2016 Reading, PA
Keb’ Mo’
BWB: Rick Braun, Kirk Whalum, Norman Brown
Spend 10 jazz- and blues-filled days and nights in the Greater Reading area! Over 120 scheduled events, plus great shopping and dining in one area, make the 26th annual Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest your perfect spring getaway.
Tickets go on sale December 5 — the perfect holiday gift! For tickets, call Ticketmaster toll free at 1-800-745-3000 or visit ticketmaster.com to order online.
Boney James
CHICK COREA & BÉLA FLECK • MANHATTAN TRANSFER • TAKE 6 • KEB’ MO’ • MAVIS STAPLES • BONEY JAMES • SHERRIE MARICLE & FIVE PLAY GERALD ALBRIGHT • JOEY ALEXANDER TRIO • NAJEE • CHANTE MOORE • NICK COLIONNE • ANDY SNITZER • ROBBEN FORD • MICHAEL LINGTON FEATUIRNG TAYLOR DAYNE BRIAN BROMBERG BAND WITH THE BERKS HORNS • FOURPLAY FEATUIRNG BOB JAMES, NATHAN EAST, HARVEY MASON, CHUCK LOEB • POPA CHUBBY • DAVID BROMBERG BIG BAND FOUR80EAST FEATUIRNG MATT MARSHAK, ART SHERROD • PHIL PERRY • HOWARD HEWITT • PIECES OF A DREAM • GREG ADAMS & EAST BAY SOUL • KEIKO MATSUI GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JAZZ CELEBRATION: KIRK WHALUM, DONNIE MCCLURKIN, JONATHAN BUTLER, KEVIN WHALUM, JOHN STODDART AND THE DOXA GOSPEL ENSEMBLE KIM SIMMONDS & SAVOY BROWN • THE RIPPINGTONS FEATUIRNG RUSS FREEMAN • JACKIEM JOYNER • SELINA ALBRIGHT • LIVE AT THE FILLMORE: TRIBUTE TO THE ORIGINAL ALLMAN BROTHERS • JAZZ FUNK SOUL: CHUCK LOEB, EVERETTE HARP, JEFF LORBER • BWB: RICK BRAUN, KIRK WHALUM, NORMAN BROWN • ERIC MARIENTHAL THE MUSIC OF DAVE BRUBECK: BRUBECK BROTHERS QUARTET AND THE READING POPS ORCHESTRA • GERALD VEASLEY & FRIENDS FEATUIRNG BOBBY LYLE, NELSON RANGELL, MARC ANTOINE • CRAIG THATCHER BAND • STOLEN MOMENTS: THE FIRST 100 YEARS OF JAZZ — JAZZREACH’S METTA QUINTET ERICH CAWALLA QUARTET FEATUIRNG BENNIE SIMS, CLIFF STARKEY, MARKO MARCINKO • ANDREW NEU • CELEBRATING ALISA B: PHILADELPHIA FUNK AUTHORITY THE ORIGINAL GROOVEMASTERS & FRIENDS • THE UPTOWN BAND FEATURING ERICH CAWALLA & JENIFER KINDER • BLITZ DYNETTE • GREG HATZA & TIM PRICE ORGAN QUARTET THE ROYAL SCAM • DJANGOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: JOSH TAYLOR,CHRIS HESLOP, BILL NIXON, MICHAEL NIKOLIDAKIS, TREY LARUE • KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY JAZZ ENSEMBLE I BERKS HIGH SCHOOL ALL-STAR JAZZ BAND AND CHORUS AND MORE!*
berksjazzfest.com * LINEUP AS OF 10/27/15. SUBJECT TO CHANGE
PROUD SPONSOR OF THE BOSCOV’S BERKS JAZZ FEST
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