Author Michael Beschloss, “the nation’s leading presidential historian,” will be the keynote speaker at the Association’s Spring Quarterly Meeting and Luncheon on Thursday, April 3. He is a regular commentator on PBS’s “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” and a contributor to ABC News. News- week has called him “the nation’s lead- ing presidential historian.” In November 2001, Simon & Schuster published Reaching for Glory , the second volume of Beschloss’ trilogy on the President Lyndon B. Johnson tapes, which covers 1964 to 1965, the most crucial year of Johnson’s presi- dency, including the campaign against Barry Goldwater, the Selma march, escalation in Vietnam and passage of Medicare and other cornerstones of the Great Society. Reaching for Glory has been excerpted in Newsweek and “provides an incomparable portrait of a president at work,” according to The New York Times Book Review. Taking Charge: The Johnson White House Tapes , 1963-1964 (Simon & Schuster, 1997), the first volume of the projected trilogy, was a national best-seller. A New York Times editorial called the book “an important event.” In The New York Times Book Review , the historian Alan Brinkley called it “an incomparable picture of one of the most remarkable personalities ever to inhabit the presi- dency.” The Crisis Years: Kennedy and Khrushchev, 1960-1963 (HarperCollins, 1991) won the Ambassador Book Prize for American Studies and was also a national best-seller. In the New Yorker , David Remnick called it the “definitive” account of the most dangerous years of the Cold War, as did Thomas Powers in The New York Times Book Review. Called “brilliant” by the late historian Stephen Ambrose, Mayday: Eisenhower, Khrushchev and the U-2 Affair (Harper, 1986) was a main selection of the Book-of-the- Month Club. Beschloss is currently working on a history of the assassina- by Daniel A. Cirucci Chancellor Audrey C. Talley is invit- ing Philadelphia law firms, legal dep- artments and individuals to nominate entries for the inaugural Citizens Pro Bono Award, which will recognize out- standing volunteer efforts to help pro- vide legal services to those in need. According to Talley, the Association, the Philadelphia Bar Foundation and Citizens Bank will present three awards recognizing pro bono publico (for the good of the public) volunteer efforts. The first award will be presented to an individual attorney at the Association’s Spring Quarterly Meeting, at noon, on Thursday, April 3, 2003, in the Grand Ballroom of the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue. Though the awards will contain a monetary component, the monetary portion will take the form of a grant to a law-related public service agency designated by each honoree. “In this way,” Talley said, “we will recognize the good works of law firms, legal depart- ments and individual lawyers by par- laying that recognition into additional help for legal service agencies that reach out to those who need but can- not afford such services.” Talley stressed that the awards would recognize truly extraordinary work in the pro bono area. “With the generous help of Citizens Bank these awards are designed to recognize pace- setting pro bono contributions - the type of volunteer effort that will serve The Monthly Newspaper of the Philadelphia Bar Association February 2003 Vol. 32, No. 2 ® Visit the Philadelphia Bar on the Web at www.philadelphiabar.org • Look for Bar Reporter Online e-newsbrief every Monday morning In This Issue ... Bar Foundation YLD Annual Meeting Bar Leadership Arts & Media 4 9 12 18 continued on page 17 continued on page 3 Chancellor’s Reception Citizens Pro Bono Nominees Sought Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justices (from left) Thomas G. Saylor, J. Michael Eakin and Russell M. Nigro pose with Chancellor Audrey C. Talley at the Chancellor ’s Reception on Jan. 7. Hundreds of Association members and well-wishers attended the event at the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue to meet and greet Talley, the Association’s 76th Chancellor. More photos on Page 11. Spring Quarterly Meeting Presidential Historian Beschloss to Speak Michael Beschloss
Transcript
Author Michael Beschloss, “thenation’s leading presidential historian,”will be the keynote speaker at theAssociation’s Spring Quarterly Meetingand Luncheon on Thursday, April 3.
He is a regular commentator onPBS’s “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer”and a contributor to ABC News. News-weekhas called him “the nation’s lead-ing presidential historian.”
In November 2001, Simon &Schuster published Reaching for Glory,the second volume of Beschloss’ trilogyon the President Lyndon B. Johnsontapes, which covers 1964 to 1965, themost crucial year of Johnson’s presi-dency, including the campaign againstBarry Goldwater, the Selma march,escalation in Vietnam and passage ofMedicare and other cornerstones of theGreat Society. Reaching for Gloryhas been
excerpted in Newsweekand “provides anincomparable portrait of a president atwork,” according to The New York TimesBook Review.
Taking Charge: The Johnson White HouseTapes, 1963-1964 (Simon & Schuster,1997), the first volume of the projectedtrilogy, was a national best-seller. ANew York Timeseditorial called the book“an important event.” In The New YorkTimes Book Review, the historian AlanBrinkley called it “an incomparablepicture of one of the most remarkablepersonalities ever to inhabit the presi-dency.” The Crisis Years: Kennedy andKhrushchev, 1960-1963(HarperCollins,1991) won the Ambassador Book Prizefor American Studies and was also anational best-seller. In the New Yorker,David Remnick called it the “definitive”account of the most dangerous years of
the Cold War, as did Thomas Powers inThe New York Times Book Review. Called“brilliant” by the late historian StephenAmbrose, Mayday: Eisenhower, Khrushchevand the U-2 Affair(Harper, 1986) was amain selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club. Beschloss is currentlyworking on a history of the assassina-
by Daniel A. Cirucci
Chancellor Audrey C. Talley is invit-ing Philadelphia law firms, legal dep-artments and individuals to nominateentries for the inaugural Citizens ProBono Award, which will recognize out-standing volunteer efforts to help pro-vide legal services to those in need.
According to Talley, the Association,the Philadelphia Bar Foundation andCitizens Bank will present three awardsrecognizing pro bono publico (for thegood of the public) volunteer efforts.The first award will be presented to anindividual attorney at the Association’sSpring Quarterly Meeting, at noon, onThursday, April 3, 2003, in the GrandBallroom of the Park Hyatt Philadelphiaat the Bellevue.
Though the awards will contain amonetary component, the monetaryportion will take the form of a grant toa law-related public service agencydesignated by each honoree. “In thisway,” Talley said, “we will recognize thegood works of law firms, legal depart-ments and individual lawyers by par-laying that recognition into additionalhelp for legal service agencies thatreach out to those who need but can-not afford such services.”
Talley stressed that the awardswould recognize truly extraordinarywork in the pro bono area. “With thegenerous help of Citizens Bank theseawards are designed to recognize pace-setting pro bono contributions - thetype of volunteer effort that will serve
The Monthly Newspaper of the Philadelphia Bar Association February 2003 Vol. 32, No. 2
®
Visit the Philadelphia Bar on the Web at www.philadelphiabar.org • Look for Bar Reporter Online e-newsbrief every Monday morning
In This Issue ...Bar Foundation
YLD Annual Meeting
Bar Leadership
Arts & Media
4
9
12
18continued on page 17
continued on page 3
Chancellor’s Reception C i t i z e n sPro BonoNo m i n e e sSo u g h t
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justices (from left) Thomas G. Saylor, J. Michael Eakin and Russell M. Nigro pose with Chancellor AudreyC. Talley at the Chancellor ’s Reception on Jan. 7. Hundreds of Association members and well-wishers attended the event at the ParkHyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue to meet and greet Talley, the Association’s 76th Chancellor. More photos on Page 11.
Spring Quarterly Meeting
Presidential HistorianB e s chloss to Spe a k
Michael Beschloss
by Audrey C. Talley
Judicial elections are coming up inthe spring and in the fall. “How are yougoing to vote?”
That’s what I want to ask ordinaryPhiladelphians.
But I know that the average personwill probably respond with silence anda puzzled look. Some people mayknow that we will be voting for mayorthis year. And a few may even knowthat there is a primary election in thespring and a general election in thefall.
But judicial elections? Very few payany attention to judicial elections at all.
This year, we’re out to change that.But we need your help to pass the
word along to voters and answer somekey questions, like the ones that follow:
Why should I vote for judicial can-didates? What difference does it make,anyway? What do I look for in a candi-date? How do I evaluate the candi-dates? How do I know which candi-dates will be good judges – judges whoare fair, impartial, well qualified andindependent?
The answers to these questionswould seem to be relatively simple toyou and I. But such answers are notsimple to the average voter.
That’s why we need to answer thequestions clearly and tell voters aboutthe importance of judicial indepen-dence and the value of our JudicialCommission ratings. Here’s what thevoters need to know:
Judges are important because theymake decisions that affect our every-day lives. Depending on the circum-stances, judges can halt strikes andwork stoppages, force companies, pub-lic agencies and individuals to takecertain actions, overrule elected offi-cials and impose checks and balancesto protect our freedoms. In fact, there ishardly an issue of importance toeveryday life that doesn’t land in frontof a judge at one time or another.
And voters don’t have to guess ortake a shot in the dark when theychoose judges. They can make aninformed choice.
That’s because the Philadelphia BarAssociation’s 29-member JudicialCommission, and its 120-memberinvestigative division, complete anexhaustive study and investigation ofeach of the judicial candidates. TheCommission and its staff spend count-less hours reviewing the candidates’backgrounds and experience beforereaching conclusions about which can-didates are qualified to be judges.
Each investigation into a candidate’scredentials consumes at least 10 hoursof staff time. The 120-member inves-tigative division represents the eyesand ears of the Judicial Commission.
Each candidate is reviewed by a five-member team that includes non-lawyers. Investigative division mem-bers interview judicial candidates aswell as lawyers, judges and others whoare knowledgeable about the candi-dates. Additional time is also spentreviewing writing samples and otherfactors that bear on a candidate’s qual-ifications. Every candidate is also givenup to two hours of consideration bythe full Commission.
There is no mystery as to what theCommission considers.
Here are the factors that theCommission considers in evaluatingcandidates:
• Legal ability sufficient to haveearned the respect of lawyers and
members of the bench.• Trial or other experience that
ensures knowledge of the rules of evi-dence and courtroom procedures.
• A record and reputation for excel-lent character and integrity.
• Financial responsibility.• Judicial temperament.• Mental and physical capacity suffi-
cient to discharge fully the duties ofjudicial office.
• Record of community involve-ment.
• Administrative ability.• Devotion to improvement of the
quality of justice.• Demonstrated sound judgment in
one’s professional life. Only the Judicial Commission eval-
uates the candidates this way – in afair, thorough, objective and non-parti-san manner. And this is the only wayto help foster an independent judiciary.
Furthermore, the Commission isclear and concise in its ratings. It findsjudicial candidates either “Recomm-ended” for election or “Not Recomm-ended.” That’s easy enough for anyvoter to understand.
The Judicial Commission is alsodiverse – comprised of lawyers andnon-lawyers alike. Just as important,
the Commission is comprised of repre-sentatives from each area of the Bar,and has numerous women and minor-ity members. The Commission, there-fore, represents a wide cross-section ofviewpoints from the Bar and the com-munity. In fact, one-third of theCommission and its staff are not evenattorneys. This means that non-lawyersprovide their invaluable input into theCommission’s ratings, and their per-ceptions of the candidates are veryimportant.
Without these ratings, voters wouldhave no objective guidance at all.That’s why it makes sense for you topay attention to the ratings in thespring and the fall and help us informyour friends and neighbors about theelections, the evaluation process andthe “Recommended” candidates.
We need your help.Nothing less than the independence
of the judiciary is at stake.
Audrey C. Ta l l e y, a partner at Drinker Biddle &R e a t hL L P, is Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar As s o c i a t i o n .Her e-mail address is ch a n c e l l o r @ p h i l a ba r. o r g .
Editor-in-ChiefBruce H. Bikin, Esq.
Associate EditorsMolly Peckman, Esq.
Sunah Park, Esq.Nina Wright-Padilla, Esq.
Daniel J. Anders, Esq.Catherine Pratsinakis, Esq.
Contributing EditorRichard Max Bockol, Esq.
Advisory EditorsMerih O. Erhan, Esq.
Marc W. Reuben, Esq.
Director of Publications and New MediaMark A. Tarasiewicz
Managing EditorJeff Lyons
Copy EditorKate Maxwell
Associate Executive Directorfor Communications and Public Affairs
Daniel A. Cirucci
Executive DirectorKenneth Shear
The Philadelphia Bar Report e r (ISSN 0145-3491) ispublished monthly and available by subscription for$45 per year by the Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101Market St., 11th fl., Philadelphia, Pa. 19107-2911.Periodicals postage paid at Philadelphia, Pa. POST-M A S T E R : Send address changes to Philadelphia BarR e p o rt e r, c/o Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101Market St., 11 fl., Philadelphia, Pa. 19107-2911.Telephone: (215) 238-6300. Association Web site:w w w. p h i l a d e l p h i a b a r. o rg. Newspaper e-mail addre s s :re p o rt e r @ p h i l a b a r. o rg. The editorial and other viewsexpressed in the Philadelphia Bar Reporter are not nec-essarily those of the Association, its officers, or itsmembers. Advertising rates and information are avail-able from American Lawyer Media, 1617 JFK Blvd.,Suite 1750, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103-9655. Telephone:(215) 557-2300.
2 FEBRUARY 2003 / BAR REPORTER
F R O N T L I N E
Voters Need All Facts When Choosing Judges
BAR REPORTER / FEBRUARY 2003 3
as a model for others. We want theawards to signify achievement worthyof emulation.” The other two awards (toa law firm and a legal department) willbe presented at the Bar Foundation’sannual Andrew Hamilton Ball inNovember.
“We are so proud to be supportingthe Pro Bono awards and the attorneyswho have unselfishly devoted theirtime and expertise for the commongood. Citizens Bank believes volun-teerism is at the core of our businessand is dedicated to helping those inneed,” said Stephen D. Steinour,Chairman & CEO of Citizens Bank ofPennsylvania.
The 11-member Citizens Pro BonoAward Committee will be chaired byAlan M. Feldman. Nominations from all
quarters are welcomed and encour-aged. Those who wish to nominate lawfirms, individuals or legal departmentsfor the award should send a detailedletter explaining the reason for thenomination (including supportingmaterials) to: Alan M. Feldman, Esq.,Chair, Citizens Pro Bono Award,Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101Market St., 11th Fl., Philadelphia, Pa.19107.
The criteria for award winners shallbe as follows:
• Demonstrated dedication to thedevelopment and delivery of pro bonolegal services in and around the Cityand County of Philadelphia;
• Significant contributions towardthe development of innovativeapproaches to the delivery of volunteerlegal services;
• Participation in an activity thatresults in satisfying previously unmet
needs for legal services or in extendingservices to under-served segments ofthe population;
• Successful litigation of pro bonocases favorably affecting the provisionof services to the indigent;
• Successful support of legislationcontributing substantially to the provi-sion of legal services to the indigent;
• Significant pro bono activity; • Length and breadth of pro bono
commitment and experience; • Other significant accomplishments
or activities that have improved accessto justice for residents of the Philadel-phia area impacted by poverty, abuseand/or discrimination.
All nominations for the first awardmust be received by the end of thebusiness day on Feb. 28. For moreinformation about the awards, contactAreetha Carter at (215) 238-6351 or bye-mail at [email protected].
CITIZENScontinued from page 1
Chancellor Audrey C. Talley is joined by Christopher Ritchie (left), senior vice president of the law firm banking group at Citizens Bank, andCitizens Pro Bono Award Committee Chair Alan M. Feldman.
Federal Courts Committee
Judge GilesRe po r t son Stateof Courtby Mary Ellen O’Laughlin
For the first time in many years, allthe authorized judicial positions in theU.S. District Court for the Eastern Dist-rict of Pennsylvania are filled, ChiefJudge James T. Giles told the FederalCourts Committee at its Jan. 15 meet-ing.
Chief Judge Giles gave a state of thecourt report at the meeting and wasjoined by Michael Kunz, clerk of thecourt. He also gave the Committee anupdate on matters pertaining to thecourt, including current use of thecourt’s facilities, possible judicialvacancies, the timing of the relocationof the Court of Appeals, a proposednew rule, recently added fees and thenext construction project.
Chief Judge Giles said there are 22active judges, 10 regularly active seniorjudges and two senior judges who areavailable as needed. Some seniorjudges are no longer handling criminalmatters. Judge Lowell A. Reed will nolonger take cases from the “wheel,” butwill act as a special settlement masterand will handle other matters that areassigned to him from time to time.Giles said within the next year therewill be an opportunity for three
continued on page 11
by Gerald A. McHugh Jr.
Many Philadelphia lawyers havemade great sacrifices in pursuit of thepublic interest. These include thelawyers on the front lines, pursuingcareers in legal services, and membersof the private bar. There is no practicalway to recognize all of these individualcontributions. Occasionally, however,there are acts of generosity and com-mitment so extraordinary the storymust be told. One such story is aboutPhiladelphia lawyer Morris M. Shuster.
Morrie Shuster has been committedto the rights of individuals throughouthis legal career. Since graduating fromPenn in 1954, much of his practice hasbeen devoted to defending the rightsof consumers, and much of his timehas been spent in improving the pro-fession and the administration of jus-tice. As a president of the PhiladelphiaTrial Lawyers Association, Mr. Shusterwas an advocate for the rights of vic-tims of injuries. As a class action litiga-tor, now with Chimicles & Tikellis LLP,he has asserted the rights of individu-als in class actions against banks andinsurance companies, returning mil-lions of dollars to individual con-sumers. As a faculty member at theUniversity of Pennsylvania Law School,he has worked for years to increaseboth the caliber of advocacy and thelevel of professionalism among newlawyers. As a member of Penn’s PublicService Advisory Committee, he wasresponsible for creating a model probono project connecting law studentswith mentors experienced in publicservice. As an officer of the court, hehas served both the Third Circuit and
the Eastern District in the selection ofcandidates for the bench. Within theBar Association, Morrie has not onlyserved on the Board of Governors andchaired the Commission on JudicialSelection and Retention, he has alsoled the Committee on State CivilJudicial Procedure. And while doing allof this, he has never stopped identify-ing ways in which he can lend bothpersonal and financial support to thepublic interest community.
This deep involvement in the pro-fession, and commitment to service, ledhim to recognize one of the mostpressing problems confronting publicinterest lawyers. Most members of thebar understand the significant sacrificemade by attorneys who do not enterprivate practice, but rather acceptemployment in the field of legal ser-vices. What many of us fail to compre-hend is that the challenge presented bya lower income is compounded by theincreasing cost of legal education, andthe massive debt that many law stu-dents have upon entering the bar. It isnot uncommon for newly admittedlawyers to carry debt loads between$50,000 and $100,000. The salary that
can be earned in a successful privatepractice goes a long way toward mini-mizing the pain of repayment. Forthose lawyers who choose a differentpath, and enter public service, suchobligations can be crushing. A greatmany young lawyers, after two or threeyears in the legal services community,find that they cannot pursue other lifegoals such as starting a family or pur-chasing a home and still repay studentloans on a limited salary. Many talent-ed public interest lawyers have beenchased from the field by this economicreality, and the American BarAssociation has identified this problemas one of the most pressing needs ofthe profession.
Given his deep involvement in theprofession and sensitivity to public ser-vice, it should not be surprising thatMorrie Shuster has answered this calland, with no public fanfare, donated$100,000 to the Philadelphia BarFoundation, one of the single largest
gift in its history, for the purpose ofcreating a fund to help retire the debtof young public interest lawyers. Hisrefusal to allow any public announce-ment of his generosity will soon berendered moot, as the Bar Foundationplans, in the spring of 2003, to awardthe first Shuster Grants for loan repay-ment assistance to public interestlawyers working in Philadelphia.
Following in the tradition estab-lished by Marty Greitzer, with his his-toric Hamilton Circle challenge, MorrieShuster has set a new standard forcommitment to public interest service.Although he has not sought, and willnot welcome, public acclaim for hisselflessness, this is a case in which thefacts speak for themselves. As we con-tinue our work of making equal justicea reality, the example set by Morris M.Shuster lights the way.
Gerald A. McHugh Jr., a partner at Litvin, Blumberg,Matusow & Young, is president of the Philadelphia BarFo u n d a t i o n .
4 FEBRUARY 2003 / BAR REPORTER
B A R F O U N D A T I O N
Lighting the Way - Morris M. Shuster
The Philadelphia Bar Foundationseeks an executive director respon-sible for overall management of theorganization. The Philadelphia BarFoundation is a nonprofit charitydedicated to promoting access tojustice for all members of the com-munity by providing financial andother assistance to organizationsoffering free legal services to indi-viduals struggling with poverty,abuse and discrimination.
This full-time, salaried positioncalls for a person who is analyticaland creative, and who combines acommitment to social justice, lead-
ership ability and communicationsskills with demonstrated abilities infund-raising/development, financialplanning/management and organi-zational operations. Law degreeand/or legal experience a plus, butnot required. Please send or e-mailresume and cover letter with salaryrequirements to:Gerald A. McHugh, Jr., Esq.President, Philadelphia BarFoundationLitvin, Blumberg, Matusow & Young1339 Chestnut St., 18th FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19107 [email protected]
Foundation Seeks Executive Director
Talley, Diaz Honored
Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street (right) poses with Chancellor Audrey C. Talley andCity Solicitor Nelson A. Diaz (left) at the Barristers’ Association Martin Luther KingBreakfast on Jan. 20. Mayor Street presented Talley with the Barristers’ Woman ofDistinction Award. Diaz was presented with the Judge William F. Hall Award for hisdemonstrated commitment to the values of Martin Luther King Jr.
by Kathleen L. Daerr-Bannon
The proposed rules for the revisedmediation program in the U.S. DistrictCourt for the Eastern District of Penn-sylvania as well as enhancing the cli-mate of ADR in the greater Philadel-phia region were discussed at the Jan. 9meeting of the Association’s AlternativeDispute Resolution Committee.
Local Rule of Civil Procedure 53.3:Alternative Dispute Resolution hasbeen proposed in the federal court inaccordance with the ADR Act of 1998and includes new Mediation Protocol.The committee encourages commentsabout these new proposed rules direct-ed to the co-chairs as soon as possible.The court requires all comments fromthe Bar to be submitted to Michael E.Kunz, clerk of the court, on or beforeFeb. 28.
The committee then focused atten-tion on the issue of promoting ADR,particularly mediation. Committee co-chair David B. Harwi posed the ques-tion: How does Pennsylvania compareto jurisdictions such as California andFlorida where ADR is most developed?
Harwi said that in a recent issue ofAlternatives, a CPR publication, Layne R.Phillips, a former U.S. District Courtjudge and current partner in a Califor-nia ADR Center, explains that there isso much mediation in California thathe must limit his practice. Veteran neu-tral and former Florida state courtjudge John J. Upchurch, a partner in anADR practice, described how his firmhad to develop a process for mentoringyounger associates. This was necessarybecause in Florida there has been awidespread problem with veteranmediators being overextended. Bothpractitioners limit their practices tomediation, not arbitration, and aremember of practices that are spinoffsfrom law firms.
CPR, a well-established, nonprofitthinktank for ADR matters, is the cre-ation of the largest international corpo-rations and law firms in the country.More than 1,500 corporations and 800law firms have signed the CPR Pledge,a commitment to the use of ADR.Those executing the CPR Pledge in-clude many of the largest law firms andcompanies in the Philadelphia region.The list of signatories and a wealth ofinformation, including model ADRclauses and resources, may be accessedon the Web at www.cpradr.org.
In the Alternativesarticle, Phillipsstates that “the mediation business isbooming” in California because lawfirms are concerned about jury trials.
In Colorado, use of ADR in the courts ismandatory and a prerequisite to trial.This has increased ADR usage consid-
BAR REPORTER / FEBRUARY 2003 5
Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee
Federal MediationP r o posals Discussed
Alternative Dispute ResolutionCommittee Co-Chairs David B.H a rwi (left) and James A.Rosenstein pose before theirCommittee’s Jan. 9 meeting.
continued on page 6
erably. Also cited frequently as a criticalfactor in the promotion of ADR hasbeen leadership by the business com-munity when CEOs or general counseldecide to incorporate innovative poli-cies into the handling of litigation andfee arrangements with outside counsel.
The Toro Company is a primeexample of a nationwide company’ssuccessful use of ADR reaping enor-mous benefits to the company, saysMiguel A. Olivella Jr., Toro’s nationalmediation counsel, in the publication.As Olivella explains, loss of control – ofmoney, documents, reputation andtime – meant litigation was simply notworking for the company. After imple-menting a comprehensive early claimsresolution process, as well as fee arr-angements with outside counsel thatencouraged early resolution, Toro hasnot had a single corporate office dep-osed in 11 years and calculates that ithas saved $50 million over the past sixyears.
In the area of employment litiga-tion, a similar success story can be seenat Brown & Root and Halliburton com-panies. Since implementing compre-hensive employment ADR programs,more than 4,000 cases have beenprocessed since 1993. Almost all claimshave been resolved early and amicably;less than 2 percent have required arbi-tration and only one case has had tobe defended in litigation.
For a detailed discussion of thesetwo programs and other examples, aswell as an excellent discussion of thissubject generally, see Haig, PartneringBetween Inside and Outside Counsel(ACCA/-West, 2000), Chapter 58: AlternativeDispute Resolution (Jack Foltz andBennett G. Picker).
These and other models for the sys-temic utilization of ADR appear to besuccessful because they rely substan-tially upon the use of voluntary settle-ment mechanisms such as negotiationand mediation. Once established, theprograms are readily acceptable tocounsel and clients.
Kathleen L. Daerr-Bannon, who teaches at Fox School ofBusiness and Management, Temple University, is anarbitrator and mediator with a national practice in com-mercial, class action and employment matters. She is co-chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s ADRCommittee and former co-chair of the Philadelphia BarAssociation’s ADR Committee. She may be reached atKDBADR @ a o l . c o m .
6 FEBRUARY 2003 / BAR REPORTER
ADRcontinued from page 5
Employment Discriminationin Television News DiscussedPanelists Alan B. Epstein (left) and VernonL. Francis (right) listen to former Bar-NewsMedia Committee Chair Stephen A. Sheinenduring the Committee’s Jan. 17 meeting atthe PBI-PBEC Education Center.
by Enid H. Adler
The Twinning Program between thePhiladelphia Bar Association and theBarreau de Lyon is now in its sixth year.Each year local law firms have hostedtwo or three Lyon lawyers, most here aspart of the French legal system’s requi-red two-year post-law-school gradua-tion’s “stagiere” program. This month,we will welcome Aurelie Dantzikian(who will work at Pepper HamiltonLLP) and Laurence Chevalier. Philadel-phia law firms who have been hosts inthe past include Reed Smith LLP,Pepper Hamilton LLP, Duane MorrisLLP and Cozen O’Connor.
Since July 1997 when MichaelScullin and I first met with the LyonBar’s president, Andre Boyer, andCommission Internationale DirectorChristian Leroy to establish a TwinningProgram between our two cities, wehave been invited each December toLyon for the Barreau de Lyon’s Reun-ion, annual law school graduation,grand reception and relevant meetings.Also in attendance are bar associationsfrom other European and foreign cities,who have similar Twinning relation-ships with the Barreau de Lyon. ThePhiladelphia–Lyon program is the onlyone involving an American city.
These annual meetings in Lyon giveus an opportunity to meet with theleaders of the other bars and let usexchange ideas on issues arising fromour different legal systems and barorganizations. For example, in Franceand many civil law countries, the barassociations do not include judges,company legal experts (who functionas lawyers but are not consideredlawyers), magistrates, government legalpersonnel and others. The bar associa-tions also serve as the credentialingorganization for lawyers to practice. Allof the above have the same legal train-ing and requirements under our sys-tem and all legal disciplines can bemembers of the local bar association.This inclusiveness was a very differentconcept for the Lyon people. Issues oftraining, ethics, organization and pur-pose of the bar associations in our dif-ferent countries and credentialinglawyers to practice were on the table.
It also gives us the opportunity tomeet the new lawyers coming toPhiladelphia and see again those who
BAR REPORTER / FEBRUARY 2003 7
Fr e n chL aw ye r sH e a d e dto Phila.
continued on page 18
HR CommitteeDiscusses ADA
Human Resources Committee Co-Chairs Jane L.Dalton (second from right) and DeborahWeinstein (right) are joined by Wanda Flowers,chief counsel for Sunoco (left), and DianeLoebell of Unisys. Flowers presented an analysisof the current state of the Americans withDisabilities Act at the Jan. 24 meeting.
by James LaRosa and Gary Mintz
As with the start of an exercise pro-gram and a new diet, a new job isoften a popular New Year’s resolutionfor many attorneys. The New Year isthe time when many attorneys havereceived their job review, raises andbonuses and been told if they willbecome partners. If these variableshave not been met to the attorney’ssatisfaction, it will often be the impetusto the start of a job search. If you havereceived or are about to receive a joboffer, or even if you are just startingyour job search, there are some impor-tant questions you should getanswered before making the decisionto accept a job offer.
If you are presently working andyour job is secure, you should be verycautions before accepting a job offer.You do not want to go from the “panto the fire.” You therefore must be cer-tain that you have adequatelyresearched your potential futureemployer and have taken into consid-eration the factors that are precipitat-ing your move. Basically, you need tobe certain that your reasons for leavingwill be satisfied by this new opportuni-ty.
While compensation is a veryimportant part of the equation whenconsidering a job offer, it is also impor-tant, to the extent possible, to evaluatehow this potential new employer fitsyour career and/or personal goals. Forinstance, if you feel that you have thepotential to generate business now orin the future, it is important to deter-mine whether your new firm will sup-
port those activities, and it is importantto understand the specifics of how youwill be compensated for the work thatyou generate. If you see yourself moreas someone who is an excellent attor-ney, but are not likely to generatemuch business, you want to feel securethat your potential new firm will sup-port attorneys in that role while pro-viding opportunities to grow profes-sionally.
For many attorneys, personallifestyle issues will play an enormousrole in whether your potential new jobis the right opportunity. Today, manyattorneys do not want to, or cannot,work a significant amount of eveningor weekend hours. Obviously, if this orother issues are important to you, theyneed to be addressed in the interviewor offer process. As hard as it is tobelieve, many candidates think (orhope) that these issues will take care ofthemselves after they start and thus donot address them before they start.
Another reason for seeking newemployment is to increase one’s salary.When considering a new job offer,make sure you are considering appleswith apples. Although you may bereceiving a raise in your base salary,you want to make certain that you willnot incur additional expenses and thatthe benefits of your new firm are com-parable to your old firm. Some thingsto compare and contrast include insur-ance plans, bar licensing fees, BarAssociation fees, bonuses, commutingcosts, city wage tax, expense reim-bursement, 401K plans and raise/futureearning potential.
Insurance is a major expense, and
many candidates do not adequatelytake this expense into considerationwhen considering a job offer. Doesyour present and/or future firm fullycover your dependants or do you/willyou need to contribute? You shouldnot only look at the cost of the plans,but also the amount and type of cover-age you will be receiving. Is one planan HMO and the other a PPO? Youshould educate yourself on the benefitsof the different types of plans and howthey will affect your particular situa-tion.
Also, do not forget to take into con-sideration your 401K and other pen-sion plans. How does your potentialemployer’s plan stack up against yourpresent employer’s? Does one planmatch contributions while the otherdoes not? If there is a match whendoes vesting occur?
Another important monetary con-sideration is raises/future earningpotential. Although the offer mayresult in a temporary increase in pay,you want to be certain that your futureearning potential at the new firm willalso increase. Try to find out about thefirm’s standard raises and bonuses. Arethey tied to billable hours? If so, makesure these goals are attainable.
Other important questions to con-sider when contemplating a new joboffer include:
• Career growth: Are youimproving or hampering your chancesat partnership, or other similar oppor-tunities to grow professionally?
• Billable hours: Although onthe surface the billable hour require-ment may seem comparable, you wantto make certain of some importantissues. Does pro bono work counttoward your billable hour require-ment? How about business develop-ment and marketing? If there is a sig-nificant amount of travel involved,does travel time count toward yourbillable requirement? Depending uponthe firm and the particular client, youmay not be able to bill all or even partof your travel time. Also, you need tobe certain that there is enough work inyour department to reach your billablehour mark.
• Firm/partner reputation:What is the reputation of your newfirm? Is it known as a “sweat shop,” ordoes it have a good reputation forassociate development? Remember, notall reputations are accurate. Some firmswith great reputations can be very dif-
8 FEBRUARY 2003 / BAR REPORTER
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Career Corner
Ask Right Questions Before Taking New Jo b
continued on page 11
BAR REPORTER / FEBRUARY 2003 9
by Melissa A. Schwartz
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
I never thought that I would some-day reflect on how Robert Frost’s poeminfluenced my life as a lawyer. But eachtime I read the words aloud, I realizehow much these words define who Iam as an attorney. As a fifth-year asso-ciate at Naulty, Scaricamazza &McDevitt, a medium-size defense firmin Philadelphia, I made the decisionduring my job search to take the roadless traveled. My classmates and I werefaced with a strong economy thatembraced the record number oflawyers that were graduating from lawschool. We also witnessed the salarywars that took over the front page ofthe paper. The large firms inPhiladelphia were significantly increas-ing salaries for first-year associates toprevent them from traveling to NewYork or Washington, D.C. I had theoption to compete in the large firmmarket, but I recognized that I wantedto join a firm where I could build mycareer and practice for the duration.
After practicing at a smaller firm for
five years, I can honestly say that Ihave never had a regret. I have gaineda tremendous amount of experiencethat I know I would have neverachieved at a larger firm. The associatesat my firm are fortunate enough tohave extensive training from a partnerin their department. It means thatwhenever I have a question or needadvice, I have the luxury of walkinginto the office of the partner for whomI work and discussing the case anddeveloping a strategy for litigation.
As an associate in a smaller firm, Ihave also been able to deal directlywith the firm’s clients. At many firms,the partners are strict about the inter-
action between associates and theirclients. At my firm, it is encouraged todevelop relationships with existingclients and foster relationships withfuture clients. This means that I havethe opportunity to use the firm’s sea-son tickets for a sporting event or meeta client for lunch. Because I have beenable to deal directly with many clientsover a long period of time, I now haveclients requesting that I handle theirfiles and now have my own caseload.
Of course, there are many chal-lenges that attorneys in a small firmface. For instance, in addition to lowersalaries, small firms often do not payfully for items such as bar dues, CLEcredits and other perquisites that mostoften are paid by the large firms. Largefirms can afford to be more supportiveof non-billable activities, such as BarAssociation work, while small firms, ofnecessity, take a more “bottom-line”approach.
Now that I am approaching my fifthyear with the firm, I am observing thedownturn of the economy. The stockmarket has not been stable and manydot coms are going belly-up. Instead ofreading about the salary wars in thepaper, I am learning about firmsdownsizing. While I recognize that this
will not be the first time I observe achange in economies during my careeras an attorney, I am glad that for now Iam secure in my position with thefirm. I cannot predict what lies aheadin my future as an attorney, but I cantell you that so far my experience withthe firm has made a difference in whoI am - professionally and personally.
I would not be truthful if I attempt-ed to suggest that I was not enviouswhen I read about the rising salaries inthe larger firms. It was tempting toleave my small firm behind and pursuea big-firm life with a big salary. For me,it would equate to paying off my stu-dent loans faster and moving to mydream house. It was at that time that Irealized the value of working for asmaller firm. If I left the small firm, Iwould be sacrificing what I felt werethe things I loved most about being anattorney. Once I made that realization,I can honestly say that when I saw thearticles regarding the salary wars, Iread the article and then turned thepage without looking back.
M e l i s sa A. Schwartz, chair of the Young LawyersDivision, is an associate with Naulty, Scaricamazza &McDevitt, Ltd. Her e-mail address [email protected]
Y L D U P D A T E
She Thought ‘Small’ and Hasn’t Looked Back
by Jeff Lyons
The Young Lawyers Division pre-sented three awards at its Jan. 10Annual Meeting to recognize attorneysand law firms for their public servicework. Kimberly M. Dolan, an associateat White & Williams LLP, received theCraig M. Perry Service Award. FormerChancellor Seymour Kurland, a partnerat Dechert, was presented with the F.Sean Peretta Service Award. Post &Schell, P.C. received the inaugural YLDVision Award.
Monica Malpass, Channel 6 ActionNews anchor, was the featured speakerand explained the inner workings ofthe television news business. Malpass,who holds a master’s degree in politi-cal science from Villanova University,also offered her opinions on Iraq andNorth Korea.
Barbara Sicalides, former presidentof the Board of the PhiladelphiaVolunteers for the Indigent Program,presented the Perry Award to Dolan.The award is presented annually to ayoung Philadelphia lawyer who hasdevoted substantial time and energy tocommunity-oriented activities includ-ing, but not limited to, pro bono ser-vices.
“It is not her many legal accom-
plishments for which we are heretoday to honor her. Kim played a piv-otal role in the reinvigoration andrevitalization of the PhiladelphiaVolunteers for the Indigent Program.Kim has been a very active, very effec-tive member of the VIP Board. She wasthe chair of our fund-raising commit-tee and she is also an extremely effec-tive pro bono coordinator at White &Williams and she never says no to aPhiladelphia VIP request.
“Without Kim, VIP would not havebeen able to accomplish the marvelousrecovery that it had,” Sicalides saidbefore presenting the award.
Kurland was co-chair of the BarAssociation’s Pro Bono Task Force withAretha Delight Davis, who presentedthe Peretta Award. Davis said she wasinitially intimidated to be workingwith Kurland, a former Chancellor andcity solicitor.
“It has been said that vision is theart of seeing the impossible, seeing theinvisible. Sy took the Task Force’senthusiasm, he backed it up with per-sistence and he led us with his vision,”Davis said.
The Peretta Award is presented toan individual who has spent a sub-stantial amount of time with an innov-ative and non-traditional program that
serves the community.“I can’t think of a better award that I
could ever get in my life,” Kurland said,“than to get an award from the younglawyers and not the senior lawyers. Theyoung lawyers out there are my pos-terity. You’re what I have left and I’mvery proud of you. I think you’re muchbetter than the young lawyers of mygeneration.”
Marla A. Joseph, immediate-pastchair of the YLD, reflected on her yearat the helm of the group. She crediteda strong foundation, passion, flexibilityand hard work for the YLD’s success in2002.
“I know that you’re in good handswith Melissa [Schwartz] and she willget the job done. It’s been a pleasureand privilege to serve you,” Josephsaid.
She said the YLD Vision Award wascreated to honor law firms for promot-ing young lawyers. “We wanted toreward firms that support you andsupport leadership opportunities foryou. In order to win this award, a lawfirm must present the ideal environ-ment for young lawyers to flourish.”
In accepting the award, Post &Schell’s John R. Sparks said it had beena privilege to spend time deepeningthe firm’s commitment with the Bar
Association as a whole and particularlythe young lawyers.
“We take great pride in the stepswe’ve taken to improve the trainingand mentoring of our associates. I’vebeen a trial lawyer for 23 years and Itell people I learned my style and mycraft the old-fashioned way – I stolethings from people, the people I tried
Y L D Presents Three Awards at Annual Meeting
Channel 6 Action News anchor MonicaMalpass addresses members of the YoungLawyers Division at their Jan. 10 AnnualMeeting.
continued on page 10
10 FEBRUARY 2003 / BAR REPORTER
cases with and against overthe years,” Sparks said.
“What it does take to trainyoung lawyers and to do itwith a warmth and appropri-ateness is a commitment frommanagement of both moneyand time. I’m proud of ourpartnership for coming upwith a program that allowedus to spend time with ouryoung lawyers to recognizethe professionalism that needsto be developed throughoutthe firm,” he said.
Malpass said the main tar-get of the newscast is the 18-to-49 age group, and themajority of the news storiesbroadcast are selected toappeal to that group. She saidmore energy goes into thenewscasts in February, Mayand November because that’swhen the television ratingsand advertising rates aredetermined. “There will beextra stories, more (helicopter)shots, more live reports andthings like that. You mightthink that’s a little corny, butthat’s what sells shows. Youget rated and paid based onhow many eyeballs are tunedin to your news.”
Malpass would like to seemore international eventscovered, but said that’s notthe nature of a local newscast.She also said the major localevents can double the newsviewership. If there’s a major
snowstorm, Malpass said youcan expect about 16 minutesof storm coverage in a 23-minute news slot.
“Unfortunately, the newshole for what you need ispretty small. We don’t get todo as much coverage as anewspaper or CNN, which ison 24 hours a day, seven daysa week. We try to be of ser-vice to everyone and givepeople a little bit of every-thing. It’s really more of aheadline service.”
Malpass said North Koreais a much bigger problem
than Iraq because of theunknowns surrounding itsnuclear weapons program.“The problem with NorthKorea is they want to sellthese nuclear weapons. Andguess who they want to sellthem to? All these third-worldcountries that are so desper-ate to be able to threaten theU.S.”
She said the standoff withIraq is a personal one forPresident Bush because hisfather wasn’t able to removeSaddam Hussein from powerin the Gulf War.
YLD MEETINGcontinued from page 9
Y L D H e a r s Call for More Pro Bono Wo r kby Catherine Pratsinakis
Anyone expecting politics as usualat the Young Lawyers Division AnnualMeeting was sadly disappointed.Melissa Schwartz’s up-close-and-per-sonal style was felt throughout theentire Rose Garden Room at the Jan. 10Annual Meeting, where she was for-mally introduced as chair of the YoungLawyers Division. Fondly introducingSchwartz was her brother-in-law andgood friend, Michael Kane, andmentor and supporter Wendy Booklerof Blank Rome LLP.
Schwartz’s track record is impressiveand has not gone unnoticed - lovingwife, caring mother, supportive daugh-ter, successful young lawyer and pro-moter of giving back to the communi-ty.
The family pride in Schwartz’saccomplishment was readily apparent,and the recent loss of her father hasonly made her more determined to
strive harder to help others and toappreciate life to the fullest in theprocess. Bookler described her as a“quiet, funny, sweet, somewhat shy, butsurprisingly self-assured youngwoman” who “wanted more than any-thing else to become a lawyer.”
Most central to Schwartz’s agenda isher recognition that the pro bonocommitment of lawyers in Philadelphiamust increase. In fact, this is the onlygoal she has set so far for the year andwill likely remain her top prioritythroughout her tenure. Her first steptoward this goal of wider pro bonoparticipation is to set up a Chancellor’sForum to be composed of partners,associates, members of the Pro BonoTask Force set up by the BarAssociation and legal clinics. The forumwill brainstorm ideas about how toincrease the overall lawyer commit-ment to those in need and assistSchwartz in laying out a plan to do justthat. She expressed optimism that the
bar and her efforts would help toincrease pro bono participation andcommitment throughout the city. “Iwant to leave my mark on the YLD byensuring pro bono work becomes
a part of each of us,” she said.
C a t h e rine Pratsinakis, an associate at Montgomery,M c C r a cken, Walker & Rhoads, LLP, is a member of thePhiladelphia Bar Reporter editorial bo a r d .
YLD Chair Melissa A. Schwartz (left) and Immediate-Past Chair Marla A. Joseph pose afterthe YLD Annual Meeting on Jan. 10.
Former Chancellor Seymour Kurland and Aretha Delight Davis pose afterKurland received the YLD’s Peretta Award.
Barbara T. Sicalides (left) presents the Perry Award to Kimberly A. Dolan.
Post & Schell’s John R. Sparks accepts the new YLD Vision Award fromMarla A. Joseph, immediate-past chair of the YLD.
BAR REPORTER / FEBRUARY 2003 11
ficult places to work, and some firmswith poor reputations can be wonder-ful places to work. A lot often dependsupon the partner with whom you willbe working. Be certain to adequatelyresearch both the firm’s and the part-ner’s reputation.
• Associate retention: Are youreplacing an associate that was recently
fired/quit or is your hiring the result offirm expansion? If the firm has a highassociate turnover, there is probably areason for this, and the firm’s reputa-tion regarding associate retentionshould be taken into serious considera-tion.
• Firm stability: It should gowithout saying, you want to make cer-tain your new firm is on stable ground.
Try to keep the above issues inmind when contemplating a new job
offer. Remember, it is very common tothink “the grass is greener” on the oth-er side. Although the grass may begreener on the front lawn, be sure youtake a good, long look at the backlawn.
James LaRosa, Esq. and Gary Mintz, Esq. are recruiterswith Juri S t a f f, Inc., the exclusively endorsed legal staffingagency of the Philadelphia Bar Association. LaRosa canbe reached at (215) 751 - 9100, extension 302 or via e-mail at jlarosa @ j u ri s t a f f.com; Mintz can be reached at( 215) 751 - 9100, extension 315 or via e-mail atg m i n t z @ j u ri s t a f f. c o m .
CAREER CORNERcontinued from page 8
Hundreds Gather to Meet Chancellor
Chancellor Audrey C. Talley (top)g reets Association members at theC h a n c e l l o r ’s Reception on Jan. 7.Among the well-wishers was StevenR. Sher (top), and Chief JudgeJames T. Giles (above) of the U.S.District Court for the Eastern Districtof Pennsylvania. At a dinner follow -ing the reception, Talley was intr o-duced by longtime friend DeborahWeinstein (above right). At right,Talley jokes with Immediate-PastChancellor Allan H. Gordon andSunah Park while a news crew cov -ers the event. More than 500 peopleattended.
presently active judges to opt for seniorjudge status, which will then createthree judicial vacancies.
If three judges are added, ChiefJudge Giles said working conditionscould get a little more difficult as thereis not additional space in the court-house available to house more judges.The court is currently using floors 1through 17; floors 18 through 22 arereserved for the U.S. Court of Appealsfor the Third Circuit. There is now suf-ficient space in the courthouse tohouse all the judges and there areenough courtrooms to house the cur-rent complement of judicial officers.
He said the Third Circuit haspromised to move out of the court-house at some point, but because it hasnot been determined where it willmove or how such a move will befunded, that move will probably beeight to 10 years away. The fundingissue is a problem because it wasrecently decided that constructionmonies allocated for federal courthouseprojects will not be included in thePresident’s budget, but will be includedin Congress’s budget for the judiciary.There is already a commitment for anew federal courthouse in Los Angelesand the monies allocated for thataccount for most of the budget. Inaddition, once a new location for theThird Circuit is selected, plans have tobe designed and then submitted toCongress for approval, a time-consum-ing process. Chief Judge Giles statedthat he believes that the current seven-year timetable for the submission andapproval of such plans is an aggressiveone.
Although the caseload in the courtis small compared to other courts, allthe judges are very busy. Chief JudgeGiles commented that the court isalways looking for ways to handlethings more efficiently, while at thesame time taking into consideration thelifestyle interests of attorneys in dealingwith the court’s scheduling orders.
Chief Judge Giles noted that themagistrate judges are doing a great jobin reviewing habeas corpus cases andcommented that these are difficultcases to process, and that even obtain-ing the complete file is often difficult.He said that the court has not been inagreement with the PennsylvaniaSupreme Court on equitable tollingissues, where the federal court reviewsstate court procedures in death penaltycases. He said that the Jan. 14 ruling bythe Third Circuit reaffirming its 2001decision to overturn the murder con-viction of a Pennsylvania man anddirecting the retroactive application ofthe case law relied upon, will have tobe reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Courtand that it will provide the court with
continued on page 17
FEDERAL COURTcontinued from page 3
Association OfficersAudrey C. TalleyChancellorDrinker Biddle & Reath LLPOne Logan Square18th & Cherry StreetsPhiladelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 988-2719Fax: (215) [email protected]
Ronald A. KovlerVice ChairKovler & Rush, P.C.225 S. 15th St., 12th FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19102Phone: (215) 735-5476Fax: (215) [email protected]
Board MembersJane L. DaltonDuane Morris LLPOne Liberty Place, Suite 4200Philadelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 979-1830Fax: (215) [email protected]
Albert S. Dandridge IIISchnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP1600 Market St., Suite 3600Philadelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 751-2000Fax: (215) [email protected]
Richard F. FuriaFuria & Turner1717 Rittenhouse SquarePhiladelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 985-4500Fax: (215) [email protected]
Cheryl L. GastonCity of Philadelphia Law Department1515 Arch St., 16th FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19102-1595Phone: (215) 683-5118Fax: (215) [email protected]
Alexander B. Giacobetti117 S. 17th St., Suite 1600Philadelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 563-6800Fax: (215) [email protected]
Ronald A. KovlerKovler & Rush, P.C.225 S. 15th St., 12th FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19102Phone: (215) 735-5476Fax: (215) [email protected]
Stephen A. MadvaMontgomery, McCracken, Walker &Rhoads, LLP123 S. Broad St., 28th FloorPhiladelphia, Pa 19109Phone: (215) 772-7600Fax: (215) [email protected]
Gregory H. MathewsWachovia Corp.123 S. Broad St., 17th FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19109Phone: (215) 670-6888
Robert W. MeekDisabilities Law Project1315 Walnut St., Suite 400Philadelphia, Pa. 19107Phone: (215) 238-8070Fax: (215) [email protected]
Richard NegrinMorgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP1701 Market St.Philadelphia, Pa. 19103-2921Phone: (215) 963-5000Fax: (215) [email protected]
Molly PeckmanPepper Hamilton LLP18th & Arch Streets, Suite 3000Philadelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 981-4265Fax: (215) [email protected]
Linda F. RosenM. Mark Mendel, Ltd.1620 Locust St.Philadelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 732-7200Fax: (215) [email protected]
Joseph A. Sullivan
12 FEBRUARY 2003 / BAR REPORTER
Board, Sections, Committees Reorganize
continued on page 13
Chancellor Audrey C. Talley poses with Chancellor-Elect Gabriel L.I. Bevilacqua, Vice Chancellor Andrew A. Chirls and Board ChairJane L. Dalton at the Board of Governors’ Jan. 17 retreat.
Jane L. Dalton, a partner at Duane Morris LLP, has beenelected chair of the Board of Governors for 2003. Ronald A.Kovler, a partner with Kovler & Rush, P.C., has been elect-ed vice chair.
Dalton has served as chair of the Large Firm Manage-ment Committee and co-chair of the Women in the Prof-ession Committee, and is currently chair of the PersonnelCommittee and co-chair of the Business Law Section’sHuman Resources Committee. She is a member of the
Business Law Section, the Public Interest Section andFederal Courts, Legislative Liaison, Women’s Rights andProfessional Responsibility Committees. She is a graduateof the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Kovler hasserved as chair of the Association’s Compulsory ArbitrationCommittee and is a member of the Nomination, State Civil,Professional Responsibility and Solo and Small FirmCommittees and the Workers’ Compensation Section. He isa graduate of Temple University Beasley School of Law.
Dalton to Serve as Chair, Kovler Vice Chair
BAR REPORTER / FEBRUARY 2003 13
Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP1600 Market St., Suite 3600Philadelphia, Pa. 19103-7286Phone: (215) 751-2353Fax: (215) [email protected]
Mark W. TannerFeldman, Shepherd, Wohlgelernter &Tanner1845 Walnut St., 25th FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 567-8300Fax: (215) [email protected]
Family Law SectionMargaret KlawBerner & Klaw123 S. Broad St., Suite 1710Philadelphia, Pa. 19109Phone: (215) 790-8800Fax: (215) [email protected]
Probate and Trust SectionRalph N. TeetersTeeters & Harvey1835 Market St.Philadelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 567-2030Fax: (215) [email protected]
Real Property SectionGlenn F. HingComroe Hing LLP1608 Walnut St., Suite 300Philadelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 568-0400Fax: (215) [email protected]
Tax SectionBarbara W. FreedmanDuane Morris LLPOne Liberty Place, Suite 4200Philadelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 979-1965Fax: (215) [email protected]
Public Interest SectionTsiwen M. LawHwang & Associates, P.C.550 Township Line Road, Suite 400Blue Bell, Pa. 19422Phone: (610) 680-2300Fax: (610) 680-2319
Workers’ Compensation SectionJoseph A. Prim Jr.Duca and Prim1500 Walnut St., Suite 900Philadelphia, Pa. 19102Phone: (215) 735-1155Fax: (215) [email protected]
Committee ChairsAlternative Dispute ResolutionDavid B. HarwiTriage Mediation Services Inc.2042 Mount Vernon St.Philadelphia, Pa. 19130Phone: (215) 235-7711 Fax: (215) [email protected]
James A. RosensteinWolf, Block, Schorr & Solis-Cohen LLP1650 Arch St., 22nd FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19103-2097Phone: (215) 977-2210Fax: (215) [email protected]
Appellate CourtsHoward J. BashmanBuchanan Ingersoll1835 Market St.Eleven Penn Center, 14th FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 665-3872Fax: (215) [email protected]
Jane IstvanCity of Philadelphia Law Department1515 Arch St., 17th FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19102Phone: (215) 687-5011Fax: (215) [email protected]
Bar-News MediaMichael E. BaughmanDechert4000 Bell Atlantic Tower1717 Arch St.Philadelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 994-2694Fax: (215) [email protected]
Carl A. SolanoSchnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP1600 Market St., Suite 3600Philadelphia, Pa. 19103-7286Phone: (215) 751-2202Fax: (215) [email protected]
Delivery of Legal ServicesCatherine C. CarrCommunity Legal Services, Inc.1424 Chestnut St.Philadelphia, Pa. 19102Phone: (215) 981-3712Fax: (215) [email protected]
Joseph A. SullivanSchnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP1600 Market St., Suite 3600Philadelphia, Pa. 19103-7286Phone: (215) 751-2353 Fax: (215) [email protected]
Election ProceduresHenry J. Lunardi200 E. State St., Suite 108Media, Pa. 19063Phone: (610) 566-3131 Fax: (610) [email protected]
Milton VelezCity of Philadelphia Law Department1515 Arch St., 15th FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19102Phone: (215) 683-5259Fax: (215) [email protected]
Insurance ProgramsCarl (Hank) Delacato Jr.Hecker Brown Sherry and Johnson LLP1700 Two Logan SquarePhiladelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 665-0400Fax: (215) [email protected]
M. Norman GoldbergerWolf, Block, Schorr and Solis Cohen LLP1650 Arch St., 22nd FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 977-2532Fax: (215) [email protected]
Labor and Employment LawDiane Siegel DanoffDechert4000 Bell Atlantic Tower1717 Arch St.Philadelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 994-2179Fax: (215) [email protected]
Wanda E. FlowersSunoco, Inc.10 Penn Center, 17th Floor1801 Market St.Philadelphia, Pa. 19103-1699Phone: (215) 977-6148Fax: (215) [email protected]
Large Firm ManagementJane L. FosterStradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP2600 One Commerce Square
Legal Rights of ChildrenLaval Miller-WilsonJuvenile Law CenterThe Philadelphia Building1315 Walnut St., 4th FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19107Phone: (215) 625-0551Fax: (215) [email protected]
Legal Rights of Lesbians & GayMenLeonore F. CarpenterThe Center for Lesbian and Gay CivilRights1211 Chestnut St., 6th FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19107Phone: (215) 731-1447 ext. 16Fax: (215) [email protected]
Kevin P. RayDuane Morris LLP
One Liberty Place, Suite 4200Philadelphia, Pa. 19103-7396Phone: (215) 979-1567Fax: (215) [email protected]
Legal Rights of Persons withDisabilitiesJeffrey Campolongo1420 Walnut St., 5th Floor Philadelphia, Pa. 19102 Phone: (215) 545-6841 Fax: (215) [email protected]
Legislative LiaisonLynn A. MarksPennsylvanians for Modern Courts100 N. 17th St., Suite 700Philadelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 569-1150 Fax: (215) [email protected]
Joseph C. VignolaPA Intergovernmental CooperationAuthority1429 Walnut St., 14th FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19102Phone: (215) 561-9160Fax: (215) [email protected]
Medico-LegalRobert T. SzostakM. Mark Mendel, Ltd.1620 Locust St.Philadelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 732-7200Fax: (215) [email protected]
J. Scott KramerDuane Morris LLPOne Liberty Place, Suite 4200Philadelphia, Pa. 19103-7396Phone: (215) 979-1122Fax: (215) [email protected]
Membership/Bar PlacementThomas G. KesslerMorgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP1701 Market St.Philadelphia, Pa. 19103-2921Phone: (215) 963-5290Fax: (215) [email protected]
Mid-Size Law FirmManagementJohn S. SummersHangley Aronchick Segal & PudlinOne Logan Square, 27th FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 496-7007Fax: (215) 568-0300
Military AffairsDale W. MillerCotter & Miller2541 S. Broad St.Philadelphia, Pa. 19148-4309Phone: (215) 336-0343
Minorities in the ProfessionMonique Y. DeLapenhaDuane Morris LLPOne Liberty Place, Suite 4200Philadelphia, Pa. 19103-7396Phone: (215) 979-1228Fax: (215) [email protected]
John EncarnacionWhite and Williams LLP1800 One Liberty PlacePhiladelphia, Pa. 19103-7395Phone: (215) 864-6354Fax: (215) [email protected]
Sole & Small FirmManagementRalph S. Pinkus1515 Market St., Suite 1000Philadelphia, Pa. 19102Phone: (215) 523-5320Fax: (215) [email protected]
Joseph S. Mitchell III21 S. 12th St., 9th FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19107Phone: (215) 557-7111Fax: (215) [email protected]
State CivilLois M. ShenkPost & Schell, P.C.1800 JFK Blvd., 19th FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19103Phone: (215) 587-1138Fax: (215) [email protected]
Joseph H. Tucker, Jr.Booth & Tucker, LLP230 S. Broad St., 2nd FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19102-4101Phone: (215) 875-0609Fax: (215) [email protected]
Women in the ProfessionNicole D. GalliPepper Hamilton LLP3000 Two Logan Square18th & Arch StreetsPhiladelphia, Pa. 19103-2799Phone: (215) 981-4496Fax: (215) [email protected]
Roberta D. PichiniLitvin, Blumberg, Matusow &Young1339 Chestnut St., 18th FloorPhiladelphia, Pa. 19107Phone: (215) 557-3312 Fax: (215) [email protected]
Women’s RightsJudy F. BerkmanRegional Housing Legal Services2 S. Easton RoadGlenside, Pa. 19038Phone: (215) 572-7300Fax: (215) [email protected]
Note: While the following listings have been verified prior to press time, any scheduled event may be subject to changeby the committee or section chairs.
Wednesday, Feb. 26Lawyer Referral and Information Service Committee – meeting, 11th floor Committee Room.Federal Courts Committee – meeting, 12:30 p.m., 10th floor Board Room. Lunch: $7.50.Board of Governors – meeting, 4 p.m., 10th floor Board Room.
Friday, Feb. 28Philadelphia Bar Foundation Finance Committee – meeting, 8:30 a.m., 10th floor Board Room.
Unless otherwise specified, all ch e cks for luncheons and programs should be made payable to the Philadelphia Bar Association and mailedto Bar Headquarters, 11 01 Market St., 11th fl., Philadelphia, Pa. 191 07- 2 911. Send Bar Association-related calendar items 30 days inadvance to Managing Editor, Philadelphia Bar Reporter, Philadelphia Bar Association, 11 01 Market St., Philadelphia, Pa. 191 07- 2 911. Fa x :( 215) 23 8 - 12 67. E-mail:r e p o r t e r @ p h i l a ba r. o r g .
C A L E N D A R O F E V E N T S
BAR REPORTER / FEBRUARY 2003 17
Please make reservations for the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Quarterly Meetingand Luncheon. Tickets are $40 for members and $45 for non-members. Checks should bemade payable to the Philadelphia Bar Association.
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Philadelphia Bar Association Quarterly Meeting and LuncheonThursday, April 3 at Noon at the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue
• Featuring Keynote Speaker Michael Beschloss• Presentation of the inaugual Citizens Pro Bono Award
C redit card payments should be faxed to Bar Headquarters at (215) 238-1267.
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R e t u rn to:Quarterly MeetingPhiladelphia Bar Association1101 Market St., 11th fl.Philadelphia, Pa. 19107-2911
tion of Abraham Lincoln.As literary executor for the late
Washington Postand Newsweekcolum-nist-editor Meg Greenfield, Beschlossedited her posthumously publishedbook Washington(Public Affairs, 2001),which was a national best-seller.Beschloss is also the author of Kennedyand Roosevelt: The Uneasy Alliance (Norton,1980), which originated as his under-
graduate senior honor thesis, and Eisen-hower: A Centennial Life(HarperCollins,1990). He was co-author (with StrobeTalbott) of At the Highest Levels: The InsideStory of the End of the Cold War(Little,Brown, 1993).
Born in Chicago on Nov. 30, 1955,Beschloss is an alumnus of EaglebrookSchool, Andover, Williams College andHarvard University. From 1982 until1986, he was an historian on the staffof the Smithsonian Institution. From1985 until 1987, he was a senior associ-
ate member at St. Anthony’s College,University of Oxford, England. From1987 until 1996, he was a senior fellowof the Annenberg Foundation inWashington, D.C.
Beschloss is a member of the Am-erican Historical Association and a fel-low of the Society of American Hist-orians and sits on boards of the WhiteHouse Historical Association, the Nat-ional Archives Foundation, the Thom-as Jefferson Memorial Foundation(Monticello) and the Urban Institute.
He lives in Washington, D.C., with hiswife, Afsaneh, and their two sons.
The Quarterly Meeting andLunecheon begins at noon at the ParkHyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue,Broad and Walnut streets.
Tickets are $40 for Associationmembers and $45 for non-membersand can be purchased by clipping thecoupon below and sending it to theBar Association or by visiting theAssociation’s Web site,www.philadelphiabar.org.
QUARTERLYcontinued from page 1
direction on the equitable tolling issue.Chief Judge Giles then addressed
the proposed new mediation rule. Theproposed Local Rule of Civil Procedure53.3 is not designed to amend or modi-fy the existing compulsory and volun-tary arbitration program, Local Rule53.2, nor is it designed compete withpresent “for hire” ADR programs. Ifadopted, the current mediation rule,Local Rule 53.2.1, will be repealed. Themajor change to the mediation proce-dure in the proposed rule is that theparties will be sent to participate in thevoluntary mediation process only if allparties consent and only after comple-tion of discovery, or substantial com-pletion of discovery. The timing of theparticipation in the voluntary media-tion program will be in sync with thetrial scheduling order. Copies of theproposed new mediation rule can beobtained from the Clerk’s Office.Comments on the proposed rule maybe forwarded in writing to Michael E.Kunz, Clerk of Court, U.S. Courthouse,601 Market St., Room 2609,Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, no later thanFeb. 28. Chief Judge Giles commentedthat voluntary mediation is only one ofseveral programs available to partieswho want ADR options and that themagistrate judges will continue to be
very involved in mediation and settle-ment.
Chief Judge Giles reported that theCourt recently established a $40 fee forpro hac vice admissions in the courtand for adversary proceedings in theBankruptcy Court. It is not yet knownif this will generate much income forthe court, but whatever is received willbe used by the court in various waysto enhance the practice in the court.
The courthouse lobby constructionproject, designed to reconfigure andenhance the lobby, will begin in Apriland should be completed by October.During the project, the Market Streetentrance will be closed and the 6thStreet entrance will be used. Lightingwill be improved on 6th Street andother measures taken to ensure thatthe 6th Street entrance works well asthe main entrance during the course ofconstruction.
Chief Judge Giles then introducedKunz, who encouraged everyone tojoin The Historical Society of the U.S.District Court for the Eastern District ofPennsylvania. Chief Judge Giles com-mented that the Historical Society’scalendar is sent, under his signature, tothe chief judge of every district courtand to the justices of the U.S. SupremeCourt and that the court has receivedmany letters praising the work of TheHistorical Society. Many district courtshave now started their own Historical
Society and their Web sites nowinclude information about the historyof their district. Judge Lowell A. Reedalso encouraged everyone to become amember of The Historical Society.Judge Reed stated that in his opinion,knowledge of the history of the court is
a “jewel to hang onto,” as it enhancesone’s practice and improves the chanceof civility in the practice of law.
Mary Ellen O’Laughlin, of counsel at Kl e h r, Harri s o n ,H a r v e y, Branzburg & Ellers LLP, is a member of theFederal Courts Committee.
FEDERAL COURTcontinued from page 11
Eight courtrooms at the Federal Courthouse have been equipped with elec-tronic capabilities while electronic case filing is growing in popularity, Clerk ofCourt Michael E. Kunz told the Federal Courts Committee.
Electronic Case Filing (ECF) was implemented last May and had 30 electron-ic case filings the first month. By December, that number jumped to 300. Thereis a full range of documents available for review on the system, Kunz said,adding the court processes about 85,000 orders a year, including 350 to 400opinions. Approximately 70 percent of the notification of those orders is nowdone in electronic format. Although nearly 700 attorneys have registered to beECF filers, only about 140 have done electronic case filing.
The Court conducts ECF training sessions every Tuesday and Thursday, andthe bar is being strongly urged to use ECF. Kunz said attorneys seem comfort-able with providing the court with the disc when, or after, they file the docu-ments. The court’s next step will be to make mandatory the filing of the discwith the documents. The court’s objective is to have everyone become an ECFfiler. In the interim, if a disc is provided with the documents being filed, theclerk will prepare the docket entry and put the document in the system.
Kunz reminded everyone that Judge Anita B. Brody is the chair of thecourt’s Automation and Technology Committee and that questions and com-ments on ECF may be directed to that committee. Anyone wishing to requestthe use of an electronic courtroom or training on the use of an electroniccourtroom should telephone Michael Hearn or Ed Morrissy at (267) 299-7039.
- Mary Ellen O’Laughlin
Electronic Filing Gains in Popularity
by Marc Reuben
“About Schmidt” is the new film inwhich Jack Nicholson, playing the partof a 66-year-old retiree, plants himselfcenter stage and does not relinquishprominence unless upstaged by otheractors. This upstaging is hard to do,when the film itself is a rather unex-ceptional tale of an older man trying tobreak up a questionable romance. Sortof like the doppelganger of “HelloDolly,” but without the music.
The fact that this little film is excep-tional indeed (it is very uncinematic forthe big screen) is due to the extraordi-nary acting of its cast. Not only isNicholson in the best form since “FiveEasy Pieces,” but his clever wickednessshines through the entire film andoffers a glow when the script does not.Kathy Bates, who is a wonderfulactress, upstages Nicholson in everyscene they share, and the wonder of itall is the sheer joy of watching twopros wade into the thick of a difficultscene and waltz through it with anease that would make Olivier jealous.
The film’s best surprise is DermotMulroney, who plays the nitwit fiancéwith such expertise that one had towait for the credits before realizing thatthis handsome actor had actually man-aged to make his body shrink andsway to the form of a flunky. I stilldon’t believe it was him.
“Adaptation,” a wonderful, darkcomedy of manners, was written byCharlie Kaufman and directed by SpikeJonze. The twists and surprises it pro-vides are worthy of Waugh, althoughthe words themselves are heavily
influenced by the comedies of WoodyAllen. Nicholas Cage, a wonderful actor,gives the performance of a lifetime inthis semi-autobiographical movie thatfeatures Meryl Streep as a writer whobecomes addicted to sniffing driedorchids. Chris Cooper, a haggle-toothedactor who wears a baseball cap andhunts endangered flowers, provideswhat turns out to be the sole measureof sanity in a film touched as much byneurosis as genius. Both “AboutSchmidt” and “Adaptation” are filmsabout the decision-making process, asapplied to eccentrics. It is interesting towatch Nicholson and Cage thread theirway through the minefields of the cre-ative process in bringing their charac-ters along with their scripts, and theviewer is left with the feeling that greatperformances, even in the face of greatwriting, are what remain in the memo-ry when the lights come up.
My favorite recent film was anadventure called “Igby Goes Down,”which was a high-class soap operawith so many witty twists that itbecame impossible to laugh and lookat the same time. Igby is played by yetanother wonderful actor, Kieran Culkin(Macaulay’s younger brother), whomanaged at the age of 17 to carryalmost the entire film. The movie was avariation of “The Catcher in the Rye,”but with some actual substance to it.One can argue that the book was actu-ally a worthy piece of writing. I dis-agree. But this film, with its excellentscript (on the order of “All About Eve,”if not quite as wonderful), was excel-lently directed, wonderfully pho-tographed in rolling shots that provid-
ed unbroken perspective, and acted bya superior ensemble cast. In addition toyoung Mr. Culkin, who really had apresence, there was Susan Sarandon asthe exquisitely bitchy mother, RyanPhillippe as the jaded older son, andJeff Goldblum, whose situation in thisfilm changed from scene to scene.Nothing was wasted here. The entirefilm was weirdly fascinating and verywell handled.
More than the vacuous pages of anoverrated coming-of-age novel, “Igby”was able to convey a degree of vulner-ability, intelligence and humanity thebook lacked. The additional dimensionof “Igby” was conveyed despite theexcessive wit, which, if you wanted tolaugh, could easily have overpoweredthe rest of the film.
As conventional as was “Schmidt,”the remaining films were as unusual asthey come during the holiday season,and a very welcome change from theWagnerian fantasy and inept moviesabout idiot newlyweds.
The differences between these filmsare a pronounced view of how success-ful comedy can be made to work, evenamong idiot audiences. “AboutSchmidt” was certainly the least diffi-cult film to comprehend, in terms of itscomedic weight. Nicholson portrayed aman who sets off on a tour in his trail-er, and who confines his learningprocesses to the mundane. It is theexcellent and perceptive quality of theacting that fills out what would other-wise be a thoroughly ordinary storyabout a man who learns a few thingswhile on the road. Nicholson’s comictiming was worthy of Jack Benny.
“Adaptation” is the story of a writerwho imagines himself as his ownbrother and who invents an entireworld to fit the parameters of a dullstory about flowers. It is a brilliantessay on comedy and the creativeprocess with wonderful acting.
“Igby” is Upstairs with EvelynWaugh and I didn’t find the film dullfor one moment. The excellence of thewriting was such that not a singleword was wasted. It is true that lowerclasses may find arrogance an una-musing way to deal with ennui, butthe cast was so good at being nastythat it is hard to imagine rich, spoiledpeople acting any other way. Culkinprovided a fresh contrast to the rest ofthe performances and Amanda Peetprovided him with a dissolute loveinterest that moved the whole filmfrom scene to scene.
The comedy in “Igby” was harder tosee, especially when the film ends inan hysterical murder. But what makesexcellent film so wonderful is the funof finding the next hidden treasure.This was more evident in the threefilms, each of which is worth the view-ing.
Marc Reuben is an advisory editor to the PhiladelphiaBar Reporter. He has been writing about the arts since1973 .
18 FEBRUARY 2003 / BAR REPORTER
A R T S & M E D I AThree Films Worth Wa t ch i n g :‘ I g by,’ ‘Schmidt,’ ‘Ad a p t a t i o n ’
BusinessSectionHonors
John B. Wright II, immediate-past chair ofthe Business Law Section, holds theS e c t i o n ’ s Dennis H. Replansky A w a rd ,which was presented to Leon Forman (left)at the Section’s Annual Reception on Jan.14 at the Pyramid Club. The Section alsoh o n o red Sandra A. Jeskie as CommitteeChair of the Year and the Pro BonoCommittee as the Committee of the Year.
have been here. By going to Lyon a few days priorto the official meetings, I had the opportunity notonly to meet individually with Chevalier andDantzikian but also with their parents. They noware “sold” on the city of Philadelphia. This personalcontact is an important aspect of the success of thisprogram. Later Michael and I both got to discusswith both women the details of the Philadelphiaexchange and develop a rapport with them.
The noted Philadelphia law firms find theexchange beneficial as exemplified by their contin-ued participation. To share the wealth and growthof the Twinning experience, we always are lookingfor more host firms. This also is a most importantinvitation to Philadelphia lawyers who would liketo spend six months in a law firm in Lyon to sendtheir applications to Michael Scullin by Feb. 15. Hecan be reached by phone at (215) 546-0491 or by e-mail at [email protected].
Enid H. Adler is former chair of the International Law Committee.
FRENCH LAWYERScontinued from page 7
by Jennifer Taylor
“Queens Supreme” should be addedto CBS’s long list of failed legal dramas,which includes last season’s short-lived“First Monday,” “The Court” and“Robbery Homicide Division.” AlthoughCBS bills the show as a “dramedy” anda “seriocomic drama,” it is neither dra-matic nor comedic, unless we’re talkingabout “throne” humor. Indeed, whenviewers first meet the show’s maincharacter, Judge Jack Moran (OliverPlatt), he is sitting on a toilet eaves-dropping on a deliberating jury. Suchis the humor of “Queens Supreme.”
“Queens Supreme” debuted on CBSon Friday, Jan. 10. The show, starringOliver Platt (“Bulworth”), AnnabellaSciorra (“The Sopranos”), Robert Loggia(“Jagged Edge”) and L. Scott Caldwell(“Waiting to Exhale”), tells legal storiesfrom the perspective of judges at theQueens County Courthouse.
The most obvious problem with theshow stems from its name. Those whohave not suffered through the two-dayordeal of a New York bar exam at theJavits Center, or studied at the likes ofColumbia or Touro, are not likely toknow that the show takes place in thetrial-level court for Queens County.
Rather than introduce the viewersto the show’s characters, the seriesstarts off with a harried episode inwhich a gun-wielding juror takes overa courtroom. This episode, titled “OneAngry Man,” centers around the pre-posterous tale of a nicotine-deprivedjuror fed up with never-ending jurydeliberations. Judge Moran forces thehung jury to continue deliberations sohe won’t have to deal with hisestranged wife when she drops by toget Moran’s signature on their divorcepapers.
The juror, after being denied a ciga-rette in Judge Moran’s courtroom,overpowers the court officer, grabs hisgun, and holds the judge, his law clerk,the court officer and five jurorshostage. Throughout the kidnapping,Judge Moran delivers cringe-inducing,long-winded sermons about life-alter-ing moments and regrets. Predictably,Judge Moran single-handedly con-vinces the angry juror to surrender thegun and set everyone free. Platt, who issomewhat entertaining in the role, triesway too hard to sell his lines — linesthat aren’t terribly clever in the firstplace.
The secondary story — a potentiallyinteresting racial-profiling case —comes to a contrived and trivial con-clusion as well. The case boils down towhether an African-American manwould run in a predominantly-whiteneighborhood wearing a velour run-
ning suit on a hot day. Judge KimVicidomini (Annabella Sciorra) ulti-mately decides the case based on someex partefashion advice from JudgeMoran’s wife.
The premiere does have one brightspot — the guest appearance of KristenJohnston as Maude, Judge Moran’s
estranged wife. Johnston is enjoyableas the vociferous and intimidatingMaude, a lawyer-turned-fashion-designer. However, it does not bodewell for CBS that the character whomakes the biggest impression in thefirst episode is not going to be aroundfor the rest of the season.
“Queens Supreme” is a supreme dis-appointment. Unless the storytellingand character development improvesmarkedly, its reign on CBS is likely tolast just a few weeks.
Jennifer Taylor is an associate in the Bankruptcy &Reorganization Department at Montgomery,M c C r a cken, Walker & Rhoads, LLP.
BAR REPORTER / FEBRUARY 2003 19
Television Review
CBS Legal Drama Is Far From Supreme
20 FEBRUARY 2003 / BAR REPORTER
Gabriel L.I.Bevilacqua,Chancellor-Elect ofthe PhiladelphiaBar Association anda partner at SaulEwing LLP, hasbeen named toGov. Edward G.
Rendell’s transition team committee onjudicial issues.
Timothy J. Carson and PatrickT. Beaty, partners at Saul Ewing LLP,have been named to Gov. Edward G.Rendell’s transition team committeeson transportation and insurance,respectively.
Bernard Smalley, a partner withAnapol, Schwartz, Weiss, Cohan,Feldman and Smalley, P.C., was recentlyappointed to the Pennsylvania MedicalMalpractice Liability Insurance CrisisTask Force by Gov. Edward G. Rendell.
Sandra A. Girifalco, a partner withStradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP,has been elected to the Board of theCradle of Liberty Boy Scouts ofAmerica.
Kenneth J. Fleisher, recentlynamed as one of 14 members of theReal Estate Law Advisory Committee ofthe Pennsylvania Bar Institute, taught“Choosing Your Remedy” at PBI’s 6thAnnual Real Estate Institute.
Stephen A. Sheller, founding andmanaging partner of Sheller, Ludwig &Badey, has been named to Gov.Edward G. Rendell’s transition team onBoards and Commissions.
Nicholas J. Lisi,senior and manag-ing partner ofPadova & Lisi, hasbeen appointed tothe Board ofTrustees at LaSalleUniversity.
Michael H. Reed, a partner withPepper Hamilton LLP, has been electedas a member of The American LawInstitute.
Barry L. Cohen of Thorp Reed &Armstrong, LLP was a faculty memberat the Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s “E-Commerce: Legal and Practical Issues”seminar on Dec. 2. He also was a guestlecturer at Temple University’s BeasleySchool of Law, where he discussedissues affecting drug and medicaldevice products.
John A. Knapp, a member of Cozen
O’Connor, was a featured speaker atthe Health Care ComplianceAssociation/American HospitalAssociation’s HIPAA Forum in SanDiego on Dec. 9.
Dennis R. Suplee, a partner atSchnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP,has been included in the 2003 editionof “The International Who’s Who ofCommercial Litigators.”
Glen R. Stuart, apartner withMorgan, Lewis &Bockius LLP, hasbeen named aclient service MVPby the BTIConsulting Group.
Marc S. Raspanti, a foundingshareholder with Miller, Alfano &Raspanti, P.C., served as a moderator atthe Fourth Annual National Instituteon the Civil False Claims Act and QuiTamEnforcement on the topic of QuiTamPretrial Procedures in Washington,D.C. on Jan. 29.
Jeffrey L. Dashevsky ofDashevsky, Horwitz, DiSandro, Kuhn,Dempsey and Novello, P.C., was thecourse monitor, faculty member andfeatured speaker at the PennsylvaniaBar Institute’s Dec. 6 CLE program“Arbitration Practice in PhiladelphiaCounty: A Survivor’s Guide.”
Kevin R.Marciano, a part-ner at Anapol,Schwartz, Weiss,Cohan, Feldmanand Smalley, P.C.,discussed joint andseveral liability lawand auto cases at a
recent Philadelphia Trial LawyersAssociation Lunch and Lecture series.
Dorothy K. Phillips, principal ofDorothy K. Phillips & Associates, LLC,was a delegate representing thePennsylvania Bar Association on theAmbassador People to People Programto China in November.
Joseph T. Murphy Jr. of JohnGerard Devlin & Associates has beennamed chairman of Special People inthe Northeast, a nonprofit corporationserving the needs of mentally andphysically handicapped people in thePhiladelphia area.
Margaret A. McCausland, a part-ner with Blank Rome LLP, participatedin a Lorman Seminar on employment-related records in Pennsylvania inAllentown, Pa., on Nov. 8.
Ian M. Comisky, David M.Kuchinos and Michael D.Shepard, partners at Blank Rome
LLP, presented “Keeping Yourself andYour Clients Out of Jail: RepresentingClients in the New Millennium” onNov. 13 at a Montgomery County CPAAssociation seminar. Comisky alsospoke at the Florida Bar ContinuingLegal Education Committee and theOut-of-State Practitioners Divisionseminar “Expanding Florida Law forthe Out-of-State Practitioner” in NewYork City on Dec. 14.
Joseph V. DelRaso, a partnerwith PepperHamilton LLP, hasbeen electedChairman of theBoard of Trustees ofthe AmericanUniversity of Rome.
Michael J. Izzo Jr., a member ofCozen O’Connor, has been appointedto serve on the Board of Directors ofthe Sylvan Opera Company,Philadelphia’s only festival opera com-pany.
Gerald J. Cohen, a sole practitioner,was voted best lawyer of NorthwestPhiladelphia for 2002 and was present-ed with a People’s Choice Award bythe Germantown Courierand Mount AiryTimes Express.
Robert D. Lane Jr., a partner withMorgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, hasbeen named to the Board of Directorsof the Center City District.
Bernard Eizen, a founding share-holder of Eizen Fineburg & McCarthy,P.C., has been elected first vice presi-
dent of the American Association ofAttorney-Certified Public Accountants,a national association of dual degreedAttorney-CPAs.
Kell M.Damsgaard, apartner with PepperHamilton LLP, hasbeen named a fel-low with theAmerican College ofTrial Lawyers.
William H. Platt II, an associatewith Blank Rome LLP, has been namedto the Board of Directors of LaSalleUniversity’s Explorers Club. The clubpromotes the interest and welfare ofLaSalle University and specificallyseeks to raise funds for LaSalle’s inter-collegiate athletics and to maintain andadvance the cause of higher education.
Jeffrey I. Pasek, a member ofCozen O’Connor, has been re-electedto a two-year term on the Board of thePennsylvania Chamber of Business andIndustry.
P E O P L E
Names Are News“People” highlights news of
members’ awards, honors orappointments of a civic or com-munity nature. Information maybe sent to Jeff Lyons, ManagingEditor, Philadelphia Bar Reporter,Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101Market St., 11th floor, Philadelphia,Pa. 19107-2911. Fax: (215) 238-1267.E-mail: [email protected].
Photos are also welcome.
Judge Louis H. Pollak of the U.S.District Court for the Eastern Districtof Pennsylvania will receive theAmerican Bar Association Comm-ission on Racial and Ethnic Diversityin the Profession’s 2003 Spirit ofExcellence Award.
The award will be presented Feb.8 at a luncheon during the 2003ABA Midyear Meeting in Seattle.Initiated in 1996, Spirit of ExcellenceAwards honor lawyers who havemade outstanding contributions tothe advancement of racial and eth-nic diversity in the legal profession.The winners are lawyers who havecreated opportunities for others tosucceed as mentors, leaders, pathbreakers and role models. Theaward recognizes the achievementsof lawyers who have overcomeenormous obstacles to assist in theadvancement of lawyers from
diverse backgrounds.Judge Pollak is credited with
writing many of the briefs in thehistoric Brown v. Board of Educationcase. He is one of two federal judges,three lawyers in private practice anda bar association affirmative actiondirector who will be honored asrecipients of the award.
Judge Pollak to Receive ABASpirit of Excellence Award
