Celebrate Pro Bono Week
October 25 - 31, 2009
- Recognizing the pro bono efforts of Utah's lawyers
- Recruiting more pro bono volunteers
- Mobilizing community support for pro bono>/li>
We have an opportunity to serve lunch to low income and homeless individuals at the St. Vincent dePaul Resource Center (235 S. Rio Grande Street) in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, October 27, 2009. Following the meal, lawyers will offer a free legal clinic, answering questions regarding a variety of legal topics. If you are interested in participating in this event please contact Christy Abad at adminasst@utahbar.org or register online at http://www.utahbar.org/cle/events/pro_bono_week.html.
Also on October 27th, there will be a free legal clinic at Utah Valley University from 6-8 p.m. in the Timpanogos Room of Utah Valley University Library (800 W. University Parkway, Orem). Utah County attorneys available to give their time and expertise should contact the Legal Studies Office 801-863-8134 or email Jill.Jasperson@byulaw.net.
More information on these and other events is available on the Bar’s website at
http://www.utahbar.org/assets/pro_bono_chart.pdf. We hope that you will find a way to serve!
October 2009 E-News
- Application Deadline Approaching for Bar Representative on the Utah Sentencing Commission
- Staff Position Opening at Utah State Bar - Mentoring Program Administrator
- Utah Minority Bar Association Annual Scholarship and Awards Banquet Friday, October 23, 2009
- Fall Forum 2009 November 12th & 13th at the Downtown Marriott
- Cyber-fraud Targeting Utah Lawyers
- Breakfast with the Bar President
- Deadline Approaching - Attorneys who are interested in serving on the Utah Sentencing Commission as the Bar's representative must submit a letter of application and resume no later than Monday, October 12, 2009 to Christy Abad at adminasst@utahbar.org.
- Staff Position Opening at Utah State Bar - The Utah State Bar is seeking a highly-qualified staff administrator to coordinate a new program which matches new lawyers with seasoned volunteer lawyer-mentors. The position requires a knowledge of the Utah legal profession and the culture of the practice of law. The position also requires exceptional organizational skills and familiarity with data input, retention, and retrieval. Please send resumes and letters of interest with references via e-mail to Connie Howard at choward@utahbar.org. The deadline for receiving applications is October 15th, 2009. Information at: http://webster.utahbar.org/marketplace/2009/09/staff_position_opening_at_utah.html.
- Utah Minority Bar Association Annual Scholarship and Awards Banquet - Please join the Minority Bar Association at its annual scholarship and awards banquet on Friday, October 23, 2009 at the downtown Radisson Hotel. The theme for this year's Banquet is "Diversity as a Foundation for Excellence” and the keynote speaker will be Scott M. Matheson, Jr. The banquet features a silent auction, the proceeds of which are combined with sponsor generosity to provide scholarships to deserving law students. In 2008, the Minority Bar was able to provide $9,500 in scholarships. For more information or to RSVP, please visit: http://www.umbalaw.org/.
- Fall Forum 2009 November 12th & 13th at the Downtown Marriott - Join the largest growing convention of the Utah State Bar. The Fall Forum at the Downtown Marriott will feature keynote addresses by documentary film producer George Nierenberg; and, John Polise, Asst. Director of the Division of Enforcement for the Securities and Exchange Commission. Their topics will address fraud in America. Our lunch speaker is Adriana Linares, a recognized speaker for the ABA TechShow. Ms. Linares will counsel you on “Technology Therapy for your Law Firm” In addition, there will be 30 breakouts covering a multitude of topics including ethics, professionalism/civility, and transactional practice. In addition, we have included tracks focusing on taking care of yourself, law practice management and the most current or “hot” topics in different practice areas. To register please click on this site https://utahbar.org/cle/fallforum/registration.html
- Cyber-fraud Targeting Lawyers - Members of the Bar should be aware of increasing cyber-fraud targeting lawyers. Cyber-criminals have become increasingly sophisticated and have invented complex new schemes designed to take advantage of the attorney-client privilege, trust accounts, and other services lawyers provide.
In a typical scheme the cyber-criminal will seek to retain a law firm to collect a debt by posing as a legitimate foreign corporation seeking to collect from a legitimate local corporation. The cyber-criminals will often take extraordinary steps to make the matter look legitimate upon investigation. Ultimately, “payment” for the debt will be provided to the law firm through fraudulent means, often a check. The criminals hope that the law firm will deposit the bad check and then wire the funds to the “client” before the deposit is reversed. The law firm could be liable for a large amount of money irretrievably wired overseas.
Lawyers in Utah recently have been targeted by cyber-criminals and we are likely to see an increase in this type of activity. Advice on protecting yourself may be found at the Internet Crime Complaint Center: http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
- Breakfast with the Bar President - Breakfast with the Bar President is your opportunity to walk in or phone in (801-531-9077) to ask Steve Owens questions or share comments related to the Bar’s administration, finances, member resources, facilities, event support, and information technology. Enjoy a light continental breakfast on your way to the office. October breakfasts are planned for every Friday from 8 – 9 a.m. except for October 16th when the Bar Commission will be meeting with the Summit and Wasatch County Bar Associations.
"I have a question or comment for the Bar President" -
President@utahbar.org