Follow the Columbus Bar on: In this issue... 1. New Lawyers / Judges Luncheon: March 27 2. 2012 Nominations Committee Members Named 3. Domestic Court E-Filing Training for CLE Credit 4. Judicial Performance Poll Coming Soon 5. Are You Up to the Challenge? 6. New Member Benefits: Ruby, ADP, Office Depot 7. Picture This! 8. Wine Tasting to Benefit Law and Leadership Institute 9. Get Involved with CBA Pro Bono Opportunities 10. Downtown Parking Alert 11. Where's Alex? 12. Et Cetera New Lawyers, Join the Common Pleas and Municipal Court Judges for Lunch Are you an attorney with 5 or fewer years of practice? If so, please join us on Tuesday, March 27th from noon to 1:00pm at the CBA. The Columbus Bar New Lawyers committee will host its annual Judges Luncheon with Judges from both Common Pleas and Municipal Courts. This informal event allows Judges to share their experiences on the bench with young lawyers and to provide insights into the expectations of lawyers appearing in their courtrooms. This luncheon is free of charge for CBA members, but an RSVP is required by 5:00pm on Friday, March 23 to donna@cbalaw.org. 2012 Nominations Committee Members Named CBA Past President, the Hon. Stephen L. McIntosh, will chair the Columbus Bar Association 2012 Nominations Committee set to begin the process of selecting candidates for the 2012 Board of Governors election to be held in May. Other members include Brad Wrightsel, Columbus Bar President-Elect; David Dokko, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services; Hon. Richard A. Frye, Franklin County Common Pleas Court; Loriann Fuhrer, Kegler Brown Hill & Ritter; Kerry Green, Hahn Loeser & Parks; Elizabeth Mote, Brunner Quinn; Necol Russell-Washington, NRW Law Office; and Anthony Sharett, Bricker & Eckler. After a slate is chosen it will be presented to the Board for approval. Anyone who is interested in seeking a position on the Board, contact Judge McIntosh at 614/525.3550 or stephen_mcintosh@fccourts.org; or Kathy Wiesman at the Columbus Bar, 614/340.2063 or kathy@cbalaw.org. Register Now for Domestic Court E-Filing Training (1.0 CLE Hour) The Columbus Bar and Clerk of Courts Office are teaming up to offer twelve training sessions on e-filing for the Domestic Court. Step-by-step instructions will be given to guide attendees through the process so they are well-prepared by the mandatory e-filing date for the Domestic Court, May 29. Training sessions will be held at the Franklin County Complex in Meeting Room B, 25th Floor, 373 S. High St. View a schedule of training sessions Judicial Performance Poll Coming in April Every spring, the Columbus Bar asks Franklin County attorneys to evaluate the performance of sitting judges, through our Judicial Performance Poll. This year, we will ask you to rate the Tenth District Court of Appeals, along with the Common Pleas, Domestic Relations, and Probate Courts of Franklin County. The Judicial Performance Poll will be conducted online, and will be available from April 9 through April 20. Look for an email from the Columbus Bar with a link to the poll. If you do not have an email on file with us, please contact marcia@cbalaw.org. Are You Up to the Challenge? Operation Feed Law Firm Challenge The Columbus Bar and the Mid-Ohio Foodbank are inviting Central Ohio law firms of all sizes to participate in the inaugural Operation Feed Law Firm Challenge. Through this fun and spirited competition, our goal is to raise 115,000 meals in 2012. Your firm's help is needed. We invite you to participate and have a great time. Remember, just $1 dollar equals 3 meals. More details about the Law Firm Challenge Register and get fundraising ideas Take Advantage of the Latest CBA Member Benefits The Columbus Bar has been busy negotiating new member benefits designed to make your practice easier and save you money: Ruby Receptionists (Virtual Receptionist Service) Ruby Receptionists is the perfect solution for solo and small law firms. They're the bright, friendly virtual receptionist service that provides top-notch service at a fraction of the cost of an on-site receptionist. CBA members enjoy free setup, ongoing free voicemail boxes, discounts on monthly charges and a free 14-day trial period. ADP (Payroll Processing) Let ADP take over time-consuming administrative tasks so you can focus on your practice. CBA members receive a 20% discount on payroll processing costs (an estimated $500 annual savings) and are exempt from the one-time setup fee ($200 in savings). Office Depot (Office Supplies) CBA members receive special pricing on office supplies, printer cartridges, coffee and breakroom items, promotional products, copy & print (including business cards, letterhead and envelopes), furniture, and technology. View a list of all CBA member discounts Picture This! Columbus Bar Foundation Gala 2012: Springtime in Paris The annual Columbus Bar Foundation Gala was held on March 10 at the Hyatt Regency Columbus. This year's entertainment featured the comedy of Tonight Show favorite, Chris Bliss. Proceeds from the Gala are used to support the mission of the Foundation. View all Gala 2012 photos Wine Tasting to Benefit Law and Leadership Institute The Columbus Bar Association Alliance is hosting a wine-tasting event, "Tastings at Twilight" at the Four Seasons in Hilliard on Friday, April 20 from 6:30-9:00pm for the benefit of the Law and Leadership Institute (LLI). There will be gourmet appetizers, desserts, a Silent Auction and Raffle. The Law and Leadership Institute is a statewide initiative in collaboration with the legal community that inspires and prepares students from underserved communities for post-secondary and professional success through a comprehensive four-year academic program in law, leadership, analytical thinking, problem solving, writing skills and professionalism. Tastings at Twilight: Details/ticket information Law and Leadership Institute website Please Report Your Pro Bono Hours by March 31 Only a few days remain for attorneys to report 2011 pro bono hours and financial contributions to legal aid programs. The reporting survey consists of 8 questions for an individual attorney and will take about ten minutes to complete; firms may also report pro bono activities through a firm representative. The website will remain open until midnight on March 31. Attorneys may obtain a link to the electronic survey by sending an email request to justiceinaction@olaf.org. Looking for pro bono opportunities? The Columbus Bar Association coordinates a number of pro bono opportunities, including the Lawyers for Justice program, the Columbus Bar Homeless Project, Volunteer Guardian Panel, Military Assistance Program, and more. Click here for a complete list of pro bono opportunities through the Columbus Bar (CBA member login required), or contact she'lia@cbalaw.org with questions. Downtown Parking Alert Parking at the Ohio Statehouse Garage has gone automated. The new parking payment system, which is expected to be in service by April 14, will require motorists to take their ticket with them for use at one of five "Pay-on-Foot" payment machines. The machines will be located near the north and south garage entrances and the stairwells to Broad and High streets, State and High streets and the garage office area. The machines will accept cash, MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover Card. Where's Alex? Wondering how Alex Lagusch has been spending his time, since his retirement as Executive Director of the Columbus Bar Association? He recently spent some time in the Florida sun visiting CBA Past President John Hartranft (although he seems to have been confused about whether he was hitting the beach or hitting the slopes). Check back next month for another installment of "Where's Alex?" Et Cetera For 2nd Year, a Sharp Drop in Law School Entrance Tests (New York Times) Tweets and Status Updates Meet the Courtroom: How Social Media Continues to be a Challenge for E-Discovery (LexisNexis) Ohio Foreclosure Filings Drop 16 Percent in 2011 (Ohio Supreme Court) DISCLAIMER: The CBA provides links to various sources of information in Columbus Bar News Bytes eNewsletter purely for the convenience of readers. The opinions expressed by the authors are their own, and the CBA is not responsible for reliance on any such information. Probate Law Institute May 4, 2012 Register now Bankruptcy Law Institute May 10-11, 2012 Register now Featured Member Benefit Ruby Receptionists: the bright, friendly virtual receptionist service Columbus Bar inc Sponsors Thank you to the generous sponsors who make Columbus Bar inc possible: March 27 12:00pm-1:00pm New Lawyers: New Lawyers & Judges Luncheon March 28 1:30pm-3:30pm CLE: E-Filing Technology: Update Your Practice (Video) March 28 4:00pm-5:30pm Legal Practice Lab: Tech Live March 30 9:00am-11:45am CLE: Trial Skills Institute, Part 1 (Video) March 30 1:00pm-4:45pm CLE: Trial Skills Institute, Part 2 (Video) April 4 5:00pm-6:00pm Legal Practice Lab: The Lawyer's Telephone April 6 9:00am-12:15pm CLE: New Lawyer Training: Estate & Probate (Video) April 10 12:00pm-1:00pm CBA@noon: Social Media for Lawyers April 11 12:15-1:15pm CLE: Taxing Matters Series: M&A for Small Business - Buyer's Side April 11 4:00pm-5:30pm Legal Practice Lab: Going Paperless April 13 9:00am-12:15pm CLE: New Lawyer Training: Employment Law (Video) April 16 1:30pm-2:30pm CLE: Domestic Court E-Filing Training April 18 5:00pm-6:00pm Legal Practice Lab: Secure File Sharing for Lawyers April 20 1:30pm-4:45pm CLE: New Lawyer Training: Core Requirements (Video) April 25 5:30pm-7:30pm Committees: Small Firm/Solo Practitioner After Hours View the full CBA event calendar