January 2009
By Kathryn Alfisi

Public Service Career Fair for Law Students Returns
The Seventh Annual Washington, D.C./Baltimore Public Service Career Fair on January 30 will bring law students and employers together to discuss local public interest and government job opportunities.

Participating organizations and agencies will hold individual interviews, conduct table talk sessions, and accept résumés. Last year’s fair attracted more than 75 employers and 400-plus students.

The event takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the George Mason University School of Law, 3301 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia. It is sponsored by the American University Washington College of Law, Federal Bar Association, The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, George Mason University School of Law, University of Baltimore School of Law; University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, and University of Maryland School of Law.

For more information, visit www.fedbar.org/careerfair.html.

Women’s Bar Luncheon Helps Parents Transition to Child Care Providers
On January 8 the Working Parents Forum of the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia will discuss how parents can make the transition to a child care provider a positive experience for both themselves and their children.

The luncheon, “Easing the Transition to a Childcare Provider: Helping Your Child and Yourself,” features Dr. Rene Hackney of Parenting Playgroups, Inc. and clinical social worker Devra Renner as guest speakers.

Hackney is a psychologist who taught preschoolers at the Country Day School in McLean, Virginia, and now teaches parenting classes in the D.C. area. Renner, author of Mommy Guilt: Learn to Worry Less, Focus on What Matters Most, and Raise Happier Kids, provides training and consultation to families and organizations. Her commentaries have been featured on the BabyCenter, PBS Parents, and Zero to Three Web sites as well as in Parenting magazine and The New York Times.

The luncheon takes place from 12 to 1:30 p.m. at Howrey LLP, 1299 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.

To register online by January 5, visit www.wbadc.org and click on “Calendar of Events.” For more information, contact Jennifer McDannell at 202-783-0800 or mcdannellj@howrey.com.

Former Solicitor General Speaks at WMACCA Annual Meeting
The Washington Metropolitan Area Corporate Counsel Association (WMACCA) will hold its annual meeting on January 28, featuring Paul D. Clement, former U.S. solicitor general and current visiting professor at Georgetown University Law Center, as guest speaker.

WMACCA also will elect its new officers and directors at the meeting, which takes place from 12 to 2 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, 1700 Tysons Boulevard, McLean, Virginia.

For more information, visit www.wmacca.com or contact Ilene Reid at Ilene.Reid@WMACCA.com.

Representing Public Companies in Parallel SEC, Criminal Cases
On January 8 the Corporate Governance Committee of the D.C. Bar Corporation, Finance and Securities Law Section will hold an off-the-record, brown bag program on representing public companies in parallel U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and criminal investigations.

The luncheon also will cover issues involving privilege, cooperation, public disclosure, joint representation of senior officers, and settlement, including independent monitors.

Speakers include Gregory S. Bruch, a partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, and Jerry A. Isenberg, shareholder in the financial services group of LeClairRyan. William E. Donnelly, also of LeClairRyan, will moderate.

The program takes place from 12 to 1:30 p.m. at the D.C. Bar Conference Center, 1250 H Street NW, B-1 level.

For more information, contact the Sections Office at 202-626-3463 or sections@dcbar.org. For complete registration policies, visit www.dcbar.org/for_lawyers/sections/policy.cfm.

January CLE Ethics Offerings
The D.C. Bar Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Program will hold several ethics courses in January, including a new course on January 14 targeting attorneys acting as agents for athletes and performers.

This course will teach participants how to deal with ethical dilemmas in abiding by the D.C. Rules of Professional Conduct while acting as agents for their clients. Among the dilemmas are charges of “unauthorized practice” when acting as agents in a jurisdiction in which they are not licensed to practice law, solicitation restrictions that may affect an attorney-agent’s ability to recruit athletes, and conflicts of interest.

“When Attorneys Act as Agents Representing Athletes and Performers: The Ethics of Playing in Two Arenas” will be taught by Barry E. Cohen, a partner at Crowell & Moring LLP; Vernon E. Inge Jr. of LeClairRyan; Arthur McAfee, staff counsel for the National Football League Players Association; and sports attorney Ellen M. Zavian who will serve as moderator.

The course, which runs from 6 to 8:15 p.m., is cosponsored by the D.C. Bar Arts, Entertainment, Media and Sports Law Section; Courts, Lawyers and the Administration of Justice Section; and Intellectual Property Law Section.

On January 6 faculty experts will illustrate how poor time management skills can create ethical problems for attorneys.

In “So Little Time, So Much Paper: Effective Time Management Techniques for Lawyers,” Meg Spencer Dixon of Spencer Consulting will help participants achieve their goals through good organization and time management.

The class will learn the benefits of effective goal-setting; planning on a regular basis; using filing systems/information management; identifying the top 10 law practice/client service problems (including juggling multiple projects, timekeeping, dealing with client demands, and managing emergencies and interruptions) and solving them; and avoiding procrastination.

This course will demonstrate how many ethical violations can be avoided when attorneys implement these various time management techniques.

The seminar takes place from 6 to 9:15 p.m. and is cosponsored by the D.C. Bar Administrative Law and Agency Practice Section, Family Law Section, Labor and Employment Law Section, and Law Practice Management Section.

Finally, on January 28, “Ethics of E-Mail” will use hypothetical scenarios to explore unique issues involving the use of electronic communications and documents by lawyers.

Course instructor Thomas E. Spahn, a partner at McGuireWoods LLP, will talk about the ethical limits of using new technologies when communicating with clients and others, as well as the ethical implications of working with service providers and discarding electronic files.

Other topics to be discussed are the rules governing communications with adversaries (including ex parte contacts, metadata, and sending of “unscrubbed” documents; inadvertent transmittal of communications from adversaries; and limits on deceptive conduct); outsourcing of legal work; duty to retain electronic documents when anticipating litigation; and preparing privilege logs for electronic communications.

The course takes place from 6 to 8:15 p.m. and is cosponsored by the D.C. Bar Courts, Lawyers and the Administration of Justice Section; Criminal Law and Individual Rights Section; Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Section; Family Law Section; Labor and Employment Law Section; Law Practice Management Section; Litigation Section; and Real Estate, Housing and Land Use Section.

All courses will be held at the D.C. Bar Conference Center, 1250 H Street NW, B-1 level. For more information, contact the Continuing Legal Education Program at 202-626-3488 or visit www.dcbar.org/cle.

SAVE THE DATE! 2009 D.C. Bar Conference
The 2009 D.C. Bar Conference will be held on Monday, March 30, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. This year’s conference focuses on how changes in the law as a result of the new presidential administration will affect the legal profession. Please continue to check our Web site at www.dcbar.org/ conference as details emerge. For more information, contact Verniesa R. Allen at 202-737-4700, ext. 239.

Course Offers Tips on Starting Law Practice in the District
On January 23 the Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Program will outline what it takes for attorneys to start their own law practice in the District of Columbia.

The course will take an interactive approach to helping participants understand and learn the practical management techniques, systems, and procedures that are the foundation of every successful solo practice. It is ideal for attorneys who are starting—or thinking of starting—his or her own practice, new practitioners, attorneys transferring out of government practice, attorneys switching firms, and anyone suddenly in solo practice.

Faculty includes Reid F. Trautz, director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s Practice and Professionalism Center, and Heather Bupp-Habuda, attorney and faculty at American University Washington College of Law and Georgetown University Law Center.

The course takes place from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the D.C. Bar Conference Center, 1250 H Street NW, B-1 level. It is cosponsored by the D.C. Bar Administrative Law and Agency Practice Section; Criminal Law and Individual Rights Section; Family Law Section; Labor and Employment Law Section; Law Practice Management Section; Litigation Section; and Real Estate, Housing and Land Use Section.

For more information, contact the Continuing Legal Education Program at 202-626-3488 or visit www.dcbar.org/cle.

For more in-depth information on starting your own practice, follow up this CLE course with a Basic Training session sponsored by the D.C. Bar Practice Management Service Committee. This new program is offered free of charge to Bar members. Small groups of attorneys will get the opportunity to explore practical issues relating to starting and running a small or solo firm.

The Basic Training course takes place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on February 20 at the D.C. Bar, 1250 H Street NW, sixth-floor conference room.

For more information or to sign up for Basic Training, contact Daniel M. Mills, manager of the Practice Management Advisory Service, at 202-626-1312 or dmills@dcbar.org.

Reach Kathryn Alfisi at kalfisi@dcbar.org.