April is National Volunteer Month! |
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Today more than ever your professional expertise can help so many who are contacting us for civil legal assistance. Every day the Bar Association receives calls and emails asking for pro bono/reduced fee help because of the effects of the pandemic on their health and/or finances. Please consider joining a public service program during this month of national volunteer recognition.
Please know whether you have been an attorney for years or it is the beginning of your career, pro bono cases can provide the opportunity for you to explore new areas of law with a seasoned MENTOR. There are volunteer opportunities in many areas of law and staff prescreen potential clients for eligibility. Please contact Elisa King or John Ellis by email at eking@ribar.com, jellis@ribar.com, or phone at 401-421-7758 for further details. |
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There are so many great CLE programs being offered virtually this April! Below are just a few. Don’t forget to check out the CLE Calendar for all of our program offerings.
Child Custody Issues and the Role of the GAL
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., 1.0 credit
Live Webinar Only
Mindfulness for the Busy Lawyer - Part 4
12:30 – 1:30 p.m., 1.0 ethics
Live Webinar Only
A Lawyer’s Guide to “The Mobile Office – Work From Home Best Practices”
12:00 – 1:00 p.m., 1.0 credit
Live Webinar Only
Litigating Dog Bite Claims in Rhode Island
12:30 – 1:30 p.m., 1.0 credit
Live Webinar Only
Starting a Law Firm in 2021: Why It's Not as Crazy as It Sounds
1:00 – 3:00 p.m., 2.0 credits
Live Webinar Only
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Don't forget, during the month of April, every CLE registration is a chance to win! For every seminar you attend, your name will be entered into a raffle to win a Microsoft Ergonomic Mouse! The more seminars you attend, the greater your chances are to win!
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Rhode Island Bar Association 2021 Virtual Annual Meeting!
The Rhode Island Bar Association Virtual Annual Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 23 and Thursday, June 24, 2021. Our plenary speakers, the Honorable O. Rogeriee Thompson of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, and the Honorable John J. McConnell, Jr., Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island, will draw upon their career experiences to lead a discussion and provoke a meaningful conversation about the practice of law. Our 18 fantastic workshops, skillfully organized by our excellent presenters, include such topics as:
- Case Law Updates - Criminal and Civil
- View from the Bench: Link Between Animal Abuse and Domestic Violence
- A Progress Report on Lawyer Well-Being
- Easements & Boundaries Disputes
- Commercial Law Update
- Personal Jurisdiction over Defendants
- And more!
Our program will be presented on the engaging and interactive Eventmobi platform, and we are sure you will be impressed by what it has to offer and how easy it is to navigate. We may not be able to meet in person this year, but we can still embrace technology to increase our professional competence and say hello to old friends.
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Have You Read the March/April Issue of the
Rhode Island Bar Journal?
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Be sure to check out the Fear and Loathing in Kennedy Plaza article written by Attorney Peter J. Comerford, Esq. This informative article explores the use of literary references in opinions issued by Rhode Island Judges and Judges across the U.S. The article references the groundbreaking decision in Carroll v. Craddock issued by Judge Mary S. McElroy of the federal district court for the District of RI on October 2, 2020.
As a reminder, the Rhode Island Bar Journal is now being distributed to members in a digital format via email only. To view the January/February issue click on the cover image to the left, or visit our website at ribar.com, sign in to the Members Only area using your Bar ID number and Password, and click on the Rhode Island Bar Journal Homepage. Currently, all issues of the Bar Journal since 2009 are available for download on our website in the Bar Journal Archive. |
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March – A Pro Bono Slam Dunk
Thank you to all of you who answered President D’Addarios’ “March Pro Bono Madness” message to accept a pro bono case. Your exceptional response to this request resulted in 30 cases being placed in a short period of time as well as three new attorneys who decided to join and take a case! The clients included individuals, families, and elderly persons who would not have had representation without your willingness to help those in need.
Please Help us Make Sure Everyone is Heard
If you are a member of the Lawyer Referral Service or Volunteer Lawyer Program and speak another language or have staff who do, please let us know today. Adding this information to your profile will help strengthen the referral process for those with language requests. Please contact Elisa King by email at eking@ribar.com or phone at 401-421-7799.
Seeking New Clients?
Did you know membership in the highly visible Lawyer Referral Service is only about $8.00 a month? For the annual fee of $100.00, we can help market your practice and increase your client base while you provide a public service. If you join now your membership will be prorated accordingly, so it is an excellent time to come on board. Further details about the LRS and Reduced Fee LRS are available by contacting Caitlin Poland by email at cpoland@ribar.com or phone at 401-421-7799. |
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5 Tips for Successful Spring Cleaning
Make a Schedule: Scope out your home and make a list of the areas that need the most work. Where do you skip during routine cleaning? Those are the best places to start. Regardless of where you start, having a plan will keep you focused on the task at hand.
De-clutter: Studies show that a disorganized home adds to your stress level. Clutter can send signals to your brain that work isn’t done. Since we’re all spending more time at home and in our home offices specifically, keeping a neat workspace is more important than ever to help keep stress at bay.
Always Work from Top to Bottom: When you think about how to spring clean your home, it’s important to start from the ceiling down. This will force debris downward and keep you from having to re-clean your space. If you have a vacuum with an extension hose, use it to get cobwebs and dust from your ceilings and fans first.
Don’t Forget Walls and Windows: People almost always clean their floors, but they typically forget about walls and windows. Not all dust settles on the floor and other surfaces. Just use a damp towel to wipe down walls and blinds (starting from the top). Remove and wipe down the window screens outside.
Let Spring Cleaning Set a New Tone: If your space feels dark and heavy, you can make small changes to help make it light and fresh for spring. Adding new colorful pillows or wall art are both great ways to change up your space. Replacing items like bedding, towels, table linens, and even window treatments are other ways to transform your rooms for spring and warm weather ahead.
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Follow Us on Social Media So You Never Miss an Update! |
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The Bar is going paperless! As a reminder, the Rhode Island Bar Journal is now being distributed to members in a digital format via email, as well as our monthly CLE seminar brochures. Make sure you are following us on all our social media accounts, so you never miss an update!
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Judicial Communications Survey 2021
The Bar Association posts a chart summarizing the preferences of Superior Court justices relating to direct communications from attorneys, and between attorneys and the justices’ clerks which is updated yearly. To view the updated chart for 2021, please click here or the image above. To access the chart on our website, please visit ribar.com and click on MEMBERS ONLY on the home page menu, and then click JUDICIAL COMMUNICATIONS SURVEY from the dropdown menu. |
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Probate Court Update 2021
The Rhode Island Bar Association regularly updates the Rhode Island Probate Court Listing to ensure posted information is correct. To view the most recent Probate Court Listing, compiled in the spring of 2021, please click here or the image above. To access the List on our website, please visit ribar.com, click on FOR ATTORNEYS on the home page menu and then click on PROBATE COURT INFORMATION on the dropdown menu. The Listing is provided in a down-loadable pdf format. Bar members may also increase the type size of the words on the Listing by using the percentage feature at the top of the page. |
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If you’re backing up your data via a physical drive of some kind (harddrive, thumb drive), that’s great and necessary. But, unless you’re also protecting that data by using an encrypted drive that’s password-protected, you’re only doing half the job. All of your law firm data, in whatever form, should be secured.
This tech tip is brought to you by the Bar Association’s Law Practice Management Consultant, Jared Correia, of Red Cave Law Firm Consulting. If you need help with billing, client relations, data management, financial management, marketing, office technology, time management, disaster prevention & recovery, or any other area related to managing your practice, Red Cave Law Firm Consulting will provide Rhode Island Bar Association members with unlimited virtual consulting services (email, telephone, chat, video) FREE OF CHARGE. To get started, visit the Bar’s LPM page here, or just email Jared directly at jared@redcavelegal.com. |
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Rhode Island Bar Association
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