Utah State Bar January eBulletin
Looking Forward to a Great Year in 2019
Welcome to 2019! Hopefully you are expecting as great a year for yourself as we are for the Bar in general and for the legal profession. The coming of a new year is traditionally a time to look for ways to improve and make ourselves better, and it’s no different for an organization. One of the Bar’s resolutions is to make the 2019 Summer Convention the best ever – starting by bringing the Convention home to Park City, July 18-20, 2019.  This great location will make our Convention more accessible to more Utah attorneys than ever, and it will be right here at our own world-class venue in Park City.  Long-time traditions such as the opening outdoor reception, the family carnival and law school receptions will all be there, along with world-class CLE and amazing keynotes.  The Convention Committee has already been working for months to make it a memorable and worthwhile convention for attorneys and their families. Book your rooms now, by going  here.    

And, don’t forget our popular Spring Convention in St. George. It’s just around the corner.  If you haven’t been to a Spring Convention, you are missing an excellent CLE opportunity and the first taste of warm weather among the beautiful red rocks of St. George.  You can register here.

Back to our thoughts for the New Year, there are many important issues on our mind at the Bar that we will continue to emphasize during 2019:  First, we will continue to focus on lawyer well-being. Few professions carry as much stress as being an attorney. Only recently, through the efforts of the ABA and others, have reliable statistics underscored the toll stress takes on our profession. We can and need to do more to take care of ourselves and our colleagues.  In addition to being the right thing to do, there is a strong business and economic argument for doing so.  You’ll continue to see this emphasis at conventions and elsewhere, and ask that you emphasize it as well for yourself and your organization.
  
Second, we will continue to work on connecting lawyers with those who need them, from those who are looking to retain attorneys for a fee to those who need a lawyer but can’t afford one. Access to Justice will always be a priority of the Utah State Bar.  But in between those two categories of potential clients, many individuals and small businesses in Utah do not understand what a lawyer can do for them or how an attorney will charge for various services.  These potential clients are not even looking for an attorney, when there is much good a lawyer can do for them.  We want to make it easier to reach these prospective clients including by reviewing and, where appropriate, changing or eliminating barriers, perceived or real, to communicating with them.  

I look forward to the coming year, with all its opportunities and challenges, and hope you do as well.  See you at our conventions! 

H. Dickson Burton
Utah State Bar President
Bar Seeks Nominations for Second and Third Division Commissioners
Nominations to the office of Bar Commissioner are hereby solicited for one member from the Second Division and two members from the Third Division - each to serve a three-year term. Terms will begin in July 2019. To be eligible for the office of Commissioner from a division, the nominee's business mailing address must be in that division as shown by the records of the Bar. Applicants must be nominated by a written petition of ten or more members of the Bar in good standing whose business mailing addresses are in the division from which the election is to be held. Nominating petitions are available here . Completed petitions must be submitted to John Baldwin, Executive Director, no later than February 1, 2019 by 5:00 p.m.

NOTICE: Balloting will be done electronically. Ballots will be e-mailed on or about April 1st with balloting to be completed and ballots received by the Bar office by 5:00 p.m. April 15th.
In order to reduce out-of-pocket costs and encourage candidates, the Bar will provide the following services at no cost:
  1. space for up to a 500-word campaign message plus a photograph on the Utah Bar Website due February 1st;
  2. a set of mailing labels for candidates who wish to send a personalized letter to the lawyers in their division who are eligible to vote; and
  3. a one-time email campaign message to be sent by the Bar. The campaign message will be sent by the Bar within three business days of receipt from the candidate.

If you have any questions concerning this procedure, please contact John C. Baldwin at (801) 531-9077 or at director@utahbar.org . 
Nominations Open for Dorathy Merrill Brothers and Raymond S. Uno Awards
The Board of Bar Commissioners is seeking applications for two Bar awards to be given at the 2019 Spring Convention. These awards honor publicly those whose professionalism, public service, and public dedication have significantly enhanced the administration of justice, the delivery of legal services, and the improvement of the profession. 

Please submit your nomination for a 2019 Spring Convention Award no later than Thursday, January 14 2019. Use the  Award Form  to propose your candidate in the following categories:

1.     Dorathy Merrill Brothers Award  - For the Advancement of Women in the
Legal Profession.

2.     Raymond S. Uno Award –  For the Advancement of Minorities in the Legal
Profession.

Read a  description and criteria of the awards  and take a look at  the list of our past award recipients.  The Utah State Bar strives to recognize those who have had singular impact on the profession and the public. We appreciate your thoughtful nominations.
Breakfast Bar Review Scheduled for January 31
The Breakfast Bar Review, sponsored by the Litigation Section and the Utah State Bar, will be held January 31, 2019 at the Matheson Courthouse. The event will feature an introduction to the Matheson Courthouse and a Judicial Reception, beginning at 8 a.m. CLE begins at 9 a.m. Please RSVP to Christy Abad here. We'll see you there!
Utah State Bar Announces Leadership Academy Participants
The Utah State Bar has announced the participants for the 2019 Leadership Academy. Participants will include Geiry Achecar, Monica Diaz, Shane Dominguez, Jonathan Felt, Jason Greene, Ruth Hackford-Peer, Mason Kjar, Savanah Lawrence, Larissa Lee, Melina Shiraldi, Nicholas Stiles and Michael Winn.
Women Lawyers of Utah's "Banter with the Bench" Luncheon Set for January 15
It’s time for one of WLU’s most popular annual events, Banter with the Bench!
Banter with the Bench is a luncheon where attendees have the opportunity to have a small group discussion at their table with one or two of our female judges. This is a rare opportunity to have meaningful in person interaction with our incredible female members of the bench.

This event is always very well-attended so get your tickets asap! 

Event details:
January 15, 2018, noon-1:15pm, Federal Courthouse
351 S. West Temple, SLC Jury Assembly Room
Ticket info:
$30 for WLU members, $20 for government/non-profit/students, $40 for non-members.
You must register if you want to get CLE credit.
 
Register here.  
Lighthouse Client Survey Spotlight: Did You Know?
Entrepreneurs consulting a lawyer on the purchase or sale of a business are willing to pay an average of $203 per hour. To see the values people put on other legal services click here.
Litigation Section Offers "Building Your Own Business" Marketing Seminar
The Litigation Section is kicking off the year with two CLE events scheduled for January 31. The Section will host a Judicial Reception/New Lawyer Introduction to the Matheson Courthouse (see above) followed by a marketing seminar, "Building Your Own Business--Marketing Yourself and Your Firm," at the Federal Courthouse, 351 S. West Temple, in the Jury Assembly Room. Registration is here .
Indian Law and Family Law Sections Sponsor CLE on Tribal Divorce Cases January 29
Tribal Law divorce issues will be the focus of an upcoming CLE event at the Federal Courthouse January 29. Topics will include division of property held on tribal lands, health benefits available to tribal members and dividends received by tribal members. One CLE hour is available, and the event runs from 12-1 p.m. To register, go here .