Greetings!
Although Governor Mills has extended the state's stay-at-home order, through a revised "stay safer at home" order, and outlined a plan to reopen Maine's economy, our work continues.
Here at the MSBA, we remain committed to supporting you through this crisis, and I am pleased to write to you today with an update on some of our latest efforts.
Bar Headquarters:
MSBA offices will remain closed to the public, but staff continue to work remotely. We plan to reopen Bar Headquarters June 1, in accordance with the Governor's current staged reopening guidelines.
Summer Bar Conference:
We have cancelled the Summer Bar Conference. The room block at the Harborside Hotel, Spa & Marina has been released, so any reservations at the hotel during the Summer Bar Conference have been cancelled by the hotel.
Family Law Institute:
Originally scheduled for the fall of 2020, this event has been postponed to May 20-21, 2021.
Judicial Branch Update:
We continue to field questions from members about the Pandemic Management Orders. We are working with the Judicial Branch to get additional information and clarification about the orders and their impact on our law practices and our clients' access to justice.
Please email your questions to me at
thaddeus@mainelegalservices.net
or Angela Armstrong at
aarmstrong@mainebar.org
. In the meantime, if you have not seen the Court's Pandemic Management Orders, you can read them
here
.
Governor's Office Update:
We are working to serve as a resource to the Governor's office to aid in the reopening of law offices according to "
Restarting Maine's Economy
."
CLE:
Although in-person meetings are not available presently, there are many other opportunities to earn your CLE credits. Visit the CLE Calendar
here
. There are options for you to meet live requirements and obtain H&D and ethics credits. We are currently working on CLEs to assist you in reopening your law offices and helping your staff get back to work safely and efficiently.
COVID-19 Resources:
I encourage you to visit our
COVID-19 Response
page for information and resources. Finally, MSBA staff are available to assist you with questions. A complete staff list, with contact information, can be found
here
.
Bar Talk:
Bar Talk continues daily, Monday through Friday. If you haven't joined us already, please join us each weekday at 11:00 a.m. for our "Daily Zoom Update with President Day & ED Armstrong." These are 15-minute briefings designed to keep you informed about the state of legal affairs in Maine and the MSBA's response to the COVID-19 crisis.
Special guests next week include MSBA Lobbyist Jim Cohen (May 4), MAP Executive Director Bill Nugent (May 5), Cumberland County District Attorney Jonathan Sahrbeck (May 6), Chief Civil Service Deputy Harry McKenney (May 7), and Bar Counsel Aria Eee (May 8).
Meeting ID:
215 380 3769
To participate by phone:
1-646-558-8656
You may also dial-in if your computer does not have speakers.
Please email questions and concerns to Angela Armstrong at
aarmstrong@mainebar.org
and we'll address them during our Zoom conference.
I look forward to connecting with you during our next Bar Talk on Monday at 11:00.
