Utah State Bar November eBulletin |
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Bar Survey Gives Picture of Where Lawyers Stand on Key Issues |
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Last spring, before the days of COVID, the Bar conducted a survey of its members. The purpose of this survey was to understand legal trends from a perspective of Bar members; compile feedback about demographics, economics, job satisfaction and advertising, with an emphasis on work/life balance and diversity and inclusion; discover ways to improve service offerings to Bar members; and to compare results from the 2011 survey to see how things have changed.
The survey was conducted anonymously between February 19 and March 12. The survey was emailed to members with reminders via social media and the eBulletin. The survey was cross-promoted with the Women Lawyers of Utah survey.
More than 3,000 Bar members responded. We learned some interesting things. Female membership of the Bar has increased 18 percent since the 2011 survey. One third of respondents reported facing challenges due to gender, religion, age, nationality, disability or sexual orientation.
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Bar Executive Director John Baldwin Retiring Effective June 30 |
For the first time in more than three decades, the Utah State Bar will have a new executive director at the beginning of the new Bar year. John Baldwin has elected to retire effective June 30.
John has supervised the Bar through recessions, tough financial times, and, to wrap up his career, a pandemic. He’s seen the Bar grow from 5,500 attorneys to more than 13,000, with all the challenges that accompany such growth.
“I’ve been fortunate to work with such dedicated and talented Bar leaders and staff,” John said. “And I’ve been able to be a part of the vision and development of some great benefit programs for both the public and for attorneys.”
The Bar implemented its New Lawyer Training Program, expanded its Access to Justice program, created the award-winning Licensed Lawyer attorney referral service, and instituted an on-line legal clinic under John’s direction.
"John is an institution,” said immediate past president Herm Olsen. “He had superb qualifications to lead the Bar, and he only became better over time. He deserves a long rest on a warm sandy beach somewhere. He is a consummate gentleman.”
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Photo: John Baldwin, S.J. Quinney College of Law, Class of 1980 |
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Licensing Renewal Late Fees Begin, Renew by Dec. 1 to Avoid Suspension |
The annual Bar licensing renewal process is in progress and can be done online only. An email containing the necessary steps to re-license online was sent on June 5.
Online renewals and fees submitted after October 31* will be considered late and an additional $100 late fee will be assessed. Your license will be suspended unless the online renewal is completed and payment received by December 1*. Renewal after suspension for non-payment will require an additional $200 reinstatement fee.
To receive support for your online licensing transaction, please contact us either by email to onlinesupport@utahbar.org or, call 801-297-7021 .
*This one-time extension by 90 days of the deadlines for the assessment of late fees and suspension for non-payment is for this licensing year only.
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Well Being Byte: Plan Ahead to be Successful This Winter |
Has your strategy to handle the pandemic relied heavily on being outside? In this month's Well Being Byte, the chair of the Bar's Well-Being Committee gives you some tips on how to modify your pandemic plan for the coming winter. Listen to this month's well-being byte to find out more.
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Live CLE Requirement Suspended for 2021 Compliance Cycle |
The Supreme Court has authorized the Board of Continuing Legal Education to suspend the traditional live in-person credit requirement for lawyers reporting in 2021, allowing all required CLE to be fulfilled with online self-study with audio or video presentations, webcasts or computer interactive telephonic programs.
PLEASE NOTE: The 2020 Compliance Reporting Period Extension does not apply to the 2021 Compliance Reporting Period.
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Utah Minority Bar Association Announces Virtual 2020 Scholarship and Awards Banquet |
The Utah Minority Bar Association (UMBA) will be holding its annual Scholarship & Awards Banquet on Thursday, November 12th at 5 p.m. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this year's banquet will be held virtually via Zoom. This year, UMBA is honored to announce Judge Raymond S. Uno as the keynote speaker and honoree. Judge Uno has been a longstanding pillar in Utah's legal community and relentless advocate for minority communities. As such, we are pleased to announce that this year's banquet will feature the inauguration of the Judge Raymond S. Uno Lifetime Achievement Award. Awards will also be given to attorneys, firms, and community members for their demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion in Utah.
If you are interested in purchasing tickets for this year's virtual banquet and donating to our scholarship fund, please visit our website. The deadline for ticket purchases and donations is Monday, November 9th.
We thank you for your ongoing support and hope to see you virtually on November 12th!
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Additional Entities Approved to Operate in the Regulatory Sandbox |
Utah's Office of Legal Services Innovation has approved six additional entities to operate in Utah's legal "regulatory sandbox."
The entities are:
• FOCL Law, a TurboTax-like software program for completion of financial disclosures in divorce proceedings.
• AGS Law: Law firm with minority non-lawyer ownership interest offering comprehensive legal and non-legal services to dentists purchasing or winding up their practices.
• Nuttall, Brown, & Coutts: Law firm partnering with insurance companies to provide legal subscription services to consumers; personal injury self-service app; ADR platform.
• Fiduciary Law: The Fiduciary Law Firm is a proposed new law firm entity to be launched with 100% ownership held by R&R Group, Inc. R&R Group, Inc. is a privately-held, for-profit corporation currently operating in the state of Utah. Majority ownership is held by Rick Stanzione. The company owns multiple subsidiaries offering a variety of services, including financial and investment advising, basic tax and accounting services (no CPA or public company auditing services), and insurance.
Fiduciary Law will offer legal services to the clients of other R&R Group entities and to the public generally. Once the entity is formed, R&R Group will bring on at least one Utah licensed lawyer as a minority owner of the firm.
• Estate Guru is an online software platform that helps thousands of individuals navigate estate planning documents, wills, health care directives and other estate matters.
• Firmly: Proposes creating a technology driven, startup-focused law firm to serve and increase access to affordable legal counsel for the growing entrepreneurial community in Silicon Slopes. The firm will develop software tools to facilitate provision of efficient and transparent legal services, purchased by subscription. The firm will include at least one nonlawyer, software developer equity partner.
Further information about the sandbox and its participants can be found on the Office of Legal Services Innovation website.
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Bar Creates New Online Marketplace to Supplement Beneplace Offerings |
The Utah State Bar has organized a new marketplace consisting of offers from vendors offering services to Bar members at special rates. These vendors offer a variety of services designed to help you in your practice, all at discounted rates available only to preferred customers. If you have questions, visit the marketplace or email David Clark.
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