January 12, 2021
News
Interest Rate for 2021
The Administrative Office of The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia has set the interest rate at 4.00 percent for judgments and decrees entered during the 2021 calendar year. 
Call for Judges: 2021 National Energy and Sustainability Moot Court
 
The National Energy and Sustainability Moot Court Competition, hosted March 10-13 by WVU Law, is seeking volunteer judges. This year, the competition is being held online. Early round judges must be attorneys of good standing licensed to practice law in any state. Now in its 11th year, the National Energy and Sustainability Moot Court Competition attracts exceptional law students from across the country. A record 40 teams are signed up to compete this year. To volunteer or for questions, please email wvumoot@mail.wvu.edu. For more information on the competition, click here.

TUESDAY LEGAL CONNECT
The State Bar is in need of volunteer attorneys on Tuesday evenings, during January 2021, to field legal questions from the public as part of the "Tuesday Legal Connect" program. Volunteers from anywhere in the state can now work remotely from their home, office, etc. All the volunteer needs is a telephone and computer/tablet etc. If you would be interested in helping in December, please email David Frercks as soon as possible.

2021 State Bar Membership Directory
See below for pre-order information and forms for the 2021 edition of the West Virginia State Bar 2021 Membership Directory. To pre-order a paper version, click here.
Events
JANUARY 14, 2021 Webinar
Supreme Court Update: City of Morgantown v. Calvary Baptist Church
Host:  West Virginia University College of Law Land Use Clinic
Location:  Live Zoom Webinar
Time: 12:00 to 1:30 p.m.
Cost:     $30
CLE: 1.8 WV credits, including 0 in ethics and law office management. Pending approval in PA, VA.

Questions contact Lauren McCartney at lauren.mccartney@mail.wvu.edu

JANUARY 19, 2021 Webinar
Securing Law Practice Technology and Reporting CLE

Host: WV State Bar
CLE: 3 credits in Law Office Management
Cost: Free
Time: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST
Location: Live Zoom Webinar
Speakers/Topics: 
  • Danielle Cox, WV Office of Technology
  •        Cybersecurity Essentials – Making yourself less of a target”
  • Todd Sexton, Identillect
  •         Is Your Mobile Device at Risk”
  • Angela Volk and Michael Mellace, WV State Bar
  •     “Reporting CLEs and Using State Bar Technology”

The webinar will focus on technology issues including how to keep your firm/office cyber secure, encrypting email, and how to report CLE. You and your employees are encouraged to attend the live webinar. Because Zoom capacity is limited, the Bar requests that attendees participate as a social-distance group rather than individually.  


FEBRUARY 4-5, 2021 Webinar
Litigation2021

Host:  West Virginia University College of Law
Location:  Live Zoom Webinar
Time: February 4 - 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
February 5 - 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Cost:     $225
CLE: 11.4 credits, including 2.9 in ethics and law office management. Pending approval in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

Questions contact Lauren McCartney at lauren.mccartney@mail.wvu.edu

FEBRUARY 18 - 19, 2021 Webinar
2021 WVAJ Mid-Winter Seminar LIVE, INTERACTIVE WEBINAR
Host: West Virginia Association for Justice
CLE: 15.90 credits, including 3.9 in ethics and law office management
Time: See Convention Program
Location: Live, Interactive Webinar
Open to all attorneys practicing in West Virginia. The best high-quality, low-cost CLE available, featuring leading state and national attorneys. Special discount available through January 31!


CLE Announcements
Extension of the Bridge the Gap Requirement
Attorneys admitted to the WV State Bar between May 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020 have been granted a one-year extension of time to complete mandatory the Bridge-the-Gap Program.
This extension is in addition to the one-year extension previously granted by the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia to those admitted between July 1, 2018, and April 30, 2019. A determination was made that additional attorneys were adversely affected by the cancellation of the Bridge-the-Gap program scheduled in April 2020 due to COVID.