August 15, 2023
Registration will open one month before the meetings in October and November.
Registration Fee is $100.00 per regional meeting.
News
West Virginia State Bar - Position Open
COMMUNICATION AND EVENT COORDINATOR

The WV State Bar is seeking an experienced and creative professional to fill its Communication and Events Coordinator position. The position requires an exceptional writer with outstanding communication and organizational skills. The Coordinator takes the lead on communicating with State Bar members and non-members through the use of digital and print communications. In addition, the Coordinator plans and books a variety of events at multiple locations around the state throughout the year. Resumes should be sent to Mary Jane Pickens at pickensmj@wvbar.org.
"Tuesday Legal Connect"
 
Your Fellow West Virginians Need Your Guidance!
The State Bar is in need of volunteer attorneys each Tuesday evening in August, to field legal questions from the public and provide legal information ONLY as part of the "Tuesday Legal Connect" program.
Volunteers from anywhere in the state can take calls remotely from their home, office, etc. All you need is a telephone and a computer/laptop/tablet.
Volunteers will receive 1 free pro-bono CLE credit for each two-hour shift completed. 
If you would be interested in helping tonight (8/15/23), or next Tuesday (8/22/23), please email David Frercks as soon as possible at dfrercks@lawv.net
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP REPORTING & FEE NOTICE
On June 13, 2023, an orange postcard was mailed to all Active, Active but not practicing, and Inactive Members via U. S. mail. The postcard contained instructions on how to complete annual reporting (FRD, IOLTA & Succession Planning - NOTE: This does not include CLE reporting) and pay annual fees for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. The deadline for reporting (FRD, IOLTA & Succession Planning - NOTE: Not CLE reporting) and paying annual membership fees is 11:59 p.m. September 1, 2023. 

The Bylaws of the WVSB and the Supreme Court's Administrative Rules of the State Bar do not provide for the waiver of penalties and reinstatement fees (non-military). Members are obligated to notify the WVSB within 10 days of any change in contact information (Bylaw 2.02). Notice to members is presumptively deemed adequate if transmitted using membership information on record with the WVSB (Bylaw 13.02). It is the duty of every member to keep informed about the payment of membership fees, and failure to receive notice of nonpayment or suspension shall not affect the operation of such suspension (Rule 3.03). Failure to receive the orange card does not relieve you of your responsibilities of reporting and paying your fees. 
The West Virginia Senior Legal Aid
Executive Director Position
The West Virginia Senior Legal Aid seeks applicants for the position of Executive Director. The position requires an attorney who will be responsible for directing a small staff and all aspects of the agency’s operations, maintaining the finances, and answering legal questions on the hotline for senior citizens. Salary is negotiable based on experience and the program’s finances. If interested, send inquiries and resumes to Bob Bastress, robert.bastress@mail.wvu.edu or P.O. Box 6130, Morgantown, WV 26506 by no later than September 15, 2023.
CLE
We are HALF-WAY through the 2022-2024 CLE reporting period –
are you on track to complete your CLE credits?
 
  • The CLE reporting period ends June 30, 2024.
  • Active members must report a minimum of 24 CLE credits, including at least 3 credits in one of the four ethics categories. Lower CLE requirements apply to attorneys admitted to practice during the reporting period. Those attorneys should refer to Administrative Rule 6.04(a).
  • No more than half of the total CLE requirements may be satisfied by pre-recorded presentations with no interactive component. 
  • Over 40 FREE online CLE credits are available on the WV State Bar website. These are recordings of previously presented State Bar courses. These courses/credits may be used to meet your CLE requirements if you have not previously completed and reported the course in a prior reporting period. Click here for the list of courses and credits.
  • All CLE must be reported via the online member portal at www.mywvbar.org.
  • Check your CLE transcript for accuracy. Correction requests must be submitted in writing to volka@wvbar.org. 
  • Confirm any credits that have been imported for you by CLE providers – such credits are “pending” on your CLE transcript. Credits are not part of your CLE total until they are confirmed.
CLE Rule Spotlight
Rule 6.07

Per Administrative Rule 6.07, there are requirements regarding returning to Active status, including completion and reporting of CLE. The steps for returning to Active status include (and should be completed in this order):

  • Twelve (12) credits of approved MCLE credit must be completed and reported, 3 credits of which must be in legal ethics, law office management, attorney well-being or elimination of bias in the legal profession. All 12 credits can be obtained by an online means if necessary and must be obtained in the 12 months immediately preceding the application to change to Active status.
  • Financial Responsibility Disclosure (FRD)/IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts) compliance reporting must be completed online. 
  • A written request to switch to Active status must be submitted. Your request should be submitted online using the Status Change request form.
  • Once all of the above information is confirmed, the Active membership fee for the fiscal year you wish to return to active status must be paid. A payment link will be emailed to you for any balance due.
Pro Hac Vice Tip

West Virginia Rules for Admission to the Practice of Law

Rule 8.0 of the West Virginia Rules for Admission to the Practice of Law establishes the process for Pro Hac Vice admission. The motion for Pro Hac Vice admission and accompanying verified statement must be uploaded with the State Bar, which the State Bar will then review for compliance with the rule. Rule 8.0(b) states that local counsel must “maintain an actual physical office equipped to conduct the practice of law in the State of West Virginia, which office is the primary location from which local counsel practice law on a daily basis.” The State Bar is frequently asked if an attorney, who holds a West Virginia license but is located in another state or jurisdiction, can be the sponsoring attorney. The answer is no. The sponsoring local counsel must be physically located in the West Virginia office.  
Events
August 17-19, 2023
136th Annual Meeting of The West Virginia Bar Association
 
Sponsor: The West Virginia Bar Association
Location: The Greenbrier Resort, White Sulphur Springs, WV
CLE:  8.6 credits including 1 credit in Legal Ethics
Cost: See registration link
 
Conference registration closes on Wednesday, August 9, 2023 at midnight
 
 
A block of room at the Greenbrier Resort has been reserved for overnight rates start at $329 per room, per night plus applicable taxes and fees. Discounted rates are available Thursday, August 17, 2023 through Sunday, August 20, 2023. The reservation deadline is Tuesday, July 18, 2023
 
Contact Lindsey Scripture with questions at director@wvbarassociation.org
August 22, 2023
Protecting the Public: Civil Rights Enforcement in West Virginia
(Live In-Person Attendance Only)

Sponsor: United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia
Location: WV School for the Deaf and Blind, 301 E Main St, Romney, WV 26757
CLE: 4.2 CLE credits
Cost: Free
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

To Register Contact Anna O'Neil at anna.oneil@usdoj.gov


Free and open to the public. The “Protecting the Public: Civil Rights Enforcement in West Virginia” event is intended to educate members of the legal community about federal civil rights enforcement.
 
Presenters from the U. S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia and the FBI will discuss tools for identifying, reporting, and preventing hate crimes. Further, the statutory mechanics of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) will be explained, and attendees will learn how to file complaints and obtain damages for persons experiencing discrimination in housing. Assistant U. S. Attorneys will provide an overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which includes information on accessibility requirements and protections afforded to service and emotional support animals. The event will conclude with a segment on environmental justice – the intersection of environmental law and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. 
SAVE THE DATE
September 13, 2023
Energy and Environmental Law CLE
(Live In-person and Virtually)

Host:  WV State Bar's Energy and Environmental Law Committee
Location:  The WV State Bar Center, Lower Level Conference Room, Charleston, and via video conference.
Time: 9:00 a.m. to noon
Cost: Free
CLE: 3 credits Pending




Facility Details:  Due to limited capacity for live attendance at the State Bar Center, live registration is limited to the first 35 registrants. Attendance via webinar is also limited to the first 500 registrants. You are encouraged to register early to secure a link to attend virtually. All attendees, whether in person or virtual, will receive an email confirming registration. If you do not receive a confirmation of registration, you will not be able to participate in the seminar on the day of presentation.  
 
Note to those attending in-person: If you are unable to use the stairs from the first floor to the lower level, please drive down the driveway on the left-side of the Bar Center and enter the building at the bottom of the driveway. Handicap accessible restrooms are available. If you need other assistance, please contact the State Bar 304-553-7220, in advance of the meeting, so arrangements can be made with you.
September 15, 2023
Twelfth Annual Lunch & Laughs With a Legal Legend

Host:  WV Bar Foundation
Location:  Erickson Alumni Center, Morgantown
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Cost: See registration link below

The West Virginia Bar Foundation's Board of Directors invites members of the judiciary, the legal profession, and the general public to attend the Twelfth Annual Lunch & Laughs with a Legal Legend on Friday, September 15, 2023, at the Erickson Alumni Center in Morgantown, beginning at 11:30 am.  This year's honored guest will be WVU College of Law, Steptoe & Johnson Professor of Law & Technology, Marjorie A. McDiarmid.


SAVE THE DATE
September 22, 2023
Family Law CLE

Host:  Kanawha County Family Law Bench-Bar Committee
Location:   Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center, Charleston, WV
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
CLE: Pending

Registration coming soon
October 5-7, 2023
2023 Appalachian Addiction and Prescription Drug Abuse Conference
The Creative Tension of Addiction Treatment and Recovery
 
Location: Morgantown Marriott at Waterfront Place, Morgantown, WV
Time: Beginning 9:00 a.m. on October 5
CLE: 15.6 credits including 5.4 in ethics
Registration Fee: $150.00

A limited number of registration scholarships are available please contact Shawnette D'Arco at darco@wvjlap.org. 

A block of rooms have been reserved at the Morgantown Marriott at Waterfront Place from Wednesday, October 4 - Saturday, October 7, 2023. The group rate is $149 per night plus taxes/fees.
Note: Room block reservation deadline is September 18, 2023
 
The West Virginia State Bar
www.wvbar.org
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