May 11, 2021
WV STATE BAR OFFICE ACCESS
The State Bar Center will be open for individual/in-person access for members beginning March 1, 2021. Masks will be required. Group meetings will continue to be held via Zoom access until further notice. Bar staff remain available and happy to answer questions and/or assist members of the Bar and public, via telephone or email, during normal operating hours of 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. The Bar can be reached by calling 304-553-7220.


News
Workers’ Compensation Litigation Process

Senate Bill 275, effective June 30, 2021, changes the litigation process for Workers’ Compensation claims. The Workers’ Compensation Board of Review seeks input on the process of implementing the new legislation. A virtual meeting of the State Bar Workers’ Compensation Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, May 12, 2021, at noon. Committee members and all other interested participants may join the meeting by going to : https://zoom.us/j/3045537220?pwd=M2ExUnlZUXcxQ0JZdlg1MVpUTXlqUT09Passcode: 800800
 
To join audio by telephone dial: 1-646-558-8656 and use meeting ID: 304 553 7220

Events
Court Improvement Program’s Lunch and Learn Series
Friday, May 14, 2021 - Noon to 12:50 p.m.

HOST: Court Improvement Program of the Division of Children and Juvenile Services.
Topic: Basic primer of domestic violence and introduces SAFeR, a new resource for assessing domestic violence available throughout West Virginia.
Speakers: The Honorable Cindy Scott of the 17th Judicial Circuit and Cydney Fields of the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
CLE: 1 credit
Although the Lunch and Learn series is geared toward abuse and neglect matters, this session provides useful information to anyone who encounters issues of domestic violence in their practice.

Please contact Kandi Greter at kandi.greter@courtswv.gov with any questions or concerns. 
Code Updates from the 2021 WV Legislative Session
and Discussion of SB277
MAY 25, 2021 - Noon

Host: The Government Lawyers' Committee
CLE:  2.1 credits
Cost: Free
Location: Webinar - Zoom
Speakers: Doren Burrell, West Virginia Division of Legislative Services, will provide an overview of the legislation that passed during the 2021 session and Christopher Ross, Pullin, Fowler, Flanagan, Brown & Poe, will discuss SB 277, the Covid-19 Jobs Protection Act. 

2021 BASIC MEDIATION TRAINING
JUNE 2 and 3, 2021
Host: State Bar ADR Committee
CLE: 16.5 credits including 1 Ethics
Cost: $150
Location: Flatwoods Days Inn and Suites and Flatwoods Conference Center, 350 Days Drive, Sutton, WV

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Flatwoods Days Inn & Suites at the discounted rate of $99.00 plus and taxes and fees for June 1 and 2. To receive the discounted rate, inform the hotel that you are attending the WV State Bar's event when making your reservation. The reservation contact number is 304-765-5055.  

Information on the Advanced Mediation Training, scheduled for July 29, 2021, coming soon

Save the Date for a live Bridge the Gap Program
July 23, 2021
Rescheduled from our Spring event
 
Host: West Virginia State Bar Young Lawyer Section Bridge the Gap Program
About: Each new lawyer admitted to practice after July 1, 2018 through December 31, 2020 will have thirty-six months after their date of admission to complete the program. All new lawyers admitted on or after January 1, 2021 will have twenty-four months after their date of admission to complete the program.
Location: The Summit Bechtel Reserve – Glen Jean, West Virginia
Date and Time: July 23, 2021, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Cost: Free

The Summitt Bechtel has 24 rooms available for the program. Reservations can be made by calling Curtis George at 304-465-2800 or Curtis.george@scouting.orgPlease reference BTG2021 when making your reservation. Room rates are $125 for a king or queen room or $140 for a room with two queen beds and a sofa.  *

Only attorneys admitted after July 1, 2018 OR attorneys admitted prior to July 1, 2018, who have not previously completed the Bridge the Gap requirements, may attend the live course and satisfy the mandatory Bridge the Gap requirements.
 

Registration will be open on the West Virginia State Bar website beginning June 18, 2021.



CLE Announcements
Temporary Waiver of Online and In-house
Continuing Legal Education Credit Limit

Due to ongoing concerns associated with the COVID-19 virus, the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia has granted a request from the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Commission for a temporary waiver of current CLE rules and regulations which limit the CLE credits for online and in-house credits to 12 credits, or half of the mandatory continuing legal education requirements FOR THE 2020-2022 reporting period.

Extension of the Bridge the Gap Requirement
Attorneys admitted to the WV State Bar between July 1, 2018 and December 31, 2020 have been granted a one-year extension of time to complete the mandatory Bridge-the-Gap Program.
The extension was based on a determination by the Court that attorneys within that time frame were adversely affected by the cancellation of the Bridge-the-Gap program scheduled in April 2020 due to COVID.