March 5, 2024

UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION

The State Bar will be mailing orange postcard reminders regarding membership reporting and fees in June for the July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025 fiscal year. Please be sure to log into the membership portal and verify or update your contact information (Bylaw 2.02 (b)) by JUNE 1.

Information that you will need to verify or update include:

1.  Name of Employer (If sole practitioner, enter the sole practitioner’s name)
2.  Address of Principal Place of Business
3.  Telephone and Fax Numbers
4.  Email Address

Amendments to the West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure -Adopted

EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2025

On January 31, 2024, the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia adopted amendments to the West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure to take effect on January 1, 2025.

Click Here to review the order adopting the amendments

Request for Public Comment on Proposed

Legal Ethics Opinion - 24-01

The Artificial Intelligence Committee of the Office of Lawyer Disciplinary Counsel is seeking public comment on a proposed legal ethics opinion on the use of Artificial Intelligence ("AI").

All comments must be filed in writing with the Artificial Intelligence Committee, c/o Office of Lawyer Disciplinary Counsel, 4700 MacCorkle Avenue SE, Suite 1200, Charleston, WV 25304 by no later than May 1, 2024.

Click Here to View the Draft Legal Ethics Opinion

CLE Reporting Tip

Non-Approved Course Applications and

Written Materials Requirement 

The CLE application for Non-Approved Courses requires at least a sample of the written materials for the course. The application clearly notes that a course must include the distribution of high quality written materials pertaining to the subjects covered. Agendas, course brochures, certificates of completion, session descriptions etc. are NOT high quality written materials pertaining to the subjects covered.  If a course did not include the distribution of actual written materials it should NOT be submitted for CLE credit in WV.

Events

March 8 and March 22, 2024

Court Improvement Program - Lunch and Learns

A Two-Part Lunch and Learn Series: Ethical Considerations in Abuse and Neglect Cases 

Host: Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, Court Improvement Program

Time: Noon to 1 p.m. - each session

CLE: 1 credit in Ethics per CLE session

Platform: Live WebEx  

Cost: No cost

You are invited to join a two-part series focused on ethical considerations in Abuse and Neglect Cases on March 8, 2024, and March 22, 2024 at Noon.

• March 8, 2024, Teresa Lyons, Esq. will present on ethical considerations related to the representation of children. Additionally, Sunni Faye of Mission WV will share a resource library useful in the representation of children.
• March 22, 2024, the Honorable James W. Courrier, Jr. of the 21st Judicial Circuit and Jeremy Cooper, Esq. will present on ethical considerations related to Adult Respondents.

Questions please reach out to Kandi Greter, kandi.greter@courtswv.gov or 304-340-2755.

Click Here to Register for the March 8, 2024 session

Click Here to Register for the March 22, 2024

March 22, 2024

The West Virginia Bar Association’s

Solo & Small Firm Seminar

Host: The West Virginia Bar Association

CLE: 7.8 Credits, including 5.4 in Ethics (Live & Audio-Visual Credit Available)

Date/Time: March 22, 2024 from 8:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.

Platform: Live & Virtual (Zoom)

Event Highlights: Join us for the inaugural Solo & Small Firm Seminar at Embassy Suites in Charleston, West Virginia where you'll gain further insights into the challenges and usefulness of artificial intelligence, cyber security, collecting evidence through text messages and social media, and more!

Speaker: Brett Burney, Vice President of eDiscovery Consulting at Nextpoint

Click Here to Register

March 27, 2024

Labor and Employment

Host: WV State Bar Labor and Employment Law Committee

CLE: Credits Pending

Location: In-person at the State Bar Center, Large Lower Level Conference Room, Charleston and via video conference.

Time: 9:00 a.m. - noon

Cost: Free

Topics & Speakers:

• "Independent Contractor Rule" presented by Allison Williams
• "Electronic Discovery" presented by Kirk Auvil and MIchael Secret
• "Current Issues In Appellate Practice and Procedures in the ICA and WVSCA" presented by Lonnie Simmons

Click Here for Live In-Person Registration

Click Here for Live Online/Webinar Registration

Registration deadline - Friday, March 22, 2024

Facility Details:  Due to limited capacity for live attendance at the State Bar Center, registration is limited to the first 35 registrants. Attendance via webinar is also limited to the first 500 registrants. There is an increased interest in attending webinars, therefore, 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.

April 7 - 8, 2024

West Virginia State Bar 2024 Annual Meeting

Host: West Virginia State Bar

Location: Embassy Suites, Charleston, West Virginia

Cost:

• $75 Banquet only
• $150 CLE Seminar only
• $225 Sunday Banquet and Monday CLE program

CLE: Pending

Sunday, April 7th - 

• 6:30-7:30 p.m. Attorney and Judicial Welcome Reception and sponsor displays.
• 7:30-9:30 p.m. Annual Banquet and sponsor displays

Monday, April 8th - 

• 8:00-9:00 a.m. Registration and sponsor displays
• 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Continuing Legal Education Program (includes a box lunch)

State Bar Members who are employed as Federal/State Public Defenders, Federal/State Court Law Clerks, and/or with Legal Aid of WV are offered a special discounted rate of $75 for the April 8th Seminar.

Registration closes on March 22, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.

Accommodations: A block of rooms has been reserved at the Embassy Suites, Charleston for $149/night for Sunday, April 7, 2024 only.

Room reservations must be made by March 15, 2024.

April 8, 2024 - 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Bridge the Gap Program

Host: West Virginia State Bar Young Lawyer Section

About: Newly admitted members are required to complete a mandatory Bridge-the–Gap Program sponsored by the State Bar within 24 months after admission to the West Virginia State Bar. Any new lawyer admitted to practice between July 1, 2018 and December 31, 2020 has thirty-six months after their date of admission to complete the program due to COVID extension accommodations ordered by the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. All new lawyers admitted on or after January 1, 2021, have twenty-four months after their date of admission to complete the program per Administrative Rule 6.03(a). 

Location: Embassy Suites, Charleston, West Virginia

Cost: Free

Click Here to Register

Registration Closes on March 28, 2024 at 5:00 p.m.

Hotel: A block of rooms has been reserved at the Embassy Suites, Charleston. Click here for the room reservation link. 

Only newly admitted attorneys who have not previously completed the Bridge the Gap requirement may attend the live course to satisfy the mandatory Bridge the Gap requirements.