Reflections From Bar President Dave Lewis

Over the last year, why an attorney should be a member of the Akron Bar Association has been the most frequently asked question these ears have heard although a close second might be “when does your term as president end anyway?” If you are reading this article, the odds are you have your own answer about why you maintain membership in the Bar and why you think its beneficial to do so. Perhaps you believe like me that membership is a must, if you practice law in Summit County, Ohio.

Before taking a deep dive into my response about "why be a member," let me tell you that my answer today is more robust and complete than it was a year ago when my term as president began. Perhaps like some of you, I looked at Bar membership primarily through the lens of what the Bar offers to me. The relationship building opportunities of Bar membership conveys much. And, you know the list of member benefits - at least in part - that justify membership from a benefit v. cost view: special no-charge CLE, section membership, access to Fastsase, and more. I could elaborate at some length about all the ways maintaining membership in the Akron Bar can benefit you. But I will leave that to the better efforts of the Membership Committee chaired by Vice-President of Membership Alicia Benedict O’Brien. Suffice to say that Akron Bar membership can be justified alone through what it delivers to you at a cost-effective membership fee.

What became more apparent to me over the last several months is how the Akron Bar offers the best venue, without exception, for helping others. Truly, attorneys are servants who help their clients solve legal problems and restore order after a disrupting experience. And attorneys, as you know, are at the top of the list when it comes to public service in churches, volunteer groups, civic undertakings, boards, youth coaches, and more. Many of us respond as individuals to such needs when called.

The Akron Bar offers several unique opportunities to help others in a corporate or macro sense such as by educating the public through its:

  • Access to Justice Committee that staffs the VALID Clinics where members of the public who are in need can get assistance in getting their driving privileges restored.
  • Mock Trial Committee that organizes and conducts the mock trial high school competitions in Akron.
  • Constitution Day Committee that welcomes new citizens.
  • Law Week Committee that promotes the legal profession.
  • Common Pleas, Municipal, and Appellate Courts Committee that helped organize the clothing drive for use by defendants during trials
  • Akron Bar Leadership’s efforts to support community charities like United Way and others.

Then, there are those Akron Bar committees’ efforts designed to help your fellow attorneys:

  • Lawyers Assistance that helps attorneys with addiction, substance abuse, and mental health issues.
  • William C. Becker Lawyers Fund Committee, supplemented by the Gearinger Fund, administers those donated funds that provide financial support for attorneys.
  • Maintenance of the Appointed Counsel List of those seeking to serve indigent criminal defendants.
  • Fee Arbitration Committee designed to resolve fee disputes between attorneys and their clients.

If you have a calling to serve others, then the Akron Bar, through its well-established committees, can help you channel your efforts in meaningful ways. You will feel fulfilled by helping others. And, like me, you may see membership through a different lens: it’s not just what I get out of membership but it’s also what I can give to others through membership in the Akron Bar. Membership, then, must be evaluated not just on what we get but how we give. Maintenance of a vibrant Akron Bar, through continued membership, will help us and those generations that follow us to continue programs such as those mentioned above that help others in important ways. Thank you.
Dave
Registration
4:45 pm
Networking and Cash Bar
5 - 6 pm
Akron Bar Leadership Academy Graduation Ceremony
5 pm
Foundation Fellows Champagne Toast - invitation only
5:30 pm
Dinner
6 pm
Program
6:45 pm

We're looking forward to seeing you next week!

Online/Self-Study CLE

The Akron Bar Association, in cooperation with other members of the Ohio Metropolitan Bar Association Consortium (OMBAC), is pleased to announce a new and improved platform for all of your self-study/online CLE needs. 


If you have not logged into our online CLE catalog since May 1, 2018, then - before you can complete a purchase - you must first reset your password using the email address associated with your old online CLE account.

Courses Completed Prior to 5/1/2018:
Your completion information and certificates of attendance have been transferred over to your new account and can be viewed after you log-in.

However, if you do not see completion information and certificates of attendance for programs you completed prior to May 1, 2018, you should:

  1. Go to https://ombac.ce21.com/
  2.  Log into your Legacy Account using your email address associated with your old OMBAC account.
  3. If you have not logged into the OMBAC site since May 1, 2018, then you need to reset your password using the email address associated with your old OMBAC account.

If you have any trouble logging in or resetting your password - please contact tech support at 877-602-9877.
June 29
8:30 - Noon
3.0 CLE (including 1.0 Attorney Conduct)


Click on the underlined title above for more information and to register.



THREE MORE FREE FRIDAYS! The Law Library Committee is underwriting a series of CLE programs during the coming months that cover technology and research.

Upcoming FREE CLE Dates Are:

*June 8 FREE Technology CLE postponed until July
– more info coming soon!
August 10, 2018
September 14, 2018
Social Worker Acting Pursuant to Statute Not an Agent
of Law Enforcement

The Ohio Supreme Court ruled on June 7 that social workers acting pursuant to  statute   when they interview those in custody —and who are not acting under the direction or control of law enforcement — are not law enforcement agents and do not have to read or remind those in custody of their rights before conducting the interview.

The Supreme Court ruled that a Cuyahoga County Children and Family Services social worker did not have to read Demetrius Jackson his Miranda rights   before interviewing him about the alleged 2015 rape of a 14-year-old girl, after Jackson had declined to speak with police after they read him his Miranda rights. Read more....
Monkey Selfie Lawsuit: PETA Loses Case
Arguing Monkeys Can Hold Copyright

A few weeks back, the legal world was treated to a ruling in one of the sillier cases to see a courtroom in recent memory–a lawsuit over whether a monkey could hold a copyright if it steals a camera and takes a selfie. Lo and behold, the answer is of course not. The law does not offer copyright protections to any type of animal. This probably seems obvious. However, this most recent ruling on the matter is the result of years in the courts. Read more....

Fastcase Tip for June 2018


Refine your search using the NOT operator. Maybe you are looking for cases where the court mentioned “sexual harassment”, but want to exclude cases that discuss sexual harassment in colleges, universities, or at school. Try limiting your search on Fastcase by searching for, “sexual harassment” NOT (school or universit* or college). See https://www.fastcase.com/blog/tip-learn-to-use-boolean-operators/ .

REMEMBER! FASTCASE IS FREE WITH YOUR AKRON BAR MEMBERSHIP!
OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE
(36  th  and Cleveland Avenue, NW, Canton, OH 44709)
 
Office and secretarial space available with office sharing arrangements at reasonable rate. Two story building. Willing to make receptionist arrangements. Access to conference room, reception, internet, copier/fax machine, and file room. Desks, chairs, and shelving for files can be included. Separate space available on second floor. Free parking. 

Please send inquiries to
330-493-9901
THEY'RE HERE!
The 2018 Legal Directories are now available for purchase at the Akron Bar office. We are open Monday-Thursday, 9 am - 5 pm and Friday 9 am - 4 pm. Member price is $49 per copy; non-member price is $69 per copy.

If you prepaid for your directory, you should have received an email notification from us dated March 14, 2018. If you did not receive an email and believe that you did prepay, please give us a call at 330.253.5007, and we will check our records.
Job Postings

Summit County Adult Probation Department

Summit County Court of Common Pleas

Summit County Court of Common Pleas

Reminger Co., LPA
"Fill the Closet" Clothing Drive
for Indigent Defendants

The Akron Bar, in partnership with Goodwill, is addressing the needs of indigent clients who are without appropriate clothing for court appearances. Defense counsel will have the opportunity to shop at any Goodwill location and select clothing from the general inventory.

We need YOU to help get this off the ground! As you clean out your personal closet, please consider donating those items to our "Fill the Closet" Drive. Donations should consist of court-appropriate clothing for men and women, dress shoes, dress socks, belts, and ties. You are encouraged to donate only those items that are in a condition that you would be comfortable handing down to family or friends.

The Akron Bar Association and Goodwill are drop-off locations for this drive. Details for defense counsel on how to shop at Goodwill are forthcoming.
Akron Bar Association
57 South Broadway, Akron, OH 44308
Phone: (330) 253-5007
Fax: (330) 253-2140