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The Causeway
The Monthly Newsletter for the Franklin County Bar Association
May, 2017
"The law is a causeway upon which, so long as he keeps to it, a citizen may walk safely" Robert Bolt, playwright
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We hope you enjoy the new, streamlined, mobile-friendly format.
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Volunteers Needed for Wills for Heroes
The FCBA YLD will be hosting a Wills for Heroes event on Saturday, May 6th, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at 20 East Sixth Street, Waynesboro, PA. The mandatory training for all the preparer volunteers will be held 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. You will receive CLE credits for attending this training.
You do not need any estate experience to be a preparer volunteer. We will have experts onsite to assist you with any questions.
If you are unable to be a preparer you can volunteer to be a witness. If you are available please consider signing up for the whole day. The FCBA YLD will be providing lunch for all volunteers!
If a member of your staff is a notary or is willing to be a witness, please let us know.
You can view open volunteer slots HERE.
Wills for Heroes programs provide essential legal documents free of charge to our nation's first responders, including wills, living wills, and powers of attorney. By helping first responders plan now, they ensure their family's legal affairs are in order before a tragedy hits. The 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit Wills for Heroes Foundation supports these Wills programs, giving back to the community and "protecting those who protect us."
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Walk a Mile in Her Shoes
It's not just a women's issue!
WIN's fifth annual walk will take place on Friday, May 5, 2017 and, again, we need your help. We're looking for men to don a pair of bright red high heels and walk just 6 blocks along Main Street in Downtown Chambersburg.
Register as an individual walker or as a team of up to 4 walkers. Registration fee includes a Walk a Mile t-shirt and the use of high-heels during the walk.
click here for more information
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Friends of Legal Services Book Sale
The 33rd Annual Friends of Legal Services Book Sale will be held May 19, 20, and 21, 2017 at Wilson College's Laird Hall in Chambersburg. As many of you know, the Friends of Legal Services have a long tradition of raising critically-needed funds to support the provision of civil legal services for low-income people in our community. The Book Sale is a lot of fun, brings people together in a spirit of camaraderie, promotes literacy, and benefits a great cause!
Don't miss the fun this year! Would you consider volunteering? Maybe you would be interested in bringing your family, friends, co-workers, or even your entire office along. You can all be signed up to volunteer together!
Volunteers are needed for the following shifts:
Thursday, May 18
(Please note that volunteers CAN purchase books on set-up day.)
- Set-up: 9 or 9:30 a.m. - noon or 1:00 p.m
- 1:00 p.m. - ? (Please note that the bulk of the set-up may already have been completed by early to mid-afternoon, but volunteers are still welcome to sign up for this time if interested and in case the work is not yet completed.)
Friday, May 19
- Check-out: 9-11 a.m., 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 1-3 p.m., 3-5 p.m., 5-7 p.m., 7-9 p.m.
Saturday, May 20
- Check-out: 9-11 a.m., 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 1-3 p.m., 3-5 p.m.
Sunday, May 21
- Check-out: noon - 2 p.m., 2-4 p.m.
If you would like to volunteer, please contact Gloria Keener at Franklin County Legal Services (
gloria@fcls.net
or 717-262-2326) by preferably April 26 and let her know what shift(s) you would like to sign up for and who will be coming.
There will be food/drinks sold on set-up day and during the Sale.
Thank you very much for your support!
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Angle Education Trust Scholarship/Loan
Notice is hereby given that applications are being accepted for the Angle Education Trust Scholarship/Loan, which is awarded to young persons from Franklin County, PA, studying to be lawyers. Please write to
kcummins@wilmingtontrust.com to obtain more information and an application.
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Save the Date
The 15th Bench Bar Conference of the 39th Judicial District will be held on Friday, October 13, 2017 at the Whitetail Ski Resort in Mercersburg, PA.
Whitetail completed a 31,000 square foot expansion for $8.5 Million in 2016, making it an ideal location for our conference.
The Franklin County Bar Association invites you to become a sponsor for our 39th Judicial District Bench Bar Conference. Each attendee receives a conference binder containing legal education materials and information about our conference sponsors.
Print advertisements to be included in our binder are: 1/4 page ads for $100, and full-page ads (8 ½ X 11 inch) for $250. To place an ad, please contact Amelia Ambrose, at 717-267-2032 or
director@franklinbar.org
by Friday, July 30, 2017.
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FCBA's YMCA Corporate Basketball Team
pictured: back row l-r, Bradley Bolinger, Zach Rice, Rosby Carr, Stephen Coccorese, front row l-r, Alex Bolinger (Brad's son), Tony Cosentino, and Laban Betts (PA State Trooper)
Several members of the FCBA represented our Bar in the YMCA Corporate Basketball League. The league bagan this season on January 11th and teams played Monday and Wednesday nights. The team won its first payoff game on April 4th.
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Race Against Poverty
The FCBA YLD invites you walk or run on Friday, June 2nd at the Race Against Poverty! YLD members plan, volunteer and participate in this worthy fundraising event.
Support Circles is a collaborative effort working to build relationships that inspire and equip our community to overcome poverty. Through this initiative, we are seeing community members move into long term stability as their dreams become reality.
May 1st is the last day to sign up and receive a discount. Registration by May 17 is required to guarantee you receive a race shirt.
REGISTRATION FEES
Kids Dash - Free & Donation Items
Kids 1 Miler - $10 & Donation Items
5K Walk/Run Youth (17 and under) - $15 ($20 after May 1st)
5K Walk/Run (18 and older) - $25 ($30 after May 1st)
RACE DAY SCHEDULE
5:30 pm - Check In Opens
6:30 pm - Kids 1 Miler
6:45 pm - Kids Dash
7:00 pm - Walk Start
8:00 pm - Race Start
8:45 pm - Awards Ceremony
Note:
Check In
for runners closes at 7:30pm on Race Day.
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Press Releases, Memos and Important Notices
The entire MidPenn organization will be closed on May 18th and 19th for a training. Additionally, they will not be open for intake until approximately 1:00 p.m. on Monday, May 22nd.
April 24 -
PBA now accepting applications for the PBA Leadership Institute.
The PBA Bar Leadership Institute is designed to provide emerging leaders, representing a broad cross-section of the diversity of the PBA membership, with an opportunity to learn about the PBA while actively participating in key meetings. Participation in the Bar Leadership Institute provides numerous opportunities to network with PBA members and leadership and helps build lasting relationships that will serve as an invaluable resource for future success.
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Upcoming PBI CLEs at FCBA
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Member News
* Kristin Nicklas and Nicklas Law Office has moved to 183 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg, PA 17201. The phone and fax numbers are the same: ph -717-414-7242 and fax - 717-414-7246.
* FCBA welcomes its newest member, the Honorable Beverly Doneker. She is a Workers' Compensation Judge in Chambersburg, PA.
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MidPenn Legal Services is excited to announce that Victoria Beard, Esq. will be joining the MidPenn team as of May 8th pursuant to a new grant through VOCA. Attorney Beard will be providing legal services for individuals aged sixty and older who have suffered physical abuse, sexual violence, and/or financial crimes. MidPenn has partnered with Women in Need and the local Area Agencies on Aging, both of which will be providing referrals to MidPenn for individuals requiring such assistance.
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The Medical Assisting students of Franklin County Career and Technology Center had a unique interactive opportunity with our public judicial system. On Thursday, April 6th, nineteen students and two instructors observed several cases in the 39th Judicial District Court with the honorable Judge Shawn D. Meyers on the bench. The following day, Judge Meyers made a special visit to FCCTC to discuss the students' court experience and describe the judicial system as it relates to the ethics and law within the medical field. He connected the personal experiences in law with the patient care the students will experience in their careers. Much like in health care, court can be unpredictable. Judge Meyers disclosed, "It's real. You think you know what everyone is going to say. It's amazing what happens in real life."
Judge Meyers discussing court experiences with the Medical Assisting class at FCCTC.
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Newsletter items deadline
The deadline to submit items for The Causeway is the 20th of each month
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"Since our last chat..."
"Since our last chat..." is a periodic column in The Causeway by Bar member Barb Townsend.
I visit the Prothonotary's office frequently, sometimes multiple times in a day. For a short period, I served as the solicitor for the office, following the extended service by Clinton T. Barksoll, Esq. It should be no surprise then that I had a chance to talk with Timothy S. Sponseller, Esq., our newly elected Prothonotary. Frankly, I was curious...what would Tim, a long term solo practitioner, notice about the difference in running his elected office.
Tim was quick to distinguish his newest roll form his other work experiences. He had been a solo practitioner for more than three decades, concentrating in real estate and bankruptcy. His new role has many mor administrative components, more personnel to supervise, and more financial duties. He quickly observed that he would never accept the role of County Treasurer. He observed that the Prothonotary's Office is a service office which directs issues, never resolves them, and is not the final destination. His challenges are the mushrooming of pro se litigants and the transition to more technology. His role in the office is limited as there is not much discretion available in the discharge of his duties. Tim's partner, Courtney J. Graham, Esq., is acting as solicitor for the office.
Tim is a lifelong resident of Franklin County. He was a student at Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Mass., a private boarding school, graduating in 1966. Then he studied History at Shippensburg University, graduating in 1970. He worked some odd jobs around the county, notably at Penn National and the Orchards before heading to Temple school of Law. Awarded his juris doctorate in 1975, Tim decided he would rather be a country lawyer. He started his practice with Harry Bittle, Esq. Three years later, he moved to the offices at the Chambersburg Trust Company building, (now occupied by Franklin County administrative offices). He remained at this location until recently when he joined Courtney to form Sponseller/Graham LLC.
Tim likes Cape Cod, having purchased a place near Hyannis in 2011. He laughed and noted that his property is in the mid Cape Cod area. There's a private beach. His neighbors included Nancy H. Meyers, Esq.'s parents. Hint, he spent time there visiting with Judge Shawn D. and Nancy H. Meyers. Tim still loves running and golf.
Amelia sent me an e-mail: did I know that Eric Augustine, Esq., was back in the District Attorney's office? I was on my way to the courthouse anyway, so I went upstairs to confirm the news.
Eric returned to his position on March 3, 2017, after completing service in the Army JAG Corp. He was on leave from the D.A.'s office from the end of February 2012 to March 3, 2017.
During his military service, Eric was primarily a victim's advocate in sexual assault matters, working both with the Army and the Air Force. He explained that his work was done with a case by the end of all pretrial matters as his position did not permit active participation in any trial.
Eric is a 1982 graduate of Cumberland Valley High School. He graduated from Lock Haven with a combined degree in computer science and business. He then quickly found work, but admitted that he was totally bored after eight years of life in a cubical rewriting a whole chain of machine commands after discovering an error. (Eric called it 1000 lines of code. I just asked my granddaughter how to save a document on her computer.). Instead, he headed to Widener University Commonwealth Law School where he completed his juris doctorate in 1996.
Eric started his legal career in Dauphin County, working for the Attorney General's office and also private practice. His goals changed after 9-11. He spoke about how much he admired his father's service as a Seabee in Okinawa. At first Eric was unable to enlist. Seems he has a knee with multiple hardware. He continued his quest, ultimately earning a fitness waiver for JAG. Meanwhile, he began work as an assistant district attorney.
Eric was trying a case in Chambersburg. After the case was in recess, he was the subject of a media crush... He noticed a reporter from the ABC27, WHTM. When she e-mailed him with some follow up questions, he had his opening. [Here's a plot for a Hallmark movie chick flick]. Meghan and Eric married in 2014. She is currently the Deputy Press Secretary for Governor Tom Wolf.
Eric is now the father of four. He continues to live in Harrisburg, commuting daily to be available to all of his children. Eric's sons are Dustin, Ethan, 18; and Drew, 14. The younger two are actively engaged in high school sports. Eric's daughter, Noelle, is only five months old, so she has not yet declared a sport. Eric spends most of his free time with his family, coaching youth baseball. He also likes to be active in theater, having spent his youth seeing every production at Hershey Theater. Warning, though, if you don't want to hear Christmas music, don't ride in Eric's car.
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YLD Happy Hour - Thursday, May 4
Law Day Mock Trial -
Friday, May 5
Wills for Heroes - Saturday, May 6
Juror Appreciation Day - Monday, May 8
YLD Games Night - Tuesday, May 16
Board of Directors Meeting - Thursday
, May 18
Past Presidents' Luncheon - Friday, May 19
CLOSED, Memorial Day - Monday, May 29
YLD Happy Hour -
Thursday, June 1
YLD Meeting - Friday, June 2
Race Against Poverty - Friday, June 2
YLD Games Night - Tuesday, June 22
CLOSED, Independence Day - Tuesday, July 4
YLD Happy Hour - Thursday, July 6
YLD Meeting - Friday, July 7
YLD Games Night - Tuesday, July 18
Board of Directors Meeting - Friday, July 21
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Franklin County Bar Association
100 Lincoln Way East, Suite E, Chambersburg, PA 17201
director@franklinbar.org
717-267-2032
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