Bench Bar Conference and Seminar
3 Hours
Substantive 1 Hour Ethics
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Click
items in red to view presentation materials
8:00- 9:00
A.M. REGISTRATION/VENDOR REVIEW TIME
Grand Ballroom (Coffee
and Continental Breakfast).
Also, Bar Composite Photo Shoot – Barre Room.
INTRODUCTION
TO PROGRAM: - Grand
Ballroom.
John H. Kennedy, Esquire, Co-Chairperson,
Bench Bar Committee,
9:15-10:15
A.M. PLENARY SESSION: - Grand Ballroom.
Lincoln: Lawyer-in-Chief: Joseph F. Roda, Esquire, Power
Point Presentation.
10:15-10:30
A.M. BREAK.
Bar
Composite Photo Shoot – Barre Room.
Vendor
Review Time – Grand Ballroom.
10:30-11:30
A.M. CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS:
(I). CIVIL LITIGATION – Empress Ballroom.
Chairperson: John H. Kennedy, Esquire.
Presenters and Topics Include the Following:
Michael
R. Mey, Esquire 2012 Auto Insurance and Litigation Update.
Donald C. Ligorio, Esquire – Workers’ Compensation Case Law Update
and Recent Developments.
(II). CRIMINAL LITIGATION – Princess Ballroom.
Chairperson: Albert J. Flora, Esquire.
Presenters and Topics Include the Following:
Dr. William Anzalone Jr., Licensed Psychologist, and Michele Hardik, Esquire,
Assistant District Attorney, Luzerne County – An Overview of Luzerne County Mental
Health
Court.
Legal and psychological aspects; eligibility and referral process;
purpose and goals, and
Offender Program compliance.
Practice use of social workers in juvenile and adult criminal cases;
How to use social workers in criminal/juvenile defense, and Social ethics
within the context of the criminal justice system.
(III). BANKRUPTCY – Redwood Room.
Chairperson: David E. Schwager, Esquire.
Presenters and Topics Include the Following:
Honorable John J. Thomas and the
Honorable Robert N. Opel II, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle
District of Pennsylvania, and David E.
Schwager, Esquire – Bankruptcy Court
Orders and Their (Sometimes Unanticipated) State Court Impact.
David E. Schwager materials:
First Fidelity v. McAteer.
Gubbiotti v. Santey.
(IV). DOMESTIC RELATIONS AND CUSTODY – Wilkes Room.
Chairperson: A. Lisa Pierotti, Esquire.
Presenters and Topics Include the Following:
Peggy
K. Engle, Esquire, - PFA
Guidelines in Pennsylvania.
Peggy K. Engle’s materials:
PA Protection From Abuse
Act.
2006 Protection From Abuse Amendments.
(V). ELDER LAW, ESTATE PLANNING, SETTLEMENT,
AND
ADMINISTRATION –
Embassy Ballroom.
Chairpersons: Brenda D. Colbert, Esquire, LL.M., CELA.
Presenter and Topics Include the Following:
George F. Shovlin, Esquire – Estate Planning
with IRAs and Qualified Retirement Plans.
An
overview of estate planning techniques to pass IRAs and qualified retirement
plans including avoiding costly mistakes.
David R. Lipka, Esquire, CELA – Medicaid Basics.
A review
of the basic qualifications rules for medical assistance for long term care
services and supports.
11:30-11:45
A.M. BREAK (Coffee and Refreshments) – Atrium.
Bar Composite Photo Shoot – Barre Room.
Also, Vendor Time - Grand Ballroom.
11:45-12:45
P.M. CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS CONTINUE:
(I). CIVIL LITIGATION – Empress Ballroom.
Chairperson: John H. Kennedy, Esquire
Presenters and Topics Include the Following:
James C. Oschal, Esquire –
Litigating Employment Claims: The Basics.
(II). CRIMINAL LITIGATION – Princess Ballroom.
Chairperson: Albert J. Flora Jr., Esquire.
Presenters and Topics Include the Following:
Al Flora Jr., Esquire, Chief
Public Defender, Luzerne County – A Matter of Judicial Discretion and Rules of
Judicial Conduct.
A public view of the judiciary; Public clamor and its threat to judicial
independence; The dilemma lawyers face when confronted
with judicial abuse.
Atty. Jim McMonagle Supplemental Material - Criminal Litigation
(III). REAL ESTATE – Redwood Room.
Chairperson: David E. Schwager, Esquire.
Presenters and Topics Include the Following:
(IV). DOMESTIC RELATIONS AND CUSTODY – Wilkes Room.
Chairperson: A. Lisa Pierotti, Esquire.
Presenters and Topics Include the Following:
Hon. Jennifer L. Rogers- Custody Potpourri.
Judge
Roger’s materials:
Affidavit-Criminal
Offenses.
Parenting
Plan.
Guardian
Ad Litem Order.
Petition
to Confirm Consent.
Order Appointing Divorce
Master.
A review of changes in courtroom procedures and an
update on custody law.
(V). ELDER LAW/ORPHANS’ COURT PRACTICE COMMITTEE – Embassy Ballroom.
Chairpersons: Brenda D. Colbert, Esquire, LL.M., CELA.
Presenter and Topics Include the Following:
Using a case study, the presenters will explore the various planning
techniques that can be used to protect resources for a single or widowed client
whether planning in the transitional stages, or planning for the client in
crisis.
12:45-1:45
P.M. LUNCH (Sit-down Style) – Grand Ballroom.
* Please place your entrée choice card by your place setting.
LUNCH PROGRAM:
Remarks By:
Joseph F. Saporito Jr., Esquire,
President,
Presentation of the 2012
President’s Award to
THOMAS P. BRENNAN, ESQUIRE,
And
Remarks by the President Judge:
1:45-2:00
P.M. Hon. Thomas F. Burke Jr.,
President Judge, Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County –
A View From
the Bench- Grand Ballroom.
And The Ethics Keynote Address:
2:00-3:00
P.M. MOLLIE MARTI, J.D., Ph.D. - Grand Ballroom.
Dr. Marti
will be presenting her book, Walking with Justice:
Uncommon Lessons from One of Life’s Greatest Mentors.
A
Tribute to the late Hon. Max Rosenn.
Introduction of Dr. Marti by
Howard M. Levinson, Esquire.
Dr. Marti’s book will be available for purchase at the Conference.
3:00 P.M.
CLOSING REMARKS: - Grand Ballroom.
Howard M. Levinson, Esquire,
Co-Chairperson,
Bench Bar Conference.
Followed
by a Book Signing by Dr. Marti in the Grand Ballroom.
ALSO A PHOTOGRAPH OF BENCH BAR COMMITTEE CHAIRS,
WORKSHOP CHAIRS, AND PARTICIPANTS – Grand Ballroom.
** IMPORTANT REMINDER TO ALL ATTENDEES:
PLEASE REMEMBER TO HAND IN YOUR COMPLETED CLE CREDIT FORMS
TO THEW-BLLA STAFF IN THE GRAND
BALLROOM, BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE SEMINAR. YOU MUST DO THIS IN ORDER TO RECEIVE CREDIT
FOR
YOUR
ATTENDANCE AT THE SEMINAR.
The
Wilkes-Barre Law & Library Association Is Proud to Present
this Year’s President’s Award to THOMAS P. BRENNAN, ESQ.
THOMAS
P. BRENNAN, ESQ.
Thomas P. Brennan, Esquire,
is a graduate of Maryknoll College (Seminary) and
King’s College, where he was magna cum laude.
He attended Villanova University School of Law. His academic career was interrupted by
military service. From 1969 to 1971, Tom
was selected through a competitive process to work on the reversion of Okinawa
to Japan. While in the military, he was
awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal.
He returned to the United States and received his Juris
Doctorate in 1973 from Villanova.
Tom was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar in November
of 1973. He was also admitted to the Bar
of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the U.S. District Court for
the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern
District of Pennsylvania.
Tom joined the Wilkes-Barre Law & Library
Association, and became the Co-Chair of its Young Lawyers Section. He would go on to serve on the W-BLLA
Executive Committee. He now serves as
the Chairperson of the W-BLLA Budget Committee and also is a mediator for the
Association’s Mortgage Modification Program.
Tom is also a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the
American Bar Association. He is listed
in Martindale Hubbell with an AV rating.
From 1972 to 1973, Attorney Brennan clerked (while
in law school) for Raynes, McCarty & Binder in
Philadelphia – later joining the firm as an associate from 1973 to 1975. In 1975, he returned to Wilkes-Barre and
became a partner in the firm of Gallagher & Brennan. In 1986, this developed into the firm of
Gallagher, Brennan & Gill.
Attorney Brennan maintains a general practice
representing individuals, business entities, not-for-profit corporations, and
Dallas Township, in various areas of the law, including commercial
transactions, real estate, title insurance, estate planning and estate
administration, municipal law, and litigation arising out of the foregoing.
In addition to serving as the solicitor for Dallas
Township, Tom has been counsel to First Eastern Bank, N.A. for nineteen
years. He has served as an acting title
insurance agent for numerous clients involving numerous types of commercial
transactions, including business acquisitions (with real estate) and/or real
estate improvements. He was a court
appointed attorney for the Receiver for Raymond Colliery Co., Inc., whose
liquidation arose out of the U.S. v.
Gleneagles case and required numerous, complicated, substantial real estate
transactions over a ten year period.
Tom has also
served as counsel to the following lending institutions in transactions
involving extensions of credit to acquire businesses (with real estate) and/or
improving real estate: Bank of America (including its predecessors: Fleet Bank, Summit Bank, Bank of New Jersey,
and First Valley Bank); Wachovia Bank(including its predecessors: First Union
Bank, Corestates Bank, Meridian Bank and Commonwealth
Bank); M&T Bank (including its predecessor, Franklin First Savings Bank),
and First Liberty Bank & Trust (including its predecessor, NBO Bank).
Tom is married to the former Ann Frances Gallagher, who
is the daughter of 50 Year W-BLLA Member, Joseph F. Gallagher, Esquire. The couple
have four children Thomas, who is an attorney and a law professor at
Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago; Erin, who is also an attorney and a partner
with Oliver, Price & Rhodes in Clark Summit; Joseph, an attorney who is an
associate with Graham, Curtin in Morristown, New Jersey, and Ann, who is an
Instructor in English at Penn State, Wilkes-Barre/Lehman Campus. Tom and Ann are also the proud grandparents
of twin boys – the sons of Thomas and his wife, Cathryn.
Congratulations Tom!
The W-BLLA Officers and Executive Committee.
SPECIAL THANKS TO THIS YEAR’S VENDERS:
(Listed Alphabetically)
Barnes & Noble (Dr. Marti Book)
Exhibit A, Inc.
Innovative Nursing Consultants
Justice for All
Luzerne County Pro Bono Program/
North Penn Legal Services
Merrill Lynch/Butera Bender Group
Pennsylvania Bar Assn.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees