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Week of July 21, 2008
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Join the Austin Bar’s 100 Club Today!
The Austin Bar Association invites you to join the “100 Club,” which recognizes firms of three or more attorneys who are all members of the Austin Bar Association. 100 Club members will be listed twice a year in the Austin Lawyer newsletter and recognized in the Austin Bar membership directory.
To become a member of the 100 Club for 2008, please send the names of attorneys in your Austin office to Carol Tobias at Carol@austinbar.org by July 25 to be included in the September issue of Austin Lawyer. We will check your list against our membership records.
For more information, please call Carol at 472-0279 x106.
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Iowa State Bar Association Asks for Flood Victim Aid
Several bar associations around the country have contacted The Iowa State Bar Association asking what they can do to help attorneys affected by the disastrous tornadoes and flooding in eastern Iowa. The Iowa State Bar Association greatly appreciates this response to the misfortune affecting their members.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa's second largest city, was the hardest hit area. Current estimates are that nearly 7,200 properties over a nine-square-mile section of the city have been affected by flood waters. Of the 7,200, approximately 1,300 are businesses including law offices, many of which were located downtown within blocks of the Cedar River. Disaster officials are trying to determine now whether the federal courthouse and the Linn County courthouse, both of which sit on the river, are salvageable. The prospects don't look favorable.
Estimates are that as many as 250 attorneys in the Cedar Rapids area could be affected to some degree, with about 30 - 50 having lost everything. The number could exceed 1,000 if support staff and others who depend on income from the disrupted practices are included. Another dozen attorneys in the Iowa City-Coralville area in eastern Iowa have been displaced as a result of their law offices being flooded.
The Iowa State Bar Association Board of Governors established a task force to assist affected attorneys. Two major needs surfaced - cleanup and file reclamation. For the most part, both require specialists to accomplish. After much discussion, task force members determined that money to help defray the costs of these specialists would be the best way to help affected attorneys. Office space, furniture, computers and office supplies are being provided by other non-affected attorneys and organizations.
Based on what can be deciphered regarding costs, and the number of attorneys who are incurring these costs, the task force set a goal of raising $500,000 to be given as grants to those attorneys. The money will be distributed based on individual need.
A Disaster Relief Fund has been set up within the Iowa State Bar Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit corporation, for those who want to make a contribution. Contributions should be made out to: The Iowa State Bar Foundation, 625 East Court Ave., Des Moines, IA 50309.
For more information or to download a donation form, please visit the Iowa State Bar’s Web site.
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Associate Judge Susan Whitman Leaving Travis County
Travis County Probate Court No. 1 is saying goodbye to Associate Judge Susan Whitman, whose last day at the courthouse will be Thursday, July 24. She is moving to San Francisco in August, where she will become Assistant Dean for Academic Planning and Curriculum Coordination at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. The Probate Court has been fortunate to have Judge Whitman at the Court since August 2000.
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Mentors Needed for Children with Incarcerated Parents, July 23
Date: Wednesday, July 23
Time: noon
Location: Austin Bar Association, 816 Congress Ave., Suite 700
Topic: Seedling Foundation Mentor Training
Thousands of children in Travis County are impacted by the incarceration of one or both of their parents. In response to the challenges facing these children, the Seedling
Foundation — a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting public schools by involving community members — has created a mentoring program called Seedling’s Promise.
Seedling's Promise mentors visit their mentees each week at school for 45 minutes and provide them with supportive adults to listen, to play, to counsel, and to care. The Seedling's Promise program has been named by Austin Partners in Education as the Best New Program of the Year and has an impressive record of volunteer satisfaction. Please visit their Web site for more information.
AYLA will offer two information sessions (July 23 and August 5) for prospective mentors to hear a brief presentation by Seedling Foundation Executive Director Sari Waxler. There is no obligation. Just come and hear about this very special volunteer opportunity and get your questions addressed. More than 215 community volunteers are currently serving as mentors for Seedling. With AYLA’s help, even more children can write a different story for their futures. Please e-mail Debbie Kelly at Debbie@austinbar.org to sign up for these sessions.
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Law & Order Night at The Dell Diamond, July 24
Date: Thursday, July 24
Time: 7:05 p.m.
Location: The Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd.
Cost: Berm Seats $3; Home Run Porch $3.50; Box Seats $6
Deadline: 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 24
The Round Rock Express wants to treat you and your family to night of peanuts, cracker jacks, and rooting for the home team! Enjoy seat discounts and Thirsty Thursday drink specials at Law & Order Night.
Please click here for a ticket order form. All orders must be received by 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 24. Contact Kyle Hutchens at 512/238-2244 with any questions.
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Don’t Miss AYLA’s Fourth Annual Poker Tournament, July 26
Date: Saturday, July 26
Time: 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Location: 2801 Via Fortuna, Suite 100
The Austin Young Lawyers Association Foundation is holding its Fourth Annual Charity Poker Tournament! In addition to helping support the programs of the AYLA Foundation, this event brings together close to 200 Austin attorneys and judges.
The Foundation is AYLA's 501(c)(3) non-profit arm. As such it also is tasked with fund-raising for all AYLA's charitable endeavors, including Holiday Baskets, Christmas for Kids, They Had a Dream Too, and mentor programs to name a few.
Please make plans now to attend the Poker Tournament. For ticket or sponsorship information, go to our Web site’s "Make a Purchase" page, or contact Debbie Kelly at Debbie@austinbar.org to order tickets and sign up for the tournament.
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AYLA’s Toiletries Drive Benefitting Caritas of Austin
The time is once again nearing for AYLA's toiletries drive benefitting Caritas of Austin. As in prior years, AYLA will be collecting different kinds of toiletries over the summer at law firms throughout the city. The particular focus will be on small-sized bottles of toiletries such as shampoo (like the ones that you get in hotels). In fact, they are hoping that many members will bring back their hotel samples from summer vacations or business trips.
Throughout the drive, AYLA will be keeping track of each individual's donations and will be awarding prizes at the end of the drive to those who contributed the most. Last year, the toiletries drive raised over 1,000 lbs. of items and $1,300 in monetary donations! So start collecting toiletries now to drop off at a collection bin near you.
If you would like to coordinate your firm's participation in the drive, please contact Mari Robinson at Mari@alumni.utexas.net..
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Featured Member Discount: PrintLogics
Print Logics offers Austin Bar members a 10% discount on printing while also supporting the Austin Bar. Print Logics specializes in producing training and educational materials, and high quality marketing and advertising pieces. Austin Bar members can contact Lisa Villarreal at 512/275-9800 ext 124 or visit www.print-logics.com for more information.
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Upcoming Meetings
SECTIONS:
Thursday, July 24 - Estate Planning & Probate Section Reception
COMMITTEES:
The following Austin Bar Committees are meeting at the Austin Bar office, 816 Congress, Suite 700.
Parking is available in the adjacent garage, accessible from 9th Street. Please feel free to attend any that interest you.
Since lunch is provided, please RSVP to receptionist@austinbar.org or call 472-0279 with your name and the name of the committee.
Thursday, July 24 - Adoption Day Attorney Committee Meeting
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Proud corporate sponsors of the Austin Bar Association
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