The Bar Center will remain closed through the end of the year for all in-person access. Bar staff will remain available, via telephone or email, during normal operating hours to answer questions. The Bar can be reached by calling 304-553-7220.
NOTICE — Fraudulent Emails Regarding
Lawyer Referral Service
Some WV State Bar Members who are not a part of the WV Lawyer Referral Service have received fraudulent emails asking if their firm handles “Litigation Cases”. The email comes from an out of country email address. If you have received emails like this please do not respond to them. If you are a part of the Lawyer Referral Service all correspondences will come from the following email address
The West Virginia State Bar’s Veteran and Military Affairs Committee is participating in the Marine Corp Reserve’s Toys for Tots program again this year. If you are interested in volunteering to help by hosting a drop box, collecting and/or sorting toys, please contact Anita Casey at caseya@wvbar.org. Collections will be done during the month of November. Sorting and distribution will be done the first of December.
News
Opening on Workers’ Compensation Board of Review
The Workers’ Compensation Board of Review Nominating Committee is accepting letters of interest for
an opening on the Board of Review. The six-year term will begin January 1, 2021. Letters of interest
should identify the political party and county of residence and provide supporting documents, including
letters of reference. Letters of interest are to be mailed to Anita R. Casey, Executive Director, West
Virginia State Bar, 2000 Deitrick Boulevard, Charleston, West Virginia 25311 and have a postmark date
on or before WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2020 or emailed to caseya@wvbar.org by 11:59 p.m. on
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2020. To review the legal authority, purpose, seat restrictions,
compensation, and other information on the Board of Review click here. To review the applicable code
Questions may be directed to Brian Abraham at 304-558-2000.
Survey
Please Share Your Opinion with Legal Aid of WV!
As Legal Aid begins another strategic planning process we are conducting a statewide needs assessment which includes surveying clients, partner organizations, and members of the Bench and Bar. Your responses to this brief survey will help us identify services and client populations we need to prioritize, as well as assist us in shaping our organizational focus and goals in the upcoming three years.
Click here to complete the 7 question survey. We appreciate your time and attention, and thank you for helping Legal Aid of West Virginia map out the next several years of effectively serving our state’s most vulnerable people. The Survey closes on October 21, 2020
Position Open for Commissioner of
WV Legislative Claims Commission
The West Virginia State Bar is seeking candidates for the position of Commissioner of the Legislative Claims Commission. The State Bar Board of Governors will nominate three (3) lawyers and will submit these names to the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate for appointment to the Claims Commission. The term is for six (6) years. A minimum of ten (10) years’ experience as a licensed attorney is required. A full description of qualifications can be found in W.Va. Code Section 14-2-4 and 14-2-10, and compensation is provided for in W. Va. Code Section 14-2-8. This position involves hearing and deciding claims filed against state agencies and the Crime Victims Compensation Fund. The main offices of the Claims Commission are at the State Capitol with travel to other parts of the state for hearings. Some administrative law, mediation, or other judicial experience would be beneficial.
If you qualify for appointment, and would like to be considered for nomination, please send your letter of interest and resume, with all supporting information and letters of reference – in one packet – to Anita R. Casey, Executive Director, The West Virginia State Bar, 2000 Deitrick Blvd., Charleston, WV 25311 or caseya@wvbar.org. Nominations must be received, via email or regular mail with a Receipt/Postmark date/time of no later than 11:59 p.m., December 30, 2020.
TUESDAY LEGAL CONNECT
The State Bar is in need of volunteer attorneys on Tuesday evenings, during October and December 2020, to field legal questions from the public as part of the “Tuesday Legal Connect” program.
Volunteers from anywhere in the state can now work remotely from their home, office, etc. All the volunteer needs is a telephone and computer/tablet etc. If you would be interested in helping in October or December, please email David Frercks as soon as possible.
FASTCASE – Free Training
Throughout October, the Fastcase outreach team will be hosting free live training sessions each Wednesday at 2:00 PM EST. Join a guided walk-through of the new Fastcase, as outreach explains new features, layouts, and search basics compared to Fastcase 6. Also newly available in Fastcase 7 is the ability to directly print a document from your browser, without downloading it. Click here to register
At Fastcase we’re proud to provide industry-leading customer support. Click here for the Support & Tutorials page to learn how to conduct better legal research with video tutorials and reference guides, or live-chat with one of our expert reference attorneys for real-time assistance.
ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE
ARE NOW DIGITAL
In order to make as much historical data available to the public, and more specifically the legal community, the West Virginia Legislature has made available the comprehensive Acts of the Legislature, from 1929 to the present, online and free of charge.
West Virginia Courts Transition to Microsoft Teams for
Remote Hearings and Proceedings
West Virginia courts are transitioning from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams over the next two months. Below is information to assist you with participating in remote hearings and proceedings scheduled by the courts during the transition.
Until October 31, 2020, courts will have the ability to schedule with both Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams.
After this date, all new remote hearings will be scheduled in Microsoft Teams.
Any Skype for Business meeting scheduled before October 31, 2020 will continue to function as expected after this deadline.
You can join on the Web without downloading special software, however, you can also join via the Teams app, if available.
The Teams app is available for smart phones, tablets, and other mobile devices, and the app simplifies participation on these devices.
A Microsoft Teams Quick Guide for Participants is available on the West Virginia Judiciary website. Click on the Remote Hearing Information link under the Lower Courts section of the Home Page.
Requests for Public Comment
Request for Public Comment on Proposed Amendments to the
Rules of Appellate Procedure
By order entered on September 17, 2020, the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia published for comment amendments to Rules 19 and 20 the Rules of Appellate Procedure. The proposed amendments would give the guardian ad litem in a case time to present oral argument separate from the time allotted to the petitioner and respondent. The Court also considered amendments to Rule 7, requiring the Appendix Record in an electronic format. The public comment period closes on October 30, 2020. Comments are to be filed in writing with the Clerk.
Charity Roast of retired WVU College of Law Assistant Dean for Career Services, Ellie Flowers, and Judge Ed Flowers, top state government official, WV Supreme Court Justice, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge and WVU Vice President.
Hosts: The West Virginia State Bar, The West Virginia Society of Certified Public Accounts, The College of Law, The College of Business and Economics, and West Virginia University.
Location: Virtual
CLE: 6.3 credits including 2.0 ethics/law office management
West Virginia State Bar Young Lawyers Section Bridge the Gap Program
Each newly admitted member of the State Bar is required to complete a mandatory Bridge the Gap Program. Members admitted after July 1, 2018 or attorneys admitted prior to July 1, 2018, who have not previously completed the Bridge the Gap requirements, may attend the live course and satisfy the mandatory Bridge the Gap requirements.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, the November 13, 2020 program will be held virtually. Bridge the Gap will return to an in-person program as soon as feasible.
Attorneys admitted to the WV State Bar between May 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020 have been granted a one-year extension of time to complete mandatory the Bridge-the-Gap Program.
This extension is in addition to the one-year extension previously granted by the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia to those admitted between July 1, 2018, and April 30, 2019. A determination was made that additional attorneys were adversely affected by the cancellation of the Bridge-the-Gap program scheduled in April 2020 due to COVID.
*You are receiving this email because you have elected to receive the Bar-Blast from the WV State Bar. To change you email address or manage your email subscriptions, you must log into the Membership Portal at mywvbar.org. This mailing list is updated weekly.