BAR BLAST 12-30-2014

The State Bar is in need of volunteer attorneys on Tuesday evenings in January 2015 to field legal questions from the public as part of the “Tuesday Legal Connect” program.

Volunteers would work out of the Legal Aid of WV office located at 922 Quarrier Street, Charleston, WV

from 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm.

If you would be interested in helping in January, please email David Frercks at dfrercks@lawv.net as soon as possible.

Important changes to the West Virginia pro hac vice admission procedures become effective January 1, 2015.  These changes include a new $350 annual fee to be paid by out-of-state lawyers admitted pro hac vice for one year or more.  The annual fee applies as long as the out-of-state lawyer has one or more cases pending in West Virginia.  The out-of-state lawyer is responsible for paying the fee.  Click here to review the September 29, 2014, Order

By implementation Order entered December 12, 2014, the Supreme Court authorized the State Bar to contact local counsel for out-of-state lawyers admitted during the past five years to determine whether the annual fee applies and to collect the fee. The fee must be paid on or before March 31, 2015, and by March 31 of each subsequent year until the case or matter is resolved.  The pro hac vice admission will be terminated if the March 31, 2015, deadline is not met.

Click here to review the December 12, 2014, Order.

The YLS Executive Committee has a vacancy for a District Representative in Districts 4, 6 & 15. If you are interested in serving on the YLS Executive Committee as a District Representative, please send an email to Jason Foster atJason.foster@steptoe-johnson.com by January 6, 2015.

The West Virginia State Bar is excited to announce a new opportunity for attorneys to provide pro bono assistance to the public anytime, from anywhere.  West Virginia Online Legal Help(www.wvonlinelegalhelp.org) is a new website where low-income West Virginians can post questions about their civil legal needs.  The questions are answered by volunteer attorneys, who provide basic information and legal advice for free.

We need West Virginia attorneys to sign up to volunteer.  The benefits of volunteering include:

• No expectation of long-term representation.
• Professional liability insurance provided.
• Attorney’s name is anonymous to user.

Please go to www.wvonlinelegalhelp.org and click on “Lawyers Sign Up” to register to volunteer.  We hope to open the website to questions from the public in September 2014.

Click here for more information.

In this season of giving, please donate to the West Virginia Fund for Law in the Public Interest (WVFLIPI).

All donations should be made out to WV Fund for Law in the Public Interest and sent to WVFLIPI, c/o P.O. Box 6130, Morgantown, WV  26506.  Please contact Jennifer Powell, Executive Director if you have any questions jennifer.powell@mail.wvu.edu ; or at 304 293 8555.

More Information

The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals is excited to announce a new opportunity to access Judicial records digitally. We are piloting a web based system that will allow viewing of records digitally from a website that is accessible 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Eventually this system will have records from all 55 counties. If you would like to participate in the testing phase of this service for a limited amount of counties being accessible, please email your desire toCCSEFile@courtswv.gov and we will randomly select users.

WV Working Together Conference

Host: IRS & West Virginia State Tax Department

Location: University of Charleston – Geary Student Union

WVCLE Litigation 2015

Host: West Virginia Continuing Legal Education (WVCLE)

Location: Cannan Valley Resort – Davis, WV

WVCLE Shale Play Update

Host: West Virginia Continuing Legal Education (WVCLE)

Location: Charleston Civic Center