The editorial staff of The Barrister joins with the officers and trustees of the Camden County Bar Association, Camden County Bar Foundation, and the headquarters team in wishing you and your a happy, healthy, safe holiday season and a bright and prosperous New Year.

We also pause to remember our courageous men and women in uniform stationed around the globe for their continued service, and wish them a safe and speedy return, and a special remembrance for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the freedoms we enjoy!

Happy Holidays!

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This Lunch & Learn series uncovers the core components of an ethical Internet marketing plan that will help you attract and retain clients, grow your practice and reach your marketing goals.  Attend all sessions or as many as you can. Either way, you should expect to take away action points to help you increase your revenues and bottom line.

Join CCBA member and Internet marketing expert Greg Sutphin as he unravels the mysteries of effective internet law firm marketing by harnessing the power of Social Media. This four-part program will take you step by step through the online marketing process in a way that will result in an understanding of the basic tools leading to an effective online marketing plan for your practice.

The sessions will be held at Bar Headquarters beginning at noon. Tuition is $40 per program (including lunch) and will provide 1.0 MCLE Credit.  Seating is limited and registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Building an Internet Marketing Plan that Works – Wednesday, December 7 & 14 An effective Internet marketing plan involves more than just a Web design and an “If we build it, they will come” approach. Regardless of your practice area, your online image is part of your overall identity and reputation. This session will detail the three core steps that are critical to creating a successful Web presence that leverages your strengths.

Social Media for Beginners Workshop – Wednesday, January 11 – “Others tell me I should join LinkedIn, but is it worth my time and how would I get started?” Learn the basics of LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter as they relate to building your practice and increasing referrals through online social networking. Be prepared for a “hands-on” and interactive session to create or enhance your social media profiles.

How to Increase Traffic to Your Website – Wednesday, February 1 – Increasing search engine visibility to your Website involves a multi-faceted approach designed to help Google “see” the relevancy of the compelling content about your firm and your services.  Contrary to what fast-talking sales people may tell you, there is no “one thing” or “silver bullet” with search engine marketing (SEM). Compelling, frequently updated content, social media, directories, and more, all matter with helping to increase traffic to your Website.  This session to learn what you can do to help your firm become more relevant to Google.

Engaging Social Media to Attract and Retain Clients – Wednesday, February 29 “I hear a lot about social media like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and blogging, but I just don’t see how it applies to me and my practice.”  It’s not enough anymore to create a Website.  Social media are critical tools for driving potential clients to your Website. Factoids: 1) Facebook tops Google for weekly traffic in the U.S. 2) 80% of companies use social media for recruiting.  Your practice cannot afford to be absent from the social media conversation. This session will teach you how to get started with social media and how to proactively manage the process while keeping your time focused on what you do…practice law.

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The Association was saddened to learn of the passing of member Edward C. Laird, Esq. this past Sunday, December 11^th.  Ed served as Of Counsel at Archer & Greiner in Haddonfield and had been a member of the CCBA since 1977.

Relatives and friends are invited to the viewing on Wednesday from 6-9 pm at the Bradley Funeral Home, Rt. 73 & Evesham Rd., Marlton. The Funeral Service will be at Noon on Thursday, December 15 at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 499 Route 70 East, Cherry Hill. Interment will follow at Locustwood Memorial Park, Cherry Hill.

Memorial donations in Ed’s name may be made to: The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, 1359 Broadway, Suite 1509, New York, NY 10018.

We extend our sincere sympathies and condolences to Ed’s family, friends and colleagues.  He will be missed.

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Hopefully by now you have taken down your Halloween decorations and you are getting ready for November’s Thanksgiving feast.  I know at this time of year I struggle endlessly to not eat my children’s “left over” trick-or-treat candy.  Yes, I have been known to eat some of my children’s trick-or-treat candy but I only do it for their benefit.  I see it as a little way that I can look out for their health and make sure they do not consume too much of that “unhealthy” but delicious Halloween candy.

Please do not forget to mark your calendars for this year’s Fall Frolic.  As many of you are aware the Camden County Bar Foundation is earmarking money from our fundraising events to benefit specific charitable efforts.  This year, as in past years, proceeds from the Fall Frolic will be used to purchase the gifts for our annual children’s holiday party.  On average the foundation spends $6,200 to purchase Christmas gifts for the most needy of children in our community.

The Fall Frolic is Tuesday, November 15th from 6 to 8 PM and, as is our tradition, the event will be held at the Coastline Restaurant in Cherry Hill.  Tickets for this event are only $15 and that includes the first drink.  Please consider buying 20 tickets and asking your friends, clients, and colleagues to join you for a good time that benefits a worthy cause.

While we are on the subject of great charitable causes, we need your help with the Foundation’s Adopt-A- Family.  For those of you who are unfamiliar, the Adopt-A-Family matches up law firms, groups and individuals with needy families in Camden County.  The donors get a wish list from the families and make sure that “Santa and his elves” do not miss a needy family in our community.  The recipient families not only receive toys for their children but food for the Christmas dinner table as well as clothing and outerwear for the coming cold months.

This year the Foundation will return to St. Joe’s Pro-Cathedral Church in Camden to organize and distribute Adopt-A-Family donations.  It is truly inspiring to see the church basement filled with donations. This year we are hopeful to adopt 100 families.  Please talk to your law firm, your family, and your friends about adopting a needy family this year. The warm feeling you get from helping someone else is well worth the effort.

So this year as you are planning your Thanksgiving dinner and trying to figure out how long to cook a 30 pound turkey without drying it out or digging for your grandmother’s oyster stuffing recipe take a moment to consider that part of Thanksgiving is “giving.”

What better way to give a little bit in November than to participate in your Bar Foundation’s most worthy charitable functions.

Rick A. DeMichele, Jr.

President – Camden County Bar Foundation

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As an official accredited service provider for both New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the Camden County Bar Association (CCBA) offers a wide variety of continuing legal education programs. Whether in a luncheon, workshop or seminar format, our CLE programs are geared toward helping you meet the challenges of a competitive profession while earning the required annual CLE credits for both states.

Here’s a look at some of the upcoming programs.  Sign up today and receive discounts available to members, but all attorneys are welcome.

Oct 27: CLE for Newly Admitted Lawyers – NJ Civil Trial Preparation
Nov 7: Civil Practice Update
Nov 9: NJ Landlord/Tenant Practice
Nov 17: CLE for Newly Admitted Lawyers- NJ Family Law
Dec 1: Alimony & Child Support: A Panel Discussion
Dec 6: 10th Annual Forum: Hot Trends in Probate Litigation
Dec 6: School Bullying Seminar
Dec 8: OK, Now What Do I Do? – Ethics

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The Camden County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division has an event this Saturday, October 29, 2011 to benefit Anna’s Sample House in Camden (behind the new medical school). For those who do not know, this is an event we do for Halloween and Easter every year. This year’s Halloween party will be Saturday, from 11:30 – 1:30 or so. We have several pizzas for the children and their mothers and bring candy and other Halloween necessities. We will again likely retain a magician to entertain for the event. The address is 408 Line Street, Camden NJ. 856-963-0430. We usually meet and carpool over or follow one another over. We meet at Ponzio’s Diner around 11/11:15 then head over. There is parking at the House also and it is fenced in. We already have some volunteers but we like to have 6 or so at least to make sure all the kids are fed, entertained, and provided for while we are there. Anna’s is a shelter for homeless women and their children.

Anna M. Sample Complex

In May 1988, Volunteers of America Delaware Valley dedicated this homeless shelter in honor of Anna M. Sample, a woman who devoted her life to fighting poverty in the City of Camden. Anna M. Sample headed the Camden County Office on Economic Opportunity for over a decade. In 1985, Congress honored her for her work on behalf of the poor. Once on welfare herself, she started at the Camden County Office on Economic Opportunity as a volunteer. In 1973, she rose to executive director. She died in 1984.

The Anna M. Sample Complex symbolizes Anna M. Sample’s effort to combat poverty and provide opportunities for women, children and families in need.

The Transitional Housing program serves 5 homeless families. This program focuses on assisting the women to become self-sufficient members of the community. Residents receive 24-hour supervision, case management and counseling. A variety of programs are provided to assist the women to develop the necessary life skills to become independent of the welfare system to re-enter society and successfully manage their families. These programs include life skills workshops, drug and alcohol awareness, recreational enrichment, parenting & life skills, and a referral network.

In the Safe Haven program, residents receive 24-hour supervision, case management and counseling. Clients learn to address their social, psychological, educational and chemical addiction issues so that they can become stable and prepare to reintegrate to society. A variety of programs are provided to assist the women to develop the necessary life skills to achieve and lead self-fulfilled independent lives.

The Anna M. Sample House is a temporary emergency shelter for 65 residents. This facility accommodates single women and families.

The family shelter provides 24 hour supervised housing, 3 meals a day, case management, emergency clothing, life skills workshops, drug and alcohol awareness, recreational enrichment, a referral network and child focused activities.

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From Louis R. Lessig

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to a new bar year! This year is going to be busy and it has already started out in a stellar fashion. Once Judge M. Allan Vogelson swore me in at the Camden Aquarium before literally hundreds of sharks, things have been incredibly exciting. For starters, I was fortunate enough to travel down to Washington, D.C. shortly after becoming President for our annual group swearing in ceremony at the United States Supreme Court. If you have never had this experience, it is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. For myself and the admittees who were fortunate enough to join me, we had the chance for families to get to know one another, hear their individual names read into the record before the full Court and even have a private audience with Justice Alito, who is a longtime Phillies fan. In addition we were in the gallery when the Court released four new decisions, including Walmart v. Dukes.

Since returning to the area, your Board of Trustees have been planning and meeting in preparation for another strong year. As I mentioned in my speech at the Aquarium, we have continued to plan and set things in motion for our first major strategic planning initiative in some time. So if you hear from someone who says they are with the bar and want to discuss the association, please, take the call or respond to the email because this initiative will be incredibly helpful as we chart our course for the next several years and we cannot do it without your assistance.

More immediately we are starting our bar year off with a bang this month. How you may ask? Well, with the Young Lawyer Lobster Bake on September 10th of course, which is bound to be a sold out event. So, if you want to support our foundation and the Larc School, spend time with friends and have some tasty lobster, make sure you make a reservation before you finish reading this article. For me, one of the truly special events that I attend every year is our Memorial Ceremony. Since my installation I am aware of an unfortunately large number of individuals who have passed away, including my grandmother and a friend I have known since middle school. Whether you know any of our members who have passed away over the last year or not, this is the opportunity we all have to pay our respects and start the year by honoring those who have come before and to whom we owe a debt of gratitude. I hope to see you there as we remember our colleagues and friends on September 19th in the Hall of Justice.

Next we have our annual Meet the Judges and Law Clerks Reception, which will once again be at the Camden County Boathouse on September 20th. For myself I have to say that this often sold out event is a who’s who of both the bar and the bench. But, it is only open to paid members of the Camden County Bar Association, so make sure your dues are paid because this is one event that you will not want to miss.

No matter what you have going on or what you are doing this year, I do hope to see you at bar events. There is so much your association offers that I hope you have a chance to take part in something that interests you. Of course, if you have any suggestions or concerns do not hesitate to contact our association. There is a reason that the CCBA is your home court advantage and it all starts with you!

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Louis R. Lessig, Esq.

Greetings!

It is an honor and a privilege to welcome you to the annual Camden County Bar Association and Foundation Installation Dinner Dance. For the opportunity to serve as your 85th President of the second largest county bar association in New Jersey, I thank you. I am humbled by the path that my predecessors have set, and I only hope to honor all of them as well as you by representing our members with integrity and thoughtfulness. As the spokesperson for our esteemed organization I take my obligation very seriously and cannot put into words how the examples of those before me, especially our most recent President, Linda Eynon, have helped me to prepare for my service.

Like so many other volunteer organizations we have a storied history with a strong foundation that is fondly recalled by our members and from which everyone, including our young lawyers, can build upon going forward. As we look ahead towards another exciting year, you will be hearing more about plans for the future of our association. Yes, our association. In the coming term we will be embarking on the creation of a five year strategic plan – a plan that will be created with input from all corners of our membership and the community. Our goal is to chart a path for the next several years by learning from you, listening to you and finding ways that we as an association can better serve you. It is a daunting task, but one that I am confident our entire Board of Trustees is prepared to take on.

Certainly, if you have any thoughts or concerns in the coming year, I would encourage you to contact me. Of course if you prefer, the association has several ways you can follow what we are doing at any given time. From Facebook to Twitter, LinkedIn to the website, The Barrister, or the e-Barrister, I would encourage you to stay connected, get involved and enjoy the benefits that our association provides.

The opportunity and the challenge of being the President would not successfully take place without the assistance of some very capable people. Of course I am speaking about our Executive Director Larry Pelletier and his
cracker-jack staff that make everyone look good. Thank you Denise and Kathy. Additionally, I want to thank our Partners in Progress as well as our sponsors for the evening, without whom we would not be able to do many of the things that we do for our members and the community.

For myself, I also need to take a moment to thank Brown & Connery for their support, especially my partners who have been and will continue to be supportive of my service to the association and our collective obligation
as practitioners to support the good work that we do in the Bar. While my thanks to my partners is genuine, no one deserves more thanks than my parents and family for always being supportive of my endeavors and encouraging me to give back. Most of all, I have to thank my wife Megan and my son Andrew who keep me grounded, support my work with the Bar Association and do it all with a smile. I love you both.

To each of you attending this evening, thank you for joining me in this celebration. I truly look forward to working with everyone this year to enhance our Bar Association and ensure its viability long into the future.
I also want to offer my congratulations to my friend and colleague Rick DeMichele, as he assumes the role of President of the Camden County Bar Foundation. I know he will do a great job.

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It is with deep sadness that I announce the death of Chris Mourtos, the owner of the Coastline Bar and Grill, and honorary member of the Camden County Bar Association.

As many of you know, Chris was a good friend and supporter of the Association and Foundation, generously giving of himself and donating the use of the Coastline for the Children’s Christmas Party and the Fall Frolic for many years. For many of us involved with the Public Benefits Committee and the Foundation, Chris was the unsung hero; both private and humble in his philanthropy. Without his support and generosity, I am not sure we would be able to have the Children’s Christmas Party, or that it would be the success that it is. My favorite memory will always be of the smile on Chris’ face as the children arrived at the Coastline to see Santa.

Chris is survived by his wife Dawn, their three children, Nick, Harry and Alex, his brother John and their families. Nick and his wife Devan Theiler are both members of our Bar Association.

A viewing will be held on Thursday, June 9th at St. Thomas Greek Orthodox Church in Cherry Hill, from 10:00 am followed by the service at noon. Burial will be private.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Mourtos family. Chris will truly be missed by his Bar Association family.

Linda Eynon

President , Camden County Bar Association

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Justice Alito will join our group in a private conference room following the admission ceremony, where he will speak with members and be available for photos.

Justice Alito

We are pleased to announce that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. has accepted our invitation to meet with the Association’s Group Admission contingent on June 20th.

There is still time remaining for CCBA members to join colleagues in Washington for the Group Admission Ceremony before the Supreme Court of the United States.

Qualified candidates must have been admitted to practice for a minimum of three years in the highest court of any state, territory, district, commonwealth, or possession. To register for this experience of a lifetime, download an admission application or call Bar Headquarters at 856.482.0620.

Candidates must also provide a Certificate of Good Standing from the Supreme Court of New Jersey. To obtain a Certificate of Good Standing, send your request in writing to: The Office of Attorney Ethics, P.O. Box 963, Trenton, NJ 08625. Include your name, date of birth, social security number, date of admission to the N.J. State Bar, and a self-addressed, stamped envelope. There is no cost for this service. Allow 2 to 3 weeks for certificates to be processed and mailed so plan accordingly to meet the April 22, deadline.

To participate in the ceremony your completed application, Certificate of Good Standing, and $200 admission fee made payable to the “Supreme Court of the United States,” must be received at Bar Headquarters no later than Friday, April 22, 2011. Prospective admittees should also include a separate check in the amount of $100 payable to the Camden County Bar Association as a registration fee for the trip to D.C., which includes a private reception in Washington on Sunday evening, June 19, and continental breakfast at the Supreme Court immediately preceding the admission ceremony.

Please note: admittees are limited to one guest (age 6 or over) in the courtroom for the ceremony. Cameras are not allowed in the courtroom.

Admission is limited to 30. Sign up TODAY for this experience of a lifetime!

Forward required documentation payment to:

Camden County Bar Association, Group Admission

1040 N. Kings Highway, Suite 201

Cherry Hill, NJ 08034

We are pleased to announce that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. has accepted our invitation to meet with the Association’s Group Admission contingent on June 20th.

Justice Alito will join our group in a private conference room following the admission ceremony, where he will speak with members and be available for photos.

There is still time remaining for CCBA members to join colleagues in Washington for the Group Admission Ceremony before the Supreme Court of the United States.

Qualified candidates must have been admitted to practice for a minimum of three years in the highest court of any state, territory, district, commonwealth, or possession. To register for this experience of a lifetime, download an admission application or call Bar Headquarters at 856.482.0620.

Candidates must also provide a Certificate of Good Standing from the Supreme Court of New Jersey. To obtain a Certificate of Good Standing, send your request in writing to: The Office of Attorney Ethics, P.O. Box 963, Trenton, NJ 08625. Include your name, date of birth, social security number, date of admission to the N.J. State Bar, and a self-addressed, stamped envelope. There is no cost for this service. Allow 2 to 3 weeks for certificates to be processed and mailed so plan accordingly to meet the April 22, deadline.

To participate in the ceremony your completed application, Certificate of Good Standing, and $200 admission fee made payable to the “Supreme Court of the United States,” must be received at Bar Headquarters no later than Friday, April 22, 2011. Prospective admittees should also include a separate check in the amount of $100 payable to the Camden County Bar Association as a registration fee for the trip to D.C., which includes a private reception in Washington on Sunday evening, June 19, and continental breakfast at the Supreme Court immediately preceding the admission ceremony.

Please note: admittees are limited to one guest (age 6 or over) in the courtroom for the ceremony. Cameras are not allowed in the courtroom.

Admission is limited to 30. Sign up TODAY for this experience of a lifetime!

Forward required documentation payment to:

Camden County Bar Association, Group Admission

1040 N. Kings Highway, Suite 201

Cherry Hill, NJ 08034

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