Berks County Bar Association The Berks Barrister Fall 2020 - 6

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Opening Statement
Continued from page 5
Remote Online Notarization Services
When Pennsylvania allowed the use of remote online
notarization for all legal documents, the Bar Association added this
service as a member benefit. For the remainder of 2020, all members
may work with Lawyer Referral Service Coordinator Lucy Brito to
conduct remote online notarizations. The Bar Association invested
in the equipment and software needed to provide this service and
enhance the benefits of a Bar Association membership.
COVID-19 Legal Response Program

In response to the significant economic toll the COVID-19
pandemic has had on families, individuals and businesses in Berks
County, the Berks County Bar Association's Board of Directors
believed that the Berks Bar may play a critical role in meeting
the increased demand for civil pro bono services. In May, the
COVID-19 Legal Response Program was created, allowing
members to fulfill their pro bono service obligation for 2020 by
providing legal representation to any individual, family or small
business owner who demonstrate they have suffered significant
job or income loss or otherwise been adversely affected by the
coronavirus. Attorneys must notify the Bar Association at the start
of their representation of a COVID-19 client.
New Partnerships with Bucks and Lancaster County Bar
Associations

In an effort to increase opportunities for Berks Bar members to
earn CLE credits online, the Bucks-Berks Online Learning Lab
was launched in April. This is a CLE exchange program where our
members receive a special rate for distance learning CLEs offered
by the Bucks County Bar Association. Dozens of our members have
taken advantage of these courses. About a month later, we entered
into a similar partnership with the Lancaster County Bar Association.
These partnerships have expanded our members' access to distance
learning CLEs and increased the variety of courses offered.
Naturalization Ceremony

While the April Naturalization Ceremony had to be canceled,
the Bar Association was able to host a ceremony for 21 new citizens
from 10 different countries on July 15.
Judge Jeffrey Sprecher graciously allowed the ceremony to
be held in Courtroom 9 as the more ceremonial and spacious
Courtroom 5 A is being used for trials. Citizenship Committee
Chair Andrew Fick also addressed those in attendance. Masks were
worn and we could not offer the speeches, songs and snacks we
typically provide during a naturalization ceremony. However, we
were able to save 25 people a longer trip to Philadelphia or other
counties.
Conference of County Bar Leaders - Roaring into the 20s

President-elect Justin Bodor, Immediate Past-President
Jeff Franklin, Vice President Jim Smith, Treasurer Amy Good,
Secretary Mike Wieder, Young Lawyers Section President Jordan
Fegley, Executive Director Walter and I attended the 54th Annual
Conference of County Bar Leaders in Hershey on February 27-29.
Our own Jill Scheidt served as president of CCBL this year and
organized an informative and entertaining conference with a 1920's
6 | Berks Barrister

theme. Immediate Past President Franklin presented a seminar
on technology at the conference, and our Executive Director Kori
Walter was part of a panel discussing media relations along with our
former Communications Manager Stephanie Weaver.
The Bar Association also earned a County Bar Recognition
Award at the Conference for the inaugural "Pets at the Park" event.
The Wellness Committee organized the family-friendly morning
of exercise and collegiality in June 2019 at the dog park in Jim
Dietrich Park in Muhlenberg Township.

Our community of lawyers will be well-represented during the
next year on a variety of Pennsylvania Bar Association committees.
The following Berks attorneys have been appointed or re-appointed
to the following posts: Jill M. Scheidt, Chair of the PABAR-PAC;
Heidi B. Masano, Chair of the Judicial Evaluation Committee;
Daniel B. Huyett, Chair of the Judicial Independence Committee;
Donald F. Smith, Jr., Co-Vice Chair of the Legal Services to
the Public Committee; Jeffrey A. Franklin, Vice Chair of the
Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Committee; and Jennifer M.
Lukach Bradley, Vice Chair of the Legal Services for Exceptional
Children Committee. Also, Terry D. Weiler just finished a
three-year term as PBA Treasurer. We thank Terry for being an
outstanding ambassador for Berks County's legal community and
appreciate his dedicated service on a statewide stage.
Legal Spirits: Star Wars Edition

We didn't know it at the time, but the Legal Spirits Happy
Hour on February 13 was our last social gathering. About 50
members attended to sample Seven Leia Salad, Jabba the Hutt
Dogs, Liquified Light Saber cocktails and other Star Wars-themed
refreshments. Thank you to all the Board members who supported
the event.
"Lights Out" Law Foundation Holiday Benefit Luncheon

The Holiday Benefit Luncheon on December 6 featured former
Philadelphia Phillies closer Brad "Lights Out" Lidge. Lidge went
a perfect 48-for-48 in save opportunities while helping the Phillies
capture the 2008 World Series title. The always-popular event
generated more than $50,000 in net revenue for the Foundation
- a slight increase over 2018 when net revenue was just more than
$44,000. The funding allowed the Law Foundation to award grants
in June to CASA-Berks County; the Community Justice Project;
Girls on the Run Berks; GoggleWorks Center for the Arts; and
VOICEup Berks and its Reading Volunteer Youth Corps summer
program. The 2020 Holiday Benefit Luncheon has been canceled
due to the COVID-19 restrictions on large-group gatherings. The
difficult decision to cancel the event means that this year's Annual
Campaign will take on greater significance. Hopefully we can count
on our community of lawyers to generously support the Annual
Campaign this fall.
	 Hopefully, this horrible crisis will be over soon, and we will be
able to get back to business as usual in 2021. Until then, take care
and be well, my friends.
Ms. Bucher is the 87th President of the Berks County Bar
Association and an attorney at Leisawitz Heller.
http://www.berksbar.org
Berks County Bar Association The Berks Barrister Fall 2020

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