Fall 2020
MEMBER NEWSLETTER Periodic Newsletter Focusing on Arkansas Bar Association Members IN THIS ISSUE •
CLE CENTRAL
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Reflections from 50-Year Members
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YLS Volunteers at Record-Sealing Clinic
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Constitution Day Video
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Arkansas Bar Commission on Diversity and Inclusion
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2021 Legislative Session
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New Member Benefits
ArkBar Launches Virtual CLE Platform-CLE CENTRAL ArkBar has partnered with Blue Sky eLearn, who offers an awardwinning learning management platform, Path LMS. This platform is where you will find all of ArkBar’s CLE, including live streaming, on-demand and virtual events. First-time users will need to create an account to get started. Once logged in, users can access the full library of courses, register for the seminars, download CLE materials and obtain their CLE certificates. To • • •
Get Started in CLE CENTRAL Navigate to https://www.pathlms.com/arkbar In the upper right-hand corner, click “Sign In.” Please complete the registration questions to create an account. If you did not receive your access code, please contact Cynthia Barnes at cbarnes@arkbar.com or call 501-801-5660. • Once you have successfully created an account, you will see your name in the upper right-hand corner when you log in.
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November 3: Noon - 1:00 pm (1.0 CLE) Conducting Courts in the COVID-19 Era Judge Robert L. Herzfeld, 22nd Judicial Circuit, Division 4 Judge Cindy Thyer, 2nd Judicial Circuit, Division 4 Join Judges Herzfeld and Thyer for a broad discussion about different aspects of using virtual technology beginning with the scheduling phase, pre-trial preparations and hearings, and then to the trials themselves. They will offer practical solutions for attorneys and judges in addressing the challenges of conducting court in the COVID-19 era followed by Q and A.
2224 Cottondale Lane, Little Rock, AR 72202
November 12: 10:00 am, 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm (3.0 CLE) Legislative Advocacy 10:00 am: The 2020 Election—Is It Over Yet? Speakers: Roby Brock and John Brummett 12:00 pm: Conflicted: The Perils of Amending an Arkansas Code Section Multiple Times in a Legislative Session Speaker: Matthew Miller, Bureau of Legislative Research 2:00 pm: 2020 - 2021 Legislative Preview Speakers: John Vines, Former State Representative, Moderator Panelist: Speaker Matthew J. Shepherd, Arkansas House of Reps. Register for one, two or three hours. November 19: Noon - 1:00 pm (1.0 CLE) 8 Things Killing Your Law Firm and How to Stop Them Waste is defined as anything that doesn’t add value in your client’s eyes, and the competitive business of law demands that we eliminate wastefulness. Clients demand value from their lawyers and are willing to shop around to find it, forcing lawyers to re-examine their practices and processes. In this webinar, you’ll learn how to identify and remove the 8 most common types of waste from your practice. This webinar is for members only and is one of the six free hours of law practice management and technology included with membership. November 30: Noon - 1:00 pm (1.0 CLE) TBA Daniel Faulkner, Senior Asst. Attorney General, Office of Attorney General Leslie Rutledge
REGISTER NOW! WWW.PATHLMS.COM/ARKBAR
Reflections From Members Celebrating 50 Years of Law Practice ArkBar members who reached the 50-year milestone for practicing law in Arkansas this year were asked to share a few comments in a video as part of ArkBar’s virutal Annual Meeting Conference in June. The members shared what it means to them to be a lawyer, what the profession means to them and their advice for new lawyers in the highlights below and screen shots from the video. You can view the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa5K1TggbvM&feature=youtu.be. Members who also celebrated 50 years of practice not on the video include: Larry W. Burks, Jerry L. Canfield, Al J. Daniel, Jr., Stephen A. Geigle, John C. Gregg, Robert L. Hart, Jr., Jerry Mazzanti, Jim Roger Nash, Bobby Lee Odom, Eudox Patterson, Jerry Dean Patterson, David J. Potter, Robert J. Reid, George Edwin Steel, Boyd A. Tackett, Jr., Allyn (Lynn) Tatum, David S. Taylor, Byron Thomason, William M. Warren and Timothy F. Watson, Sr. Special thank you to Immediate Past President Brian Rosenthal and Heide Harrell with the Rose Law Firm for producing the video. JUDGE SAM BIRD “To say that I had a full and interesting career as a member of the Arkansas Bar is an understatement. The entire 50 years has been an honor and a privilege.” GEORGE RANDALL (RANDY) COLEMAN, JR. “For all you young lawyers out there, I know that you will spend a lot of hours developing and establishing a law practice. Don’t forget your families in that endeavor. Secondly, in the age of technology, don’t lose personal contact with all of your clients and especially other lawyers. Those personal contacts will mean a lot to you down the road as you continue your law practice.” THOMAS (TOM) A. DAILY “It has been an amazing 50 years. I’ve had some really interesting opportunities that I will forever treasure, particularly the friendships that you make over the course of a lifetime doing what we do in this wonderful state where we do it.” JOHN C. EVERETT “I value my relationships with my friends. I look forward to the next several years of being active in the practice.”
LARRY FROELICH “If you are self-employed, make sure you keep sufficient reserves and live below your means.”
SAM GIBSON “Being a lawyer has provided countless opportunities to play a meaningful role in my community and to help others.”
DONALD B. KENDALL “A judge and a jury looks to you to be reasonable, and it’s an element of persuasion. Also, honesty and openness will bring credibility.”
JACK A. MCNULTY “The decision to join the Arkansas Bar Association was the best long-range decision that I made in my career. There is no better place than the Arkansas Bar Association to work on positive activities with other lawyers.”
J. CONLEY MEREDITH “Take care of yourself—physically, mentally and spiritually. Try to strike a balance in your life. You never ever get a second chance to make a first impression. Your reputation is very important. Treating everyone with dignity and respect should apply throughout your life, not only within your association but with clients and members of the bar as well.” LONNIE A. POWERS “Law school taught me the law, but much more importantly started me on the path to a rich and rewarding career, and as my preacher father and grandfather would have said, to live not for myself but for others.” MARK SPRADLEY “What it means to me personally to be a lawyer is that it is an honorable profession and I have the opportunity to try my best to help some people. In that regard you have to be humble, honest, and diligent in your efforts. If you do that, you’ve done a good job.” GEORGE EDWIN STEEL “It’s hard to believe that it has been 50 years since I finished law school. They say time flies when you’re having fun. And that’s what I’ve been doing. I’ve been having fun.” JOHN DEWEY WATSON What law has meant to me: I can’t imagine not being a lawyer. Something new every day. Waking up every day looking forward to work. Every case unique, every witness different, at the end of the day thinking you have used your intellect your training and your experience to help someone else along the way.”
Young Lawyers Section Volunteer at Record-Sealing Clinic On October 9, 2020, the Young Lawyers Section had the opportunity to co-sponsor a Record Sealing Clinic with Legal Aid of Arkansas, Inc. Record sealing is such an important thing for so many people across our state. By having their records sealed, those who were helped are able to have easier access to housing as well as employment. Through this clinic we were able to provide 136 different documents to 30 clients. We had 10 private attorney volunteers and 8 law student volunteers. It was so wonderful to be able to bring several groups together to assist these clients. The groups represented at the clinic were Arkansas Access to Justice, Black Law Student Association (UA Fayetteville), University of Arkansas Student Bar Association, Center for Arkansas Legal Services, UARK Law Pro Bono & Community Engagement, Tyson, and Walmart. Thank you so much to everyone for making this event possible. —Chris Hussein, YLS Chair
Constitution Day Video The Arkansas Bar Association produced a video to help educate Arkansas students about the importance of the Constitution and the rule of law in the United States in honor of Constitution Day on September 17. The Legal Related Education Super Committee of ArkBar presented this Constitution Day video, explaining the legal system, how it works, and the rule of law. This video describes the basic framework of the legal system today, details the basic rights guaranteed by our Constitution and provides an overview of the three branches of government. The Constitution Day video is moderated by Anthony McMullen. Anthony is chair of the Mock Trial Committee for ArkBar and serves as Director of Forensics at the University of Central Arkansas. Below are some highlights and screen shots from the video. Thank you to the presenters who made this video possible! The video can be found at ArkBar’s youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=IbUlw0GDHb0. Please share this link! PAUL W. KEITH ARKBAR PRESIDENT PAUL KEITH “Just over 230 years ago a very grand experiment began. For the first time in modern history, a government was founded on a unique proposition that the power of the government came from the people and not from a king. For the first time in modern history the people stood up and told its government ‘your power comes from us. We are in charge.’ For you to understand and access the power that you have, you need to know more. So, we pause today to understand the voice of your power—the United States Constitution.” ANTHONY MCMULLEN, MODERATOR “I hope the video will help students better understand their role as citizens, future voters, and the future leaders of this great country.”
THERESA BEINER, DEAN OF THE UA LITTLE ROCK BOWEN SCHOOL OF LAW “The United States Constitution is the oldest continuously active codified constitution in the world. It includes Articles I–VII. The Constitution is written in very broad language. As you will hear from other speakers today, that makes the courts really important. The courts help interpret the terms of the constitution in ways that make sense given how the government was designed to work.” THE HONORABLE MARY MCGOWAN, CIRCUIT JUDGE FOR THE 6TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT “As James Madison stated, ambition must be made to counteract ambition. The founders designed a system to resist hasty action, prevent undue concentration of power, protect citizens’ rights and forge a national consensus on demanding issues.” SENATOR KIM HAMMER “The whole idea of the concept behind the legislative branch is that the people are involved each and every step of the process, they are given the opportunity to weigh in on their thoughts as to the laws that are being formulated, they can express their thoughts, and with the support of the majority of the legislators that would eventually be enacted into law.”
Arkansas Bar Commission on Diversity and Inclusion
HONORABLE COURTNEY HUDSON, ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT “The genius of what they [founders] did of writing the Constitution that serves as the foundation of our democracy is they divided the power between the three branches of government.“ CHAD CUMMING, ATTORNEY AT GILL, RAGON, OWEN, P.A. “Important strides in our country’s development and history have happened when groups such as minorities have shown that they were not being treated equally under the law. And our courts have come to recognize this, and so the important evolution of our country is the reinterpretation of the laws that is the progress of that goal. It is a never-ending process.” TAMERA DEAVER, ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDER FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS “The beauty of our Constitution is that it recognizes the importance of the people being involved in the government. So a jury is comprised of American citizens. It is a jury of the defendant’s peers.”
HONORABLE DAN KEMP, CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT
“The Arkansas appellate courts are courts of review. We look at the record to determine whether there has been some law or fact that was improperly found or determined that would prevent a person from having a fair trial.”
CHRIS HUSSEIN, CHAIR OF THE YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION AND ATTORNEY AT LEGAL AID OF AR “Being a lawyer is a great privilege and great responsibility. You are dealing with people’s lives every day. Lawyers wear many hats. Lawyers are seen as advisors and advocates.”
BEVERLY BRISTER, CHAIR OF THE LAW RELATED EDUCATION SUPER COMMITTEE “I hope you have enjoyed this review of the legal system brought to you by the Legal Related Education Committee of the Arkansas Bar Association.”
2021 Legislative Session
“Like Popeye’s proverbial spinach, equity is the muscle that strengthens the rule of law. Taking ownership in an American principle as old as equity should be the lawyers’ spinach—the sustenance that fortifies our democracy. Welcome to CDI, a place where we all learn, grow, and lead.” —Kandice A. Bell, Chair, Commission on Diversity & Inclusion Trustee, Arkansas Bar Association The Arkansas Bar Association announces its Commission on Diversity and Inclusion (CDI). The commission’s goals are to protect the rule of law, to aid in perfecting an imperfect Union, to ensure our representative democracy casts a wide tent, and to ensure that government metes out equal justice under law. 2020-2021 CDI Members: Chair Kandice A. Bell, Judge Earnest E. Brown, Dean Terrence Cain, Brian M. Clary, Caleb Peter Garcia, Philip E. Kaplan, Paul W. Keith, Joe F. Kolb, Deepali Lal, Mary Catherine McNulty, Marie-Bernarde Miller, Dean Cynthia E. Nance, Brian M. Rosenthal, Gwendolyn Rucker and Jonathan Q. Warren
The Arkansas Bar Association is your advocate at the state Capitol. The Arkansas Bar Association’s Legislation Committee will meet each Friday during the session that begins on January 11, 2021. Visit the Legislative Resources website at www.arkbar.com/ legislativeresources/home for information on ArkBar’s legislative advocacy/government relations program. Once the session begins, watch for weekly updates in ArkBar’s e-bulletin. 2020-2021 Legislation Committee Members: Payton C. Bentley, Sterling Taylor Chaney, Bob Estes, Prof. Lynn Foster, Jason B. Hendren, Glen Hoggard, Jamie Huffman Jones, Paul W. Keith, J. Cliff McKinney, William Blake Montgomery, Ezra Jeremiah Smith and Aaron L. Squyres.
NEW MEMBER BENEFITS! Start taking advantage of these new benefits designed to help you in your practice.
INSURANCE MARKETPLACE Now available to members:
ArkBar Insurance Marketplace Through your membership with the Arkansas Bar Association you now have access to customized health insurance options for you, your family, and employees through the ArkBar Insurance Marketplace: www.memberbenefits.com/arkbar.
Free Resources for Members
Shop a variety of health insurance and benefits products, with options and pricing that have been negotiated exclusively for ArkBar members. Visit the site to:
CHECKLISTS. (Lists include: Closing a Firm, Document Automation, Document Management Feature Considerations, Email Etiquette, Firm Account Bank Reconciliation, Merging a Firm, Moving to a New Practice Management System, Pre-Conversion Data Cleanup, Starting a Firm, Succession Planning, Time, Billing, & Accounting Feature Considerations, Trust Account Bank Reconciliation & Year-End Accounting)
• compare and purchase plans from leading providers • schedule an appointment with a licensed benefit counselor • use the live chat feature during individual health insurance annual Open Enrollment period (11/1-12/15) Marketplace products available to you include: INDIVIDUAL HEALTH INSURANCE. Shop plans from the most competitive providers in your area. 2021 Open Enrollment for ACA plans begins 11/1/20. Non-ACA plans are available year-round.
COMPARISON CHARTS. There are tons of buzzwords and entire categories of legal technology that didn’t exist as recently as a few years ago. Do you know which password manager, web meeting service, or encrypted email service is best for your business?
GROUP HEALTH & EMPLOYEE BENEFITS. From on-boarding to health insurance and everything in between, take care of all of your benefits needs by creating your own Private Health Exchange.
EXPERT ADVICE. Practice Link includes an easy way for ArkBar members to get their legal technology and law practice management questions answered for no cost by an expert at Affinity Consulting Group. ArkBar members can schedule a free one-on-one, 30-minute video/ phone consultation with an expert. All experts are former practicing attorneys who have spent years working with law firms on best practices, technology, management, and process. ArkBar members can get all their questions answered at once from the comfort of their offices! And for Mac users, Mac-specific consultations are available.
DENTAL INSURANCE. Visit any licensed dentist in the country, or stay in-network and save by choosing from over 440,000 dentist access points. Optional vision plan also available. TELEHEALTH PLANS. Visit with a doctor 24/7 by phone, video, or app. It's your anytime, anywhere doctor's office.
AFFINITY UNIVERSITY. As an ArkBar member, you get unlimited access to Affinity University. Whether you need training on page numbering in Microsoft Word, using the typewriter tool in Adobe, creating rules in Outlook, or, training on legal specific products like Worldox, NetDocuments, PCLaw, Tabs3, Actionstep, PracticeMaster, and more—your ArkBar Membership has you covered— with Affinity University!
MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT INSURANCE. Are you or a loved one approaching age 65? This can help fill the gap in coverage that Medicare leaves. LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE. Receive discounts and savings on LTCi, which pays for services provided in nursing homes, private homes, residential facilities, and more.
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LONG-TERM DISABILITY INSURANCE. Provides a monthly income in the event you become totally disabled as the result of a covered accident or illness (including pregnancy).
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TERM LIFE INSURANCE. Help protect your family’s financial security. Term Life pays a benefit in the event of the death of the insured during a specified term.
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ID THEFT PROTECTION. Members receive a complimentary subscription to PrivacyArmor Plus Identity Protection through 12/31/20. PET INSURANCE. An unexpected vet bill can be expensive. As little as $10/mo can help you keep your pet happy and healthy for years to come.
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Visit the ArkBar Insurance Marketplace today, and start reaping the benefits of your membership. www.memberbenefits.com/arkbar
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