Harford County Bar Association News

Sept 2013 Volume 14, Issue 1

A publication of the Harford County Bar Association.

Sept 2013 Page 1

President’s Message

September has always been an interesting month as it

brings with it many changes to our lives. School starts

and some of us are sending children off to school again.

We anticipate the weather change, we wait for the Ravens

to begin their season, we hope for the Orioles to begin to

win again. And, although certainly not as important, but

still along those lines, we also have the annual change

over in the officers and executive council of the Bar Asso-

ciation. I am looking forward to a very exciting year. I

would like to welcome our new members to our Bar As-

sociation. We still have a very active social committee

busily planning the Crab Feast, the Holiday Party, and I

am hoping for a rematch at the Bowling night. Our CLE

committee provided us with some very interesting CLE

seminars and I am hoping for more to come. However,

we can always change and improve. So, I am also look-

ing for ideas from our members for ways for the Bar As-

sociation to remain vital. We are open to change and new

ideas, so if you have any suggestions, I encourage you to

find me or one of the other officers or council members

and let us know what you want or need from the Bar As-

sociation. I am not that hard to find with my office being

in the courthouse and if I am not there then I am usually

wandering down Main Street or sitting in the hallway on

the second floor. I am looking forward to serving as your

president for the upcoming year. See you all at the meet-

ing on September 4th and I will also be cracking open

some crabs at the crab feast.

President Diane Adkins Tobin

Judge Carr and Debbie Harkins at her retirement luncheon held this past June .

LOCATION CHANGE

Please note that Judge Plitt and Judge Eaves have switched locations. Judge Plitt is now on the 2nd floor, Judge Eaves is on the 3rd floor. Telephone and Fax numbers have remained the same.

eFiling Alert! Pilot starting in Ann Arundel County this Spring. Please watch

for updates!

The Harford County Bar Association

Established 1927 20 West Courtland Street Bel Air, Maryland 21014

www.harcobar.org

2013-2014 OFFICERS

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Past President Master Frederick J. Hatem, Jr.,

Hon. Mimi Cooper, Carl R. Schlaich, Chris van Roden, Hon. Stephen M. Waldron.,

Brian Young and David Ryden

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Jayne T. Haiber 443-987-3730

harcobar@gmail.org

HCBA Newsletter .

Provided to HCBA Members at no cost as part of annual dues.

Archived at: http://www.harcobar.org/newsletters.

Sept 2013 Page 2

UPCOMING EVENTS

GENERAL MEETING Wednesday, September 4 5 pm Ceremonial Courtroom 4TH ANNUAL TAILGATE! Wednesday, September 4 5 –8 After General Meeting Dumer, Harrison & Barnes 31 E. Lee Street, Bel Air ANNUAL FAMILY LAW MEETING Tuesday, September 17 12 noon to 3:30 pm Liriodendron CLE—YOU LOST THE BATTLE BUT NOT THE WAR: BEST PRACTICES AT SENTENCING Friday, September 27 12 noon to 3 District Court, Room 3 (lunch provided) CRAB FEAST Thursday, October 3 5 to 8 pm The Tower on Main Street

Event Planning

Officers, Committee Chairs and Members: If you are requesting Harford County Bar Associ-ation funding and/or sponsorship for your event, please submit, within a reasonable time prior to the event, a written proposal to the Executive Council. The proposal shall include the dollar amount requested. See By-Laws, Art. VI, as pro-vided to members only on our website. For ques-tions please contact the Executive Director.

Thank you.

Published quarterly (Sept/Dec/Mar/Jun). The deadline for submissions is the 15th of the month preceding publication. We publish news and announcements relevant to the Har-ford County legal community. Articles provid-ing legal related analysis or news are wel-comed, provided they are 3000 characters or less in length, including spaces. We reserve the right to edit the submission as appropriate for inclusion in the newsletter.

Rates for private, legal related advertisements per issue run as follows: Full page: $160.00, 1/2 page: $80.00, 1/4 page: $40.00, 1/8 page: $20.00.

President Diane Adkins Tobin 410-638-3500 President-Elect Lawrence F. Kreis, Jr. 410-576-6991 Secretary Yolanda L. Curtin 410-692-2979 Treasurer Anthony DiPaula 410-893-4255

Sept 2013 Page 3

UPDATE: Find a Lawyer

Find a Lawyer is off to a great start, with about 38 participating attorneys and well over 100 listed names in

practice areas. The HCBA office receives inquiries daily for attorney referrals. Those who are not directed to

the Bar Foundation are provided with our Find a Lawyer information.

Due to multiple requests, we have expanded the allowed number of practice areas to six. So, up to three listed

areas for $25.00 a year, or up to six listed areas for an additional $25.00 per year. Please note the listing year

started in June with the new HCBA year. Also, if you are not in private practice,, you still can participate in the

FAL listing through the name search.

If you have any questions, please feel to call the office at 443-987-3730 or the Law Library at 410-638-3467.

Meet the Harford County Bar Foundation

The Harford County Bar Foundation welcomes new Executive Director Nan-cy Mahoney. She has been a Harford County resident for 26 years and worked for both Harford County Public Schools and Harford Community College. She has served on many foundations and boards in our local community.

The Foundation also welcomes Admin-istrative Assistant Barbara Heller Og-den, a Harford County resident for 10 years. She is an attorney and an artist who is involved in many community organizations.

They are waiting to talk with you about the Foundation and excited for your par-ticipation in their program. 18 Office St., 1st Floor, Bel Air, MD 21014, Tel. 410-836-01233

Executive Director Nancy Mahoney and Assistant Barbara Heller Ogden

With so many recent changes in the Harford County legal services/support community,

this edition focuses on making sure that you recognize a few of those new names and faces (along with a few not so new faces), and have a proper introduction. Apologies to anyone who may have been missed.

Sept 2013 Page 4

PLEASE RSVP TO

wbarnes@dhblawyers.com

If you know you ARE coming! Thanks!

Sept 2013 Page 5

With luck, Dana Everts’ boundless enthusiasm for her new role as Com-munity Work Service Director may just spill over to the work her “clients” will be performing for non-profits, government offices, religious commu-nities and others in Harford County. Community Work Service case man-agers match work sites with offend-ers, adult and juvenile, sentenced to various hours of community service, and they keep track of compliance. Although it has only been a few weeks, Ms. Everts appears comforta-ble and in her element, as she has earned a Master Degree in Criminal Justice with a specialization in Correc-tions, worked nine years at Probation and Parole, is a trained and experi-enced mediator—she is no stranger to the workings of the system in which the CWS functions. She also could not be happier with her new corner office. The CWS is now located at the former Masters office on 101 S. Main Street. After a successful open house, she and her staff are ready to build on the work of long time Director Donna Walinski, who recently retired. According to Ms. Everts, one of the leading causes of recidivism is the failure of the offender to find work. While CWS is not paid employment, through the assigned work, the offend-er gives back to the community, and may also have an opportunity to learn a useful skill. Please consider participating in this valuable program. A staff member is available to visit your site, get to know what you need, and assist in choosing the types of offenses appropriate for your situation. Current sites include Anna’a House, the Boys & Girls Club, and Parks & Recreation across Har-ford County. If an organization you know may pos-sibly benefit from the service of a worker, please contact the CWS staff at 410-638-4730.

Meet Community Work Service

Ms. Everts, second from the left, with her case managers left to right: Bruce Flaugher, Rebecca Richardson, and Irvin Wainright. Not pictured, Adminis-trative Assistant Lindsay Amos.

Leverage Key Numbers on

Westlaw Next

Attend Live Training Webinar At the Law Library or your desk

Thursday,

Sept 26, 2013 12:15 pm

See the website at events for link and log in information.

Congratulations to Carolyn Evans

On July 1, 2013, HCBA member Carolyn Evans was elected President of the Chesapeake Professional Women’s Network, Inc. (www.cpnet.org). Since 1996, the CPWN has been dedicated to its mission of enhancing the personal and professional growth of women in Harford County and the sur-rounding area. Ms. Evans is a partner at Sengstacke & Evans, LLC.

Sept 2013 Page 6

LOCAL PHILANTHROPY AT ITS BEST

Roger Gaumond does not regard himself as a rich man. However, after the death of his wife Ann, he created an en-dowment in her memory at the Community Foundation of Harford County to support programs for children in Har-ford County. Though they had no children, the Gaumonds were long known for their volunteering with neighborhood children. Since 2010, the Ann K. Gaumond Fund has supported programs at the Y of Central Maryland, the Boys and Girls Clubs, SARC, and Havre de Grace Maritime Museum, just to name a few. The Ann K. Gaumond Fund is one example of how Community Foundation of Harford County (CFHC) helps indi-viduals create legacies to benefit the causes about which they care. Community foundations are known for their ac-tive donor partnerships and their ability to create permanent funds to support causes in the community that donors care about most. Founded in 2007, CFHC is a nonprofit organization with over $500,000 in assets and 20 active funds investing in local nonprofits and causes each year. Since 2009, CFHC has granted more than $138,000, supporting programs for the arts, children and youth, counseling, education, housing, environmental awareness, and other local needs. CFHC provides an effective way for individuals, families, and businesses to provide lasting support for charitable purposes. The foundation uses the same powerful giving techniques used by the world’s largest foundations: Set aside assets. Invest them carefully. Make grants from them regularly to support charitable causes. There are many benefits of working with CFHC. Named funds can be opened with as little as $10,000, which can be paid in a lump sum or part of a multi-year commitment. Since the foundation is a nonprofit organization, donors re-ceive the maximum charitable tax deduction permitted by law. Donors can support favorite charities or causes during their lifetimes, recommend grants, name the fund in their estate plans, and create a legacy for the future. Donors sometimes create a private foundation to meet their personal charitable goals. This can be a complex and ex-pensive process. With a CFHC fund, all fund administration is taken care by the foundation. The donor receives greater tax benefits. Investment income is not subject to excise tax and there are no minimum payout requirements. The donor receives the advantages of a private foundation – personal recognition, involvement, and flexibility – with-out the management, cost, and tax burden. CFHC offers many powerful and highly personal approaches to help people realize their charitable goals. Funds can be created through gifts of cash, stock, retirement accounts, life insurance, bequests, or other assets. Working with CFHC, donors can foster the things they love most in the community and help to preserve them forever. This is truly local philanthropy at its best. For more information about the Community Foundation of Harford County, contact Tamara Zavislan at 443-371-6062, or visit www.cfharfordcounty.org.

Sept 2013 Page 7

After years of successfully studying the finer points of maneuvering through the law, HCBA member Carolyn Evans has turned to … the Fox Trot! Carolyn has been selected as a Celebrity Dancer to raise money for the Harford County Center for the Arts at its Gala on Saturday, Sep-tember 21, 2013 at the Bulle Rock Residents Cen-ter. Judges for the event include the Hon. Angela Eaves. HCBA members who danced in years past include Gus Brown, Jay Young and Eric McLauchlin. You can support Carolyn and the Center for the Arts by voting for her at www.DancingForTheArts.org. Votes are equal to dollars raised. You can also support Carolyn and the Center for the Arts by joining her at a fundraiser at Looney’s Pub in Bel Air on September 4th where 10% of the proceeds from sales will go to the Center. Just bring a flyer, availa-ble here on page 16, with you. Come by any time during the day, or from 5-9 when Carolyn and friends will be there. As the only attorney dancing, the pressure is on Carolyn to keep us all looking good!

Vote for a Lawyer!

Meet Circuit Court Civil Self Help Center

The Bel Air States Attorney Office recently welcomed three new legal clerks: Sandi Krampert - Juvenile Division, Shannon Mullarky, and former intern Jamie Shulze, (pictured below) who is assigned to the Victim/Witness Unit.

Hundreds of walk-in clients a month, dozens of telephone calls a week, appointment or no appointment; the Harford County Self Help Center is there to provide one on one assis-tance to the huge number of self rep-resented litigants (SRLs) with family law issues who are fortunate to find them.

Director Darlene Mohr has been the go-to person for years, and has heard her share of life stories and challeng-es. She explained that some SRLs cannot read, or become confused quite easily, and it is clear that they really need help. The Self Help Cen-ter provides a variety of family law related forms, such as child custody, child support, and visitation. While the staff offers guidance, they do not fill out the forms for the SRLs, nor do they give legal advice.

Assistant Jennifer Williams, pictured above on the left with Director Darlene Mohr. Ms. Williams recently joined the Self Help Center and is quickly learning the about the pace and demands of this popular program.

Meet New SAO Clerks

Sept 2013 Page 8

SAVE THE DATE:

PRO BONO DAY

Will be on a Saturday in October from 9:00am to 12:00pm.

Sponsored by the Harford County Pro Bono Committee and the Legal Aid Bureau.

Discuss any legal issues/concerns one-on-one at the legal clinic with volunteer attorneys.

A Volunteer Registration form is on the next page.

Thank You Volunteers!

Refreshments provided to Volunteers.

My name is Desiree Reetz and I am the new chair of

the Pro Bono Committee. I have been working at

the Harford/Cecil County Legal Aid office since

January 2010, but have been working for Maryland

Legal Aid since August 2008. I previously worked

at Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services and

was an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Min-

neapolis. I am looking forward to getting to know

and working with the local bar association.

Maryland Legal Aid Bureau is located at 103 South Hickory Avenue, Bel Air , Maryland 21014, Tele-phone 410-836-8202 ext. 3909 or 410-776-7949.

Meet Pro Se Committee Chair

Sept 2013 Page 9

HARFORD COUNTY PRO BONO COMMITTEE AND LEGAL AID BUREAU, NORTHEAST OFFICE

FALL PRO BONO CLINIC

Legal Aid Bureau, Northeast Office 103 South Hickory Ave.

Bel Air, MD 21014 410-836-8202

Thank you for your interest in volunteering for the Pro Bono Clinic. Please provide the following information (which will remain confidential) for our records.

Name: Position: Attorney Law Student Paralegal Other: I can help the following times: 9-12 1 hour from ______ to _______ Other: I work/study at: Address: Telephone: Email: I am willing to assist in: Legal Consultations Group Presentations As needed Please specify fluency other than English: I have experience in the following areas: Family Law Landlord/Tenant Wills/Advance Directives Bankruptcy Foreclosures Criminal Expungements Other:

Please complete and fax to Legal Aid Bureau, Northeast Office

410-836-7117 (fax)

ATTENTION FAMILY LAW ATTORNEYS

Annual Family Law Meeting

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

12:00 – 3:30 p.m.

We’re BACK at The Liriodendron !

12 noon – 1:00 p.m. LUNCH 1:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Tentative PROGRAM PREVIEW:

· Chris Nicholson, Esq. will give a summary of new developments in Family Law

· Annual review of local case management procedures and update of our support services.

Guest Speaker:

Joanne Hopkins of Friends Lab

Review of Hair Follicle Testing, Referral Procedures, Various Panels and Costs

TO REGISTER NOW

CALL 410-638-3100 OR FAX 410-893–3953

THIS FORM /INFORMATION TO THE OFFICE OF FAMILY COURT SERVICES

(Once you send us this, consider yourself signed up- and we’ll expect to see you there!)

No Fee - it is Free

NAME _______________________________ E-mail: ____________________

PHONE: ______________________________ FAX: _____________________

Sept 2013 Page 10

CLE

Sept 2013 Page 11

1. You Lost the Battle But Not the War: Best Practices at Sentencing Guest Speaker: Honorable Mimi Cooper Friday, September 27, 2013 Noon—3:00 pm District Court, Courtroom 3, FREE LUNCH IS PROVIDED PLEASE RSVP!!

2. Same Sex Marriage: Its Impact on Your Practice Guest Speaker: Mark Scurti, Recently Appointed to the Baltimore City District Court Wednesday, October 16, 2013 4:00 pm Court House, Room TBA

3. Education Law Guest Speaker: Edmund O’Meally, Esq. Wednesday, November 6, 2013 12 noon Law Library Bring your lunch

Please RSVP to: Meg Atttanasio at: megattanasio@yahoo.com or

Raj Goel at: rgoel@offitkurman.com

Harford County Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Committee

Sept 2013 Page 12

While half of the Law Clerks have been on vacation along

with their chambers staff, the others are settled in and

working hard.

Judge Bowen’s Law Clerk—Josh

Street. I have been a resident of Bel

Air my whole life, and have strong

ties to the Harford County communi-

ty. In May of 2013, I graduated

from the University of Baltimore

School of Law. I am currently clerk-

ing for Judge Bowen in Harford

County Circuit Court. Over this next

year, I am looking forward to the

tremendous learning experiences this clerkship has to of-

fer, and am excited to meet new people in the legal com-

munity.

Judge Plitt’s Law Clerk—Amanda Selvy. I grew up in Harford County and I am very excited to become part of the legal community here. I have been in the Circuit Court for about two weeks and I have already learned so much. I look forward to broadening my experiences in court and to

getting to know many of the attorneys.

Judge Eaves Law Clerk –Elizabeth Thompson. Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself through the HCBA newsletter. Here is a brief narrative of my background: I worked for 7 years for the Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland in Crownsville, Maryland while attending Anne Arundel Community College. I graduated Magna Cum Laude with an Associates Degree in Paralegal Studies. I relocated to Harford County in 2003. I began work at Stark and Kee-nan, P.A., where I remained for the past 10 years. I got my Bachelor's Degree in Paralegal Studies, Magna Cum Laude, in 2007 from Villa Julie College (now Stevenson University) in Stevenson, Maryland. I attended the Even-ing Division at Widener University School of Law in Wil-mington, DE and graduated Cum Laude in May of 2013. I live in Bel Air with my husband and son. I can be reached at Elizabeth.H.Thompson@mdcourts.gov. Judge Carr’s Law Clerks: Maureen Sentman and Rachel

Dirzuweit, and Judge Waldron’s Law Clerk: Rory M.

Parks.

Welcome to all!

DUES NOTICES WENT OUT JUNE 1, 2013

They included:

Directions for a new online payment option;

Your member ID and password for the website ; and

Information on how to sign up for Find a Lawyer.

Thank you for your continued membership

and prompt payment.

As of August 31, 2013, If you have not yet paid

your annual dues, you have lost your voting status

until payment is received.

Where are last year’s Law Clerks?

Although last year’s Law Clerks are busy in this time of

transition, we managed to track down three.

Judge Carr ‘s Law clerk Amanda Radke is now settled in

as an Appellate Attorney at the Vietnam Veterans of

America, where she represents veterans in front of the

Board of Veteran's Appeals in Washington D.C.

Judge Waldron’s Law Clerk Natalie Waryck is now an

associate at Naka, Huttar & Oldhouser, LLP, located in

downtown Baltimore.

Judge Bowen’s Law Clerk, Hugh Williams is now clerk-

ing for a judge in St. Mary’s County.

Best Wishes to all!

Meet the 2013/2014 Law Clerks

Sept 2013 Page 13

Sept 2013 Page 14

As a sophomore Government and Politics major at the University of Maryland, College Park, I spent the end of my most recent spring semester frantically reaching out to prospective internship sites, whittling out the ones that I thought were too intensive for a summer break or simply paid less than my unqualified, 19-year-old self was willing to take. Surprisingly, the internship I wound up taking was a forty-hour per week job, getting paid minimum wage working as a summer helper in the clerk’s office of the District Court. Although this particular summer occupation wasn’t exactly what I had in mind, it certainly left me without a single grain of regret. After taking four semesters of political science classes, I knew that I wanted to graduate with a degree in Government and Politics. Yet I had not a clue what I was going to do after graduating and becoming of the age group of those who were either entering the workforce or deferring for another couple years of graduate school. During my initial weeks working in the clerk’s office, I wasn’t sure I was going to get much of a “beyond the classroom” experience to point me in the right direction until I was fortunate enough to spend some time in the gallery of a courtroom. Whether or not those with more exposure, experience, and expertise would agree, the District Courthouse has in itself a sort of rhythmic charm. Day by day, case-by-case, fellow citizens who are found guilty of everything from minor traffic citations to felonies deal with their associated consequences. I found that while one docket brings into the courthouse a lowly wrung of society, another such as routine traffic brings in all walks of life; those from the unaware teenager to the apologetic doctor. While dealing with filing, preparing dockets, and assisting around the office turned out to be a greatly rewarding and fulfilling summer job, spending the majority of my summer in a courthouse working behind the scenes completely reformed my predetermined ideas of what it would be like to practice law in the future. My naivety led me to believe that working in the field of law would lead to long hours, ceiling-high stacks of paperwork, and constant dealing with relentless, highly-qualified, type-A colleagues. After spending three months trying to absorb as much possible, I can see that the field of law is a bit of dealing with the aforementioned circumstances, but I can also see that working in law is one of the most challenging yet fulfilling professions available. In review, It’ll be hard to forget how curiously exciting it was to witness a defendant’s attorney object to the state’s attorney’s questioning of an officer and have it be sustained multiple times. I was equally fortunate to be afforded the opportunity to be a part (albeit a small part) of the Mental Health Diversionary Program meetings, which has made me aware of the great work of Problem Solving Courts and forever interested me in the role of the judiciary in relation to the executive and legislative branches of government. Although my experience with the District Court is coming to a close, I can’t help feeling fortunate and privileged to have had my first exposure to the field of law in such an interesting, influential, and memorable way. I guess law school is just around the corner.

Luke Pinton

Sept. 2012

Gina Jalbert

Wayne Steedman

Cheryl Steele-Steedman

Jason Reichlyn

Feb. 2013

Anthony Balsamo

L.M.D.D. Biggs

Arlene Callender

Mauricio Barriero

Howard Bruckner

Mark Klemans

May 2013

Kristin M,. Barrett

David Clayton

Maria R. Delacy

James B. Larrimore

Desiree Reetz

Sally Stanfield

Kevin Barth

MyEsha Craddock

Sarah Gable

Patrick Motsay

Gail Spielberger

Welcome New

Members Meet District Court’s Summer “Intern”

Thursday, October 3, 2013

5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

At

The Tower Restaurant

$45/Per Person

All-you-can-eat crabs

Served with a Buffet Of Sides

Domestic Beer Included

Purchase Tickets Online

At

www.harcobar.org

Please join the

Harford County Bar Association

for our Annual

CRAB FEAST!

Sept 2013 Page 15

Sept 2013 Page 16

ATTENTION: Please use this form to communicate with your Bar

Association leaders. Or, email us at harcobar@gmail.com. Tel. 443-987-3730. My address on the label shown below should be changed to:

New Address:

New Phone:

New Fax:

To be answered in the next issue of the newsletter: .............................................................................................................................

Presorted Standard

US POSTAGE

PAID

Permit No. 2075

Bel Air, MD

21014

HARFORD COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION 20 West Courtland Street Bel Air, Maryland 21014

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED