BAR COMMUNITY
BOARD OF GOVERNORS DECEMBER MEETING REVIEW
The State Bar of Arizona Board of
Governors held a regular meeting on Dec.
14, 2012, in Phoenix. To see the complete
minutes go to www.azbar.org/aboutus/
leadership/boardofgovernors/minutes.
3President Amelia Craig Cramer
called the board meeting to
order at 8: 30 a.m.
3 President’s Report—
3Acknowledged board member
Diane Drain and her husband
Jay McClimon for hosting the
Board of Governors’ holiday
party the previous evening.
3 Welcomed two new members:
Supreme Court liaison Justice
Ann A. Scott Timmer and
Dean Marc L. Miller of
University of Arizona James
E. Rogers College of Law.
3 CEO/Executive Director
Report—John Phelps:
3Reviewed the CEO Highlights
previously disseminated.
3Introduced and recognized
employees: Martín Gaxiola,
Accounting Manager,
Employee of the Quarter;
George Schader, Technology
Support Manager, Employee
of the Year.
3 Legislative Report—Lobbyist
Janna Day:
3Reported on the General
Election; Republicans lost
seats and the supermajority.
3Legislators’ assignments are
shifting.
3Probate and Trust Law
Section’s two proactive bills
are under way; Sen. Adam
Driggs agreed to sponsor
both.
3Andy Biggs has been elected
Senate President.
3 The courts are facing possible
budget cuts this year.
3Challenges in funding the
elected officials’ retirement
system changes could impact
attracting qualified attorneys
for judgeships.
3 Consent Agenda—The board
unanimously approved.
3Rules Committee Report—
Chair Alex Vakula reported:
3Petition to Amend Rule 42,
ER 8. 4, ARIZ.R.S.CT. –
Whitney Cunningham pro-
posed a revision to the Task
Force’s recommendation.
through “an approved legal
services organization,” up to
a maximum of five hours per
educational year. Attorneys
eligible for the CLE credit
described in this proposal will
report their pro bono service
in the established process with
the attorneys’ annual affidavit
of compliance.
Coming as a motion from the
Rules Committee and requiring
no second, the motion carried.
3Petition to Amend Rule 15. 8,
ARIZ.R.CRIM.PRO. – Bob
Gundaker, member of the
Criminal Practice and
Procedure Defense
Committee, reviewed the
proposed amendment regarding plea deals. The Rules
Committee did not make
a recommendation. After
lengthy discussion, Richard
Coffinger moved, David
Derickson seconded and the
motion carried to approve
the filing of the petition to
amend.
3Finance Committee Report—
Chair Richard Platt turned it
over to CFO Kathy Gerhart,
who reported:
32013 Budget Version A –
shows net surplus of $6,679
3 First draft contained an
accounting error re: internal
rent in the amount of
$36,768. In order to make
up the difference, meals
($34,640) and contract
labor ($2,128) costs were
reduced.
32013 Budget Version B – To
compensate for a proposed
increase in the percentage of
pro hac vice fees that are
passed through to Arizona’s
legal services providers, from
15 percent to 25 percent,
which equals $51,229, cuts
were proposed in Board offi-
cers’ travel ($16,335); postage
($12,000); dues and subscrip-
tions ($4,755); sponsorships
($4,500); gifts/grants
($3,780); diversity initiatives
($4,000); and in other miscel-
laneous areas ($5,859) for a
total of $51,229. The revised
budget surplus would be
$14,432.
