Arizona Attorney - January 2014

BAR COMMUNITY

as the Vice Chief Justice.

3 Justice Bales reviewed the prominent Arizona legal professionals who have been actively involved in the ABA and how the Arizona’s delegation today is very active and influential.

3 Trish Refo will be the next chair of the ABA House of Delegates.

3Ms. Refo encouraged the board to consider membership in the ABA. Three years ago the ABA substantially lowered its membership fee for solos and public lawyers.

3High Score on February Bar
Exam

3Rebecca Ann Brown of Tucson
received the highest score on
the February 2013 Bar Exam.

3Ms. Brown attended the University of Southern California, where she studied Business Administration with an emphasis in International Business. After graduating cum laude in three years, she attended law school at the University of Notre Dame.

3She is licensed in Texas and California.

3President Cunningham presented her with a briefcase and congratulated her on behalf of the unified Bar and the State Bar of Arizona Board of Governors.

3 DINNER
3Ad Hoc Amicus Committee—
Chair Richard Platt

3 A letter was received from the North Carolina State Bar requesting the State Bar of Arizona join them in an Amicus Brief regarding North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners v. Federal Trade Commission, No. 12-1172, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

3 General Counsel John Furlong enlisted the expertise of Dan W. Goldfine of Snell

& Wilmer to review and provide the State Bar with an opinion.

3 Mr. Goldfine in his lengthy
memorandum recommended
that the State Bar not join in
modifications and cuts
to non-essential board
activities.

3 The committee had voted 3–1

to recommend Option B to the board but provided all options for its consideration.

3No vote on a dues increase was entertained at this meeting; however, the board was asked to approve the Program Review Committee Policy and consider for vote the programmatic changes recommended, which would improve the quality of services provided by the Bar and also reduce costs.

3 Appointments Committee— Chair Lisa Loo reported that the Governor has requested additional nominations for the judicial nominating commissions.

The board has previously provided its nominations as openings occurred over the past three years but they have not been acted upon.

3 Director of Board Operations Carrie Sherman reviewed a summary of the State Bar’s nominations to the commissions since 1985, and the board’s varying decisions to provide one or multiple nominations per opening to the sitting Governor.

3Ms. Loo reported that the Appointments Committee recommended that the board stand by their original nominations for the open positions.

3Ms. Sherman verified with all nominees that they remain interested and are eligible to serve for the position for which they applied.

3After discussion, the decision whether to send additional names to the Governor was tabled by the board to Friday, October 25, when they could consult Bar lobbyist Janna Day.

3 ABA Presentation—Vice Chief Justice Scott Bales and Patricia Refo appeared before the board:

3Justice Bales appeared as a member of the State Bar of Arizona and a member of the ABA and not in his capacity

The State Bar of Arizona Board of Governors held a regular meeting on Oct.

24-25, 2013, in Phoenix. To see the complete minutes go to www.azbar.org/ aboutus/leadership/boardofgovernors/ minutes.

3President Whitney Cunningham called the Board meeting to order at 2:05 p.m.

3 President’s Report—President Cunningham reported:

3He, along with CEO/
Executive Director John
Phelps, Chief Member Services
Officer Lisa Deane, and
Elena Nethers, Diversity and
Outreach Advisor, made a
presentation to the Arizona
Women Lawyers Association
on the Bar’s diversity initiatives.
3He attended the Arizona
Native American Bar
Association’s Seven
Generations Awards Dinner.
3He presented at the opening
session of the Bar’s seventh-
annual Bar Leadership Institute
held in Tubac.
3He attended the Courts’ annu-
al leadership conference and
the recent Arizona Judicial
Council meeting. In June, Vice
Chief Justice Scott Bales will
become Chief Justice and
Justice John Pelander will
become Vice Chief Justice of
the Arizona Supreme Court.
3He reported that the Courts’
five-year strategic plan is being
vetted by various entities
including the Board of
Governors’ Strategic Planning
Committee.

3He indicated that whatever the board decides with regard to the Program Review Committee’s report and recommendations, said action would not affect the 2014 budget but would become effective in 2015.

3Program Review Committee— Chair Amelia Craig Cramer reported:

3At the August retreat the board voted to create a Program Review Committee (PRC) to evaluate the Bar’s programs,

services and activities (PSAs) and make recommendations to the board about any proposed changes.

3Committee members: Board members Mike Baumstark, Sam Saks and John Sullivan; Bar staff CEO/ED John Phelps, CCO Rick DeBruhl, Chief Member Services Officer Lisa Deane, General Counsel/Deputy Director John Furlong, CFO Kathy Gerhart, Director of Board Operations Carrie Sherman, and Chief Bar Counsel Maret Vessella.

3 The committee first devised a method to evaluate all the mandated PSAs and created the proposed Program Review Committee Policy, which outlines the methodology used and would apply in evaluating any proposed new PSAs as well as evaluating current PSAs every three years prior to the budget process.

3Ms. Cramer then reviewed in depth the committee’s proposal, elaborating on the four options the committee ultimately considered:

3 Option A—No changes to PSAs. The financial gap is addressed by increased dues and pro hac vice fees. (2015- 2018 – Active 3+ years dues & pro hac vice fees increased at $30 per year, total of $130)

3 Option B—Some changes/ modifications in PSAs coupled with increased dues, pro hac vice fees, and late fees. (2015-2018 – Active 3+ years dues & pro hac vice fees increased at $25 per year, total of $100 and MCLE & dues late fees increased 33 percent in 2015)