Young Lawyers Section

BRIDGE THE GAP

On February 24, 1999, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals amended Rule 5.3A of the Rules To Govern Mandatory Continuing Legal Education. The amendment, which became effective on July 1, 1999, requires new law school graduates and new admittees to attend the mandatory Bridge the Gap seminar sponsored by the West Virginia State Bar within six months prior to admission or within twelve months after admission to the West Virginia State Bar.

The Young Lawyers Section has been given the honor of creating and implementing the inaugural Bridge the Gap seminar program. Over the past year numerous YLS members have worked to make this program a success. I would be remiss if I did not thank Past President Reggie Osenton and Michael Davenport of Charleston for their leadership and guidance in this endeavor.

The Bridge the Gap seminar is designed to aid young lawyers in transition between law school and into the practice of law. For this reason we have selected topics which we believe to be beneficial to a new lawyer=s transition. The program will concentrate on three areas, bar government and organization, practical considerations and lifestyle considerations.

We will have a spokesperson discuss the benefits of being a State Bar member, such as various activities, services committees and referral services. There will be a section dealing with the West Virginia Lawyer Disciplinary System. We plan to familiarize new admittees with the structure of the discipline system. We will also lecture on avoiding and responding to complaints. Further, we will talk about the need for and the requirements of continuing legal education compliance.

Our program will also cover numerous practical considerations. There will be a section dealing with the lawyer and relationships in the legal system. Practice management building and maintenance will be a basic how-to discussion for sole practitioners. There will be focus on fee fundamentals and business development strategies which will assist new lawyers understanding business development and retention in addition to the practice of law. We also anticipate discussing the continuous need for and finding time for pro bono assignments. In addition, we will provide new admittees information dealing with risk management. I hope to have a representative from ALPS give a presentation on various areas of practice as well as management and malpractice avoidance.

We are also hoping to have a member of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals address the new admittees about the profession during the noon luncheon.

Finally, it is our goal to give new admittees some valuable information dealing with lifestyle considerations. We hope to meet with the admittees, their spouses, partners or significant friends to explain what to expect now that there is a new lawyer in the family. We also provide a section dealing with balancing your life and practice in which we will bring lawyers and their spouses together to hear a discussion of the importance of balance and making time for each other and for various aspects of the professional social and family life.

We hope to end the day with a reception that all participants and speakers can attend and get to know each other and the new members of the bar a bit better.

The Young Lawyers Section is proud to continue its efforts in making the practice of law a little easier for everyone. We hope the Bridge the Gap seminar does just that.