NEW LAWYERS ADMISSION CEREMONY

On October 20 and 28, approximately 120 new lawyers were admitted as members of the legal profession in West Virginia in a customarily memorable ceremony before the Justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals. There were four separate swearing-in events with family members and friends in attendance for the wonderful occasion. Several lawyers and members of the judiciary made specific admission motions for their relatives, friends or law office associates. The vast majority of the new admittees were lawyers who had just received their law degrees, passed the bar examination and complied with the WV Board of Law Examiners requirements in the previous months. Each new lawyer received a packet of materials regarding the Bar Foundation’s programs and services, including the IOLTA Compliance Form.

JUDGE BERGER

On October 28, Kanawha County Circuit Court Judge Irene C. Berger was unanimously confirmed by the U. S. Senate to become a U. S. District Court Judge for the Southern District of West Virginia. Senators Byrd and Rockefeller recommended Judge Berger and President Obama nominated her earlier this year. Judge Berger will take the place of U. S. District Court Judge David A. Faber, who has assumed Senior Status. There will be a formal swearing in ceremony for Judge Berger in the near future. Both Judge Berger and Judge Faber are West Virginia Bar Foundation Fellows.

BAR FOUNDATION WEBSITE

The Bar Foundation and its Board of Directors are pleased to announce that the well regarded Bar Foundation website—-www.wvbarfoundation.org—-has been dramatically changed and upgraded. Action was taken to move beyond the basic original website that had been in existence for a little over one year to a fuller, more proactive website with greater amounts of facts and information about the Bar Foundation’s programs, services, activities and accomplishments. Please take a look at the enhanced website and please provide us with your input.