SUPREME COURT RECEPTION AND DOCUMENTARY

The Annual Reception to honor the Justices of the West Virginia Supreme Court was held on September 2 on the first day that the Court heard arguments as it began its fall term. The event, sponsored by the WV State Bar, was attended by many lawyers and members of the judiciary from around the state. The Court presented a newly released documentary on the history and the important work accomplished by the Court and the other aspects of the judicial system. The excellent video was narrated by Justice Thomas McHugh and is being distributed widely, including all schools in WV, many groups and any person who requests it. Supreme Court staff members Jennifer Bundy and Steve Canterbury, pictured above, were instrumental in this outstanding effort based upon the creative concept initially put forth by Supreme Court Clerk Rory Perry.

IOLTA FDIC RULE

On September 1, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) published its final rule, amending the Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program (TLGP) and extending the Transaction Account Guarantee Program (TAG) for six months, until June 30, 2010. Under the final Rule, funds in Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts (IOLTA) accounts will continue to be fully guaranteed by the FDIC, without limit, for participating financial institutions. Institutions will have the option to opt-out of the extended TAG coverage, and as in the initial Rule, are required to prominently display their status as either participating or not participating. The WV Bar Foundation, which administers the IOLTA program under an Order of the WV Supreme Court, and its IOLTA Advisory Committee, were involved in the original FDIC Rule that provided unlimited insurance coverage for IOLTA accounts and was set to expire in December, 2009, until this extension was granted to June 30, 2010.

DIALOGUE PUBLICATION

For many years, the American Bar Association has published the Dialogue magazine. It is the magazine of the ABA Division for Legal Services, which concentrates on news and topical information about the delivery of legal services to low and moderate income people. For the first time ever, the 2009 summer issue of the magazine highlighted a WV endeavor, the very popular and very successful law student intern program at the West Virginia University College of Law, the Fund for Law in the Public Interest. The Professor in charge of this innovative program is the distinguished Charles R. DiSalvo. The Professor’s article demonstrates the impressive benefits for the law students who participate and, most importantly, for the low income citizens who receive advice and counsel regarding their legal needs. The Dialogue magazine is sent to thousands of lawyers and judges all over the world, as well as being on the ABA’s website. The article is located here:

http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/dialogue/