Executive Director continued from page 10 Get to Know Your Bar: How Can We Help Your Practice? Ethics Hotline VSB staff attorneys provide ethics ad-vice to lawyers. Ethics Opinions Attorneys may request written opinions on ethical issues from the Committee on Legal Ethics. Opinions are published in Virginia Lawyer and on the Bar’s website. Virginia Lawyer and Virginia Lawyer Register Magazine published six times per year with articles on substantive law, Bar news, announcements of upcoming events, and advertising of products and services needed by lawyers and law firms. Also publishes disciplinary out-comes, rule changes, legal ethics opin-ions, and other information important to the regulatory function of the Bar. Brochures and Pamphlets Topics for attorneys and the public include opening a law office, guardian-ship, and conservatorship. The bar also publishes brochures that lawyers can purchase and give to clients on subjects such as wills, estate planning, marriage, and divorce. Website: www.vsb.org Home of the Rules of Professional Conduct, Legal Ethis Opiniong, etc. Posts many VSB publications, lawyer training and volunteer opportunities, recent disciplinary actions, and access to MCLE compliance and other mem-bership information. It also includes a link to FastCase , which is provided for free to members. The Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Board sets policy, approves courses, and tracks compliance. Professionalism Course Focuses on the rules that govern the profession. Every Virginia lawyer must take it once in the first year of practice. CLE Programs Sponsored throughout the year and at the VSB Annual Meeting by the Bar’s sections, committees, and confer-ences. For example, Solo & Small-Firm Practitioner Forum, TechShow, Family Law Seminar Leroy Rountree Hassell Sr. Indigent Criminal Defense Seminar A free CLE for experienced public defenders and private attorneys who defend the indigent in criminal cases. The Access to Legal Services director and committee works to expand the availability of free and low-cost legal services in Virginia, especially for those who cannot afford to hire an attorney. It is responsible for: • • Administering the Virginia Free Legal Answers website (virginia. freelegalanswers.org); Encouraging contributions to pro bono publico services to address unmet legal needs; Offering regular free webinars to train lawyers on pro bono areas of need, Rule 6.1 and the Justice Gap; Managing Voluntary Pro Bono Reporting and related initiatives; Fostering support for Qualified Legal Service Providers to meet the legal needs outlined in Rule 6.1; and Partnering with stakeholders to build coalitions to identify and address areas of emerging need, redundancies, or gaps in service or information. • • • • Virginia Judges and Lawyer Assistance Program , a nonprofit corporation that provides substance abuse and mental health services to impaired judges, lawyers, and law students, receives financial support from the VSB. A statewide network of volunteers and a professional staff assist Virginia JLAP in its mission. Individuals may call for confidential help. The VSB disciplinary system also makes referrals to JLAP when misconduct cases involve mental health or substance abuse issues. The VSB comprises 20 sections for lawyers with common interests. Practice Sections Provide education and networking op-portunities in 20 areas of substantive law. Each section elects officers, and most publish newsletters about legal developments. They post their pro-grams and news on the VSB website. The sections are supported by section dues, which range from $10 to $35. The sections are: Administrative Law Antitrust Franchise and Trade Regulations Bankruptcy Law Business Law Construction Law and Public Contracts Corporate Counsel Criminal Law Education of Lawyers Environmental Law Family Law General Practice Health Law Intellectual Property Law International Practice Litigation Local Government Law Military Law Real Property Taxation Trusts and Estates 44 VIRGINIA LAWYER | AUGUST 2020 | VOL. 69 www.vsb.org
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Get To Know Your Bar: How Can We Help Your Practice?
Ethics Hotline
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