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Pennsylvania Bar Association Marking Centennial of Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act

HARRISBURG (Feb. 24, 2015) � June 2, 2015 will mark the 100th anniversary of the enactment of the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act, and the Pennsylvania Bar Association�s Workers' Compensation Section is spotlighting the centennial with a gala celebration, educational sessions and commemorative keepsakes.

"The Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act addressed the epidemic of uncompensated work injuries and deaths occurring in Pennsylvania at that time," said R. Burke McLemore, chair, Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Centennial Committee of the PBA Workers' Compensation Law Section. "The passage of the act, often referred to as �The Grand Bargain,'was a pivotal event in the protection of the common worker and also in the practice of law."

McLemore said the PBA Workers' Compensation Section began planning and organizing to mark the 100th anniversary of the act more than two years ago. It launched a website and began seeking sponsors to support a variety of projects and activities that will take place during 2015.

Following is a comprehensive list of Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Centennial projects and activities:

  • Commemorative Book: The book will be a narrative and color pictorial celebration of the Workers' Compensation Act�s origins, interpretation, cases and controversies, administration and outstanding historical figures, plus a glimpse into the future.
  • Commemorative Calendar: The 12-month 2015 wall calendars, printed on heavyweight glossy paper, are plastic coil bound. Calendars are available in multiple of 10 calendars per order for $75 ($50 for PBA members).
  • Commemorative Centennial Bronze Medal: A lasting artistic keepsake cast in bronze to honor the 100th celebration of the state�s Workers' Compensation Act. Approximately 1.75" in diameter, each medal is encased in a 4" x 7" sepia bi-fold that includes historical images provided by the John Heinz History Center. Medals are available for $25 ($20 for PBA members).
  • Essay Contest for Law Students: Students enrolled at accredited Pennsylvania law schools were encouraged to enter the Workers' Compensation Centennial Essay Contest.
  • The Grand Prize winner is Bradley Smith, a third year law student at Temple University Beasley School of Law. He will receive $3,000 and his entry, "Pennsylvania�s Mental Lapse: A History of Pennsylvania�s Treatment of Mental Disabilities Caused by Mental Stress in Workers' Compensation," will be printed in the commemorative book.

    The Award of Distinction winner is Catherine Contino, a third year law student at Villanova University School of Law. She will receive $2,000 for her entry, "Modernization and Reevaluation: The Historical Development of the Compensability of Mental Stress Causing Mental Disability in Pennsylvania."

    Both winners have been invited to the Gala Reception and Dinner, June 1, Hershey.

  • Regional Continuing Legal Education Events and Receptions during April:
  • The session, "Tough Problems in Workers' Compensation 2015," which will earn attendees up to four substantive CLE credits, will be April 9 in Pittsburgh, April 13 in Philadelphia and April 29 in Mechanicsburg. On April 29, the session will also be simulcast to 18 locations around the state.

    The session, "Ethical Problems for Workers'Comp Lawyers: The First Hundred Years," will be offered on April 1 in Erie, April 9 in Pittsburgh, April 13 in Philadelphia, April 16 in Scranton, April 20 in Allentown, and April 29 in Mechanicsburg. Attendees will earn one CLE credit in ethics. Celebratory receptions will be held following each session.

  • Time Capsule: In June, a Centennial Time Capsule will be placed at the Labor and Industry Building, Harrisburg. Additional details will be announced later.
  • Gala Reception & Dinner: The celebration will be held June 1 at the Hershey Lodge, Hershey. Tickets are $125. Tables can be reserved for ten guests for $1200.
  • PBA Workers' Compensation Section Fall Meeting: The section�s meeting will be held Oct. 7 and 8 at the Hershey Lodge, Hershey. Additional details will be announced later.

For more information, go to this website address: http://wc100pa.org.

Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association strives to promote justice, professional excellence and respect for the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access to legal services; and serve the 27,000 lawyers who are members of the association.