Day-long Session Designed by Pennsylvania Bar Association Offered Tuition-free by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute

HARRISBURG (June 7, 2011) - On June 16, The Pennsylvania Bar Association and its educational arm, the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, are offering a day-long, tuition-free course for lawyers across the state that outlines the issues raised by the Luzerne County juvenile justice scandal and the safeguards in place that are intended to prevent future injustices. More than 800 lawyers are expected to attend.

"The tragic failure of the Luzerne County court system was a wake-up call that we, as lawyers, must be vigilant about the conduct of others within the legal community," said Matthew J. Creme, president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. "This upcoming educational session provides many reminders of the checks and balances in place to ensure a fair and unbiased justice system for those entering our courts."

The course, 'Errant Judges and Lawyers: What to Do?," is the result of a series of recommendations offered by members of a PBA task force that examined the 2010 investigative report of the Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice, created by the General Assembly with the support of the governor and the Supreme Court to investigate circumstances that led to corruption in the Luzerne County juvenile court system.

Last month, the PBA House of Delegates adopted the task force report that supports additional training for juvenile court prosecutors, juvenile court defense counsel, juvenile court judges, juvenile probations officers and juvenile masters. The task force report also endorsed pending changes in juvenile court procedures, including reduction of the use of restraints and ensuring the right to counsel, as well as enhancements in the judicial discipline system. The full report is posted online: www.pabar.org/public/committees/reportjuvenilejustice.asp.

Creme said that Pennsylvania Bar Association members developed the content of the June 16 course and the Pennsylvania Bar Institute is underwriting course tuition costs and providing its facilities at no cost. The course will cover the following topics:

• The Interbranch Commission and Task Force Recommendations
• The Code of Judicial Conduct
• The Judicial Conduct Board: Practice and Procedure
• The Disciplinary Board: Practice and Rules of Professional Conduct and Reporting Procedures
• The Juvenile Act, Rules of Juvenile Court Procedure and the New Juvenile Rule Amendments

The PBA/PBI course will be presented live in Mechanicsburg and will be simulcast to Butler, Doylestown, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, West Chester, Wilkes-Barre and York. Registration is currently full for the Mechanicsburg, Pittsburgh and West Chester locations and seats available at other locations are expected to fill soon on a first-come, first-served basis. Course details and registration information is available at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute's website: www.pbi.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 28,000 lawyers who are members of the association.