Organizations use third-party vendors to enhance capabilities, efficiency and innovation. However, without a solid third-party risk management strategy, your ROI, cash flow, reputation and viability can be at risk. The below article covers more. For more on the ACBA Insurance Program, visit www.ACBA.org/Insurance.

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The Hon. David Tatel has served nearly 30 years on America’s second highest court, the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Yet he has been blind for the past 50 of his 80-plus years. Only recently, partly thanks to his first-ever guide dog, Vixen, has he come to fully accept his blindness and the role it’s played in his personal and professional lives.

ACBA members are invited to join the Jewish Book Council onsite at Temple Sinai or via Zoom for a discussion with Judge Tatel on Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. Admission is $10 in-person, and there’s no cost to watch on Zoom.

The next installment in the ACBA’s “Pathways to Leadership” series is known as “Lawyers on Board” and will be held on Thursday, Jan. 30 from 4 to 6 p.m. on the lower level of the Koppers Building.

This program open to all ACBA members, is intended to introduce attorneys to the benefits – both professional and personal – of serving on boards of directors. A diverse panel of speakers will cover why board services is important, how to “sell” board service to your firm leaders, and practical and ethical considerations for lawyers on boards. A networking reception will follow.

The Jan. 10 edition of Pittsburgh Legal Journal Opinions is available online. The Pittsburgh Legal Journal publishes timely, precedent-setting, full-text opinions from various divisions of the Court of Common Pleas. Opinions that appeared in past editions are available in a searchable database here; members must be logged in to the ACBA website to access this database.

Want to get more involved in the leadership of your local bar association in 2025?

ACBA members are encouraged to ‘run for office’ at the Bar Association. Specifically, the ACBA is seeking candidates for President-Elect and Secretary, as well as members of the Board of Governors and Judiciary Committee. Terms will begin on July 1. Deadline for submission of all candidate applications is 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14.

The ACBA Civil Litigation Section will hold a non-CLE skills training session – “Allegheny County Civil Division E-Filing and Department of Court Records” – on Thursday, Jan. 30 from 12-1 p.m. on Zoom. The program provide a comprehensive overview of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Civil Division's E-Filing system, addressing common issues and frequently asked questions. Admission is just $10 for ACBA members.

In addition to the hard copy edition that is sent to members through the mail, the Jan. 10 edition of the Lawyers Journal — the ACBA’s flagship publication featuring substantive legal articles and stories of interest to the legal community — is available digitally on the ACBA website and at the button below. This is a special “Practice Area Profile” of the Lawyers Journal: Focus on Federal Law.

The ACBA Judiciary Committee is accepting applications from candidates seeking ratings for the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas until Friday, Jan. 24. Candidates that do not submit an application by Friday, Jan. 24 at 4 p.m., will receive a Not Recommended rating from the ACBA Judiciary Committee for failing to appear before the Committee for an interview, evaluation and rating.

Candidates requesting an interview must submit an application that is available online at www.acba.org. To download a candidate questionnaire and other related materials please click on this link or visit the home page of the ACBA website. If you have questions about the candidate questionnaire, contact David Blaner, ACBA Executive Director by phone at 412-402-6601 or by email at dblaner@acba.org.

For the full notice, click below.

“If my mind can conceive it, if my heart can believe it, then I can achieve it.” - Boxer Muhammad Ali

In the weekly “An Appeal for Your Health” feature, the ACBA Health and Wellness Committee offers wellness tips, inspirational quotes and motivational advice as a service to ACBA Members.