The ACBA Community Service Committee is organizing a “Lawyers and Ladles” event at the Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh on Tuesday, Dec. 2 and Thursday, Dec. 4 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. each day, and ACBA members are encouraged to volunteer. Volunteers will work together in the fully equipped industrial kitchen at WC&S to prepare dinner for the residents, as well as clean up. Space is limited with only eight spots available for each event.

Need temporary conference room facilities downtown for a mediation, deposition or client meeting? Practice in the suburbs but have an occasional need for office space when you have a court date downtown? Legal professionals can rent conference rooms in ACBA headquarters – located in the Koppers Building in downtown Pittsburgh – on a daily or short-term basis for as little as $50 for members. For more, contact Barb Brumbaugh at bbrumbaugh@acba.org.

Western Pennsylvania’s largest annual bankruptcy law event – the ACBA’s 38th Annual Western District of Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Symposium – is Friday, Dec. 5 at the Westin Pittsburgh. The event will feature a full day of bankruptcy programming and multiple networking opportunities. Earn up to six CLE credits, selecting from eight total programs.

The ACBA Health and Wellness Committee is forming a walking team for the annual Pittsburgh Marathon – scheduled for Sunday, May 3 – and all members are encouraged to participate. Participants will walk the 13.1-mile half marathon course. ACBA members get a 50 percent discount off of regular registration prices; members who choose not to walk can participate in other ways, such as in cheering sections along the course.

To register, use the code ACBADSGPM26 at the below link. Members registering for the half marathon walk should email their name to ACBA Membership Director Mary Ann Fiorilli after they have registered as an in-house roster will be kept ensuring everyone is invited to the pre- and post-walk activities. She can be contacted by email at mfiorilli@acba.org or by phone at 412-402-6610. Members are also encouraged to contact her if they have any difficulty using the promo code.

In today’s day and age, when a potential client calls, the expectation is they’ll get a live person or a return call almost instantly. If not, they’ll quickly move on to the next attorney. The ACBA partners at LawyerLine provide a third-party call center where highly trained receptionists field your calls and even perform intake; the goal is for clients/potential clients to feel like they’re talking to your receptionist, not a call center. ACBA members get a discount: enjoy LawyerLine’s gold platform for just $2.25 per minute, reduced from the regular price of $3 per minute.

On Oct. 21, the ACBA Board of Governors voted to amend the ACBA By-Laws; the proposed amendments and additional information regarding the specifics of the proposed changes are available at the button below. In accordance with Article 21 of the ACBA By-Laws,  the amendments shall become effective on Sunday, Nov. 16 unless a petition is filed with the ACBA signed by 50 active members in good standing requesting a vote of the membership on the subject amendments, or particular portions thereof. For more, click below.

Procedural changes are coming to the Allegheny Court of Common Pleas Civil Division to help General Docket cases move efficiently in Allegheny County. As encouraged by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the Civil Division will now take an active role to manage cases by conducting case management conferences and issuing case management orders near the time of filing. All members are invited to a non-CLE session on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 3 p.m. in the Koppers Building. The program will provide the background for these changes and introduce what can be expected.

The Pittsburgh Legal Journal – the official legal journal of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas containing trial lists, legal notices, sheriff sales and more – is published five days per week and is available only to subscribers. It is delivered via email as an easy-to-print, 8.5x11-inch pdf. For an informational video on the PLJ, click here.

All members are invited to attend a hands-on introduction to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts with Stout Pittsburgh on Thursday, Nov. 20 beginning at 5 p.m. at Stout Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. Participants at the event will train skills primarily from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, a grappling-based martial art, and will be introduced to the various striking arts and mixed martial arts (MMA) also offered at Stout Pittsburgh. Participants should wear comfortable athletic attire to participate. Space is limited, so those interested should register soon.