All members are invited to enjoy lunch with Jamila Wideman, the general manager of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 11:30 a.m. at the Omni William Penn Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh. Wideman, a Pittsburgh native, is a lawyer, activist and former professional basketball player. She will discuss her professional journey, which began in professional sports, led to a career as an attorney, and ultimately resulted in her recent roles with the NBA and now the WNBA.

Wellness is crucial, especially for those battling the stresses and challenges that come with the legal profession. To recognize the importance of mental health and well-being in the legal profession, the ACBA has created “Wellness Circles” for members, a vision of ACBA President and cancer survivor Amy Coco. ACBA members can self-select and opt into wellness circles, providing a confidential, supportive space to connect with colleagues, share experiences and focus on well-being.

Initially there are two Wellness Circles – Cancer Survivors and Sandwich Generation. Members are welcome to suggest ideas for additional Wellness Circles. For more details, FAQs and other information, click below.

Have a New Year’s Resolution to get healthier in 2026? 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 through March 31; members who choose not to walk can participate in other ways, such as cheering sections along the course.

To register, use the code ACBADSGPM26 at the below link. For more information, contact Mary Ann Fiorilli at mfiorilli@acba.org.

In addition to the hard copy edition that is sent to members through the mail, the Jan. 9 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.

The Pennsylvania Statewide High School Mock Trial Competition – presented by the ACBA  and the Pa. Bar Association – kicks off in Allegheny County on Tuesday, Jan.20. ACBA members are asked to support these hard-working high school students by volunteering to be a scoring juror or a presiding judge for the competition. There are 36 local high school teams participating, and at least 24 volunteers are needed on each night of the competition. Volunteers do not need to be a litigation attorney to support this program, and prior experience as a scoring juror is not needed.

While volunteers are asked to commit to an entire evening, the enthusiasm and natural skill demonstrated by the high school students is extremely rewarding. Volunteers need to arrive at the City-County Building by 4:45 p.m. and should be prepared to judge two back-to-back trials, completed by approximately 9:00 p.m. The nights of the first round of the competition are as follows:

• Tuesday, Jan. 20
• Thursday, Jan. 29
• Tuesday, Feb. 3
• Thursday, Feb. 12

Additional dates will be scheduled for playoffs, semifinals and finals. Volunteers can sign-up at this link. For additional information, contact Julie Brennan at jbrennan@pionlaw.com. For more on upcoming mock trials, click below.

“The Mindful Lawyer: Science, Secondhand Trauma and Sustainable Practice” – a two-credit CLE – is set for Thursday, Jan. 22 at 3:30 p.m. in the Union Trust Building. The program will explore the unique emotional and professional challenges faced by legal professionals and offer practical, evidence-based strategies to recognize stress, build resilience and enhance overall wellbeing. Networking 'wellness' reception to follow.

When is the last time you got a quote on your LPL insurance? The discount members can get on getting LPL through the ACBA Insurance Program – powered by USI – is often greater than the cost of ACBA membership. For more, visit www.ACBA.org/Insurance.

The Kennedy T. Friend Scholarship Fund was established by the will of Kennedy T. Friend, a distinguished member of the ACBA who passed in London, England in 1929. Any child of an attorney who is a member of the Allegheny County Bar and has an active practice in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, is eligible for this scholarship if they choose to attend Yale University or the successor schools of the University of Paris.

All members are invited to a non-CLE lunch-and-learn – “Orphans’ Court Motions and Petitions Practice” on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at 11:30 a.m. in the Koppers Building Conference Center. Topics will include distinctions between motions and petitions, filing and presentation procedures, and notice requirements, among others. Those in attendance will hear from an experienced Orphans’ Court practitioner as well as the Motions Coordinator.

Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers is an organization exclusively dedicated to helping lawyers, judges, law students and their family members who are at risk as a result of drug use, gambling, depression and other serious mental illnesses. LCL help is available 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Services include counseling, rehabilitation services and more. For more info, click the link below.