In addition to the hard copy edition that is sent to members through the mail, the May 1 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.

In the below video message, ACBA President Amy Coco recaps the ACBA’s May 5 Board of Governors meeting. She covers the approval of a two-year contract renewal for the ACBA’s auditing company, the approval of the 2026-27 operating budget, the upcoming All-Affinity Happy Hour, the Bench-Bar Conference and more.

ACBA members are invited to “Paws and Pints” – a feel-good happy hour featuring some special service animals (aka “therapets” from Animal Friends) – which will be held on Wednesday, June 3 beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Southern Tier Brewery.

The Chair Project of outgoing YLD Chair Rebeca Himena Sekinger, this is a “meet-and-greet” style event, so there will be no on-site adoptions, but Animal Friends will be on site with plenty of info on adoptable pets and how to apply. ACBA members are invited to bring approved pet supply donations (donations will be accepted at ACBA Offices headquartered on the 4th floor of the Koppers Building until June 2 and on site at Southern Tier on the day of events) to support the cause. Please note that the ACBA cannot accept or process financial donations for Animal Friends or any third-party organization.

All ACBA members are invited to join the Allegheny County Bar Association’s diverse affinity groups for food, beverages and networking on Thursday, May 21 from 5-7 p.m. at the Spritzery.

Sponsored by IPV Litigation Services, this casual networking event brings together members from across the ACBA’s affinity-based committees for an evening of connection, conversation and community in one of downtown’s most vibrant venues.

Whether you are an active committee member or interested in getting more involved or an ally looking to support your fellow members, this happy hour is a great opportunity to meet colleagues from across the bar, strengthen professional relationships, and celebrate the diversity that makes the ACBA community strong.

One of the highlights of the annual Bench-Bar Conference is the presentation of the Philip Werner Amram Award, which is given to an ACBA member who personifies excellence and who has demonstrated substantial commitment to the ideals of the ACBA and to the betterment of the greater community. The award is given without the recipient knowing in advance, often leading to an emotional, heartwarming surprise acceptance.

Now is the time to submit nominations for the 2026 Amram Award. For more on requirements and the nomination process, or for a list of recent Amram recipients, click below. Deadline for nominations is Monday, May 18. For more information, contact Mary Ann Fiorilli at mfiorilli@acba.org.

Members of the Allegheny County Bar Association are encouraged to participate in the upcoming annual elections, which open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, May 12, and close at 5 p.m. on May 28.

During this period, eligible members will cast ballots to elect the association’s next President-Elect, Treasurer, and new members of both the Board of Governors and the Judiciary Committee. Members in the active and honorary membership classes as of April 1, 2026, are eligible to vote.

As in recent years, voting will be conducted exclusively online. On May 12, eligible members will receive an email containing voting instructions and unique login credentials. To prevent delivery issues, members are advised to add noreply@directvote.net to their safe sender list or consult with their IT departments to do so.

Members who do not receive the voting email by May 13 should reach out to Jennifer Pulice at jpulice@acba.org for assistance.

Please note that contested division-level elections are now conducted separately via SurveyMonkey. Only the YLD will have a contested election this spring.

Small decisions early in a claim can drive big financial outcomes. The below interactive case study from the ACBA’ insurance partners at USI shows how structured triage strategy helped a manufacturer reduce average claim duration by 21% and avoid nearly $500K in workers’ compensation costs.  For more on the ACBA Insurance Program, visit www.ACBA.org/Insurance.

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.

Currently there are seven Wellness Circles, which are listed below. Members are welcome to suggest ideas for additional Wellness Circles. For more details, FAQs and other information, click the button below.

• Attorneys who Run
• Cancer Survivors
• Parenting Children with Disabilities
• Pickleball
• Sandwich Generation
• Support for Attorneys Battling Mental Health Issues/Addition
• Support for Attorneys with Loved Ones Battling Mental Health Issues/Addiction

Members are invited to participate in the ACBA’s annual Military and Veterans Project – “Operation MVP.” The project is designed to help military personnel and veterans by providing them with care packages and other support; there are two ways to participate.

• Amazon Wish List: Members can purchase items for military personnel and veterans from an Amazon wish list, available here. Needed items include snacks, personal hygiene items, playing cards, games and puzzles.
• In-Person Event:  Help stuff care packages in the Koppers Building Conference Center on Thursday, May 21 from 5 to 7 p.m. Participants can also enjoy happy hour, complete with appetizers, beer and wine. There’s no cost to attend for anyone donating items toward the cause.

All ACBA members are invited to join the Allegheny County Bar Association’s diverse affinity groups for food, beverages and networking on Thursday, May 21 from 5-7 p.m. at the Spritzery.

This casual networking event brings together members from across the ACBA’s affinity-based committees for an evening of connection, conversation and community in one of downtown’s most vibrant venues.

Whether you are an active committee member or interested in getting more involved or an ally looking to support your fellow members, this happy hour is a great opportunity to meet colleagues from across the bar, strengthen professional relationships, and celebrate the diversity that makes the ACBA community strong. This event is sponsored by IPV Litigation Services.