Bench Bar Conference and Seminar 3 Hours Substantive - 1 Hour Ethics Thursday, November 10, 2016 Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs 11:00 A.M. - 11:30 A.M. REGISTRATION (Convention Corridor) Vendor Review Time (Salon CDEF) 11:30 A.M. - 12:15 P.M. LUNCH (Salon CDEF) INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAM: Jamie Anzalone, Esquire, Chairperson, Bench Bar Committee. 12:15 P.M. - 1:15 P.M. PLENARY SESSION: Dr. G. Terry Madonna, Franklin & Marshall College. 1:15 P.M. - 2:15 P.M. CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS: (I). CIVIL LITIGATION (Salon A). Chairperson: Jamie Anzalone, Esquire. The Pen is Mightier than the Sword: The Art of Legal Writing - Kelly M. Ciravolo, Esquire. Civil Litigation: A View from the Defense - Ben Nicolosi, Esquire. 1
(II). CRIMINAL LITIGATION (Salon B). Chairpersons: Frank W. Nocito, Esquire and Michael I. Butera, Esquire. Recent Case Law and Statutory Changes - James L. McMonagle Jr., Esquire, Assistant District Attorney of Luzerne County. Criminal Law Updates, Wiretap Acts & Search and Seizure - Timothy M. Doherty, Esquire, Assistant Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. D.U.I. Law Changes: An Update, the DA's Response to Birchfield, and PA Form DL-26B (6-16) - Use for Blood Test - Ferris P. Webby, Esquire. (III). BANKRUPTCY (Mountain Laurel Board Room). Chairperson: David E. Schwager, Esquire. The Long and Short of Bankruptcy Sales - The Honorable John J. Thomas and The Honorable Robert N. Opel II, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and David E. Schwager, Esquire. (IV). DOMESTIC RELATIONS AND CUSTODY (Hemlock Meeting Room). Chairperson: Ruth S. Borland, Esquire. Changes in the Protection from Abuse Law - The Honorable Tina Polacheck Gartley, Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County. Potpourri of Family Law Issues - The Honorable Jennifer L. Rogers, Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County, with A. Lisa Pierotti, Esquire, Support Master, and Sharon R. Bitzel, Esquire, Custody Master, and Nancy Prescott, Esquire. 2
(V). ELDER LAW, ESTATE PLANNING, SETTLEMENT, ADMINISTRATION (Susquehanna Meeting Room). Chairperson: Brenda D. Colbert, Esquire, LL.M., CELA. Presenter and Topics Include the Following: New Pennsylvania and Local Orphans' Court Rules - Brittany Quinn, Esquire, Law Clerk to The Honorable Richard M. Hughes III, President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County. (VI). TRAVEL CLE COMMITTEE PRESENTATION: AFRICA (Anthracite Meeting Room). Chairperson: Elaine Cook, Esquire, and Lee Ann Palubinsky, Esquire. Presenter and Topics Include the Following: Apartheid - Paula L. Radick, Esquire. Genocide - Elaine Cook, Esquire. Conservation on a Global Level - Christine E. McLaughlin, Esquire, and Frank J. Skokoski, Esquire. 2:15 P.M. - 2:30 P.M. BREAK (Refreshments/ Convention Corridor and Vendor time/ Salon CDEF). 2:30P.M.-3:30P.M. CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS CONTINUE. (I). CIVIL LITIGATION (Salon A). Chairperson: Jamie Anzalone, Esquire. Update Your Civil Practice (View from the Plaintiff's Side) - Neil T. O'Donnell, Esquire. A Look Inside Nursing Home Litigation (Includes Updates and Practice Pointers) - Jamie Anzalone, Esquire. 3
CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS (CONTINUED): (II). CRIMINAL LITIGATION (Salon B). Chairpersons: Frank W. Nocito, Esquire and Michael I. Butera, Esquire. The Criminal Trial System: An Update - The Honorable Tina Polachek Gartley, The Honorable David W. Lupas, The Honorable Fred A. Pierantoni III, and The Honorable Michael T. Vough, the Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County, with Stefanie J. Salavantis, Esquire, District Attorney of Luzerne County, and Steven M. Greenwald, Esquire, Chief Public Defender of Luzerne County. (III). REAL ESTATE (Anthracite Meeting Room). Chairperson: David E. Schwager, Esquire. Draft Proposed Local Rules - The Honorable Lesa S. Gelb, the Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County. Medical Marijuana - Real Estate & Land Use Primer - David E. Schwager, Esquire. (IV). DOMESTIC RELATIONS AND CUSTODY (Hemlock Meeting Room). Chairperson: Ruth S. Borland, Esquire. Parenting & Truancy - Sandra Moosic and Pauline Polny, Catholic Social Services. 4
(V). ELDER LAW, ESTATE PLANNING, SETTLEMENT, AND ADMINISTRATION (Susquehanna Meeting Room). Chairperson: Brenda D. Colbert, Esquire, LL.M., CELA. Presenter and Topics Include the Following: Estate and Long Term Care Planning Update - Brenda D. Colbert, Esquire, LL.M., CELA, and Kevin R. Grebas, Esquire, CELA. 3:30 P.M. - 4:00 P.M. GENERAL SESSION (Salon CDEF). The Honorable Joseph J. Van Jura, President, Wilkes-Barre Law & Library Association, Presentation of the 2016 President s Award to THE HONORABLE JOSEPH F. SAPORITO JR. Also, The Honorable Richard M. Hughes III, President Judge, Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County A Report on the Courts. 4:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. KEYNOTE ETHICS ADRESS (Salon CDEF). Introduction by The Honorable Correale F. Stevens, Superior Court of Pennsylvania. The Honorable Debra McCloskey Todd, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, with Jeffrey Bauman, Esquire. 5:00 P.M. - 5:15 P.M. CLOSING REMARKS: Jamie Anzalone, Esquire, Chairperson, Bench Bar Conference. 5
The Wilkes-Barre Law & Library Association Is Proud to Present this Year s President s Award to HON. JOSEPH F. SAPORITO JR. Congratulations, Judge! The W-BLLA Officers and Executive Committee. 6
The Honorable Joseph F. Saporito Jr. The Honorable Joseph F. Saporito, Jr., United States Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, is a graduate of the Scranton Preparatory School, Villanova University (B.A. 1982), and The Dickinson School of Law (J.D. 1985). He was a partner with the Pittston, PA law firm of Saporito, Saporito & Falcone founded by his late father, Joseph F. Saporito, Sr., Esquire. His practice consisted of general civil and commercial litigation, criminal defense, transactional matters, personal injury, municipal, employment, and educational law. He served as a part-time law clerk to the Honorable Joseph M. Augello of the Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County and as an assistant public defender of Luzerne County. Prior to his appointment as a U.S. Magistrate Judge on February 12, 2015, Judge Saporito practiced law for 29 years, 16 of which with his late father and 22 with his brother-in-law, Samuel A. Falcone, Jr., Esquire. They were joined by William J. Watt, III, Esquire in 2007. Judge Saporito is a member of the Knights of Columbus, Council 372, Pittston, a board member of the Earthly Angels Autism Board, and a member of St. Joseph Marello Parish, Pittston where he serves as a member of the Parish Financial Council, the Holy Name Society, and Lector. He has served as former chairman and member of the Board of Trustees of the Scranton Preparatory School. He was a board member of the Pittston Memorial Library Association and the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce. He is a former President of St. Mary s Assumption School Advisory Board and a former member of the Diocese of Scranton Region 7 School Advisory Board. 7
Judge Saporito is a member of the American and Pennsylvania Bar Associations, the Wilkes-Barre Law & Library Association (Luzerne County Bar Association), and the Federal Magistrate Judges Association. He is the immediate past President of the Luzerne County Bar Association Charitable Foundation, Inc. He served as President of the Luzerne County Bar Association from 2012-2014. He previously served as its Vice President, and a member of the Executive Committee, the Fee Dispute Committee, and the Red Mass Committee. He and his late father have the distinction of being the only parent-child presidents of the Association in its 166 years of existence. Judge Saporito served as solicitor to the Pittston Area School Board, the Lower Lackawanna Valley Sanitary Authority, the Township of Pittston, the Sewer Authority of the Township of Pittston, the Borough of Duryea, Pittston Area Industrial Development, and the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce. In October 2013, he received the Scranton Preparatory School s T. Donald Rinfret, S.J. Distinguished Alumnus Award which is presented to a graduate in recognition of his unselfish service to others and dedication to the mission of Jesuit education. In May 2015, he was recognized by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alumni Chapter of Penn State University s Dickinson School of Law. Judge Saporito is the son of the late Attorney and Mrs. (Dolly) Joseph F. Saporito, Sr. He is married to the former Giovanna Falcone and they are the parents of a daughter, Sarah, a physician assistant and a son, Joseph F. III, a law student. Judge Saporito s chambers are located in the Max Rosenn United States Courthouse in Wilkes-Barre. 8
5:15 P.M. - 6:15 P.M. Cocktails & Hors D'oeuvres (Convention Corridor). Following the Bench Bar Conference CLE Program, There will be A Cocktails & Hors D'oeuvres Reception in the Corridor where everyone first checked in at the start of the day. Thank you For Attending This Year's Bench Bar Conference. Please Remember: Hand in your completed CLE Attorney Credit Sheets to Joe, Gail or Kristin in order to receive CLE credit for today's event. 9
Finally, Luzerne County Bar Association Charitable Foundation Donation Forms are at the Registration Table. Please help yourself to them. These include the forms to make a donation, as well as the form for a Luzerne County registered 501(c) charity (that you may be involved in) to submit a grant request for consideration by the Foundation Board. All 2017 charity grant request forms must be submitted by March 15, 2017. Charity awards for 2017 will be decided at the Foundation Board's Annual May Meeting. 10