Ethical Compliance in the “New Normal”: How to Comply with the Rules of Professional Responsibility When Practicing Remotely

Deepika Ravi

Deepika Ravi

Amy Richardson

Amy Richardson

By Deepika Ravi and Amy Richardson

Many of us have heard discussions of a “new normal” when it comes to the practice of law – a movement toward a hybrid approach to work that gives lawyers the flexibility to work from the office, from home, or from another non-office location. One thing is clear: times have changed, and for many of us, remote practice (at least part-time) is here to stay. But when remote work is a choice, instead of a necessity while offices remained closed due to COVID-19, what are the implications for our ethical compliance?

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Happy Fall from the Chair!

By Sarah Kromer 

It is a privilege to serve as your Section Chair for 2021-2022, particularly with our team of officers this year: Vice-Chair Jim Cooley, Secretary Jim Oden, and Treasurer Denise Cline. Many thanks go to Kate Deiter-Maradei, our Section Chair last year, who worked very hard for all of us. I also want to thank all those who are generously sharing their time and talents with us by serving on our section’s Council, chairing a committee, working on our Nominations Committee, or serving as a section liaison this year.

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Update from the Real Property Section Chair

By Christina Pearsall

Dear Real Property Section:

It is my honor to serve as Chair of the NCBA Real Property Section for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. Also serving on the Executive Committee are Vice-Chair Lindsay Parris Thompson of The Van Winkle Law Firm in Asheville, Secretary-Treasurer Matt Waters of Jordan Price in Raleigh and Immediate Past Chair Brian Byrd of Fox Rothschild in Greensboro.

The Real Property Section Council has been working diligently on behalf of the section. Below is a summary of those efforts, as reported in our last Council meeting on November 9, 2021.

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MIP’s Diverse Perspectives: Alison Ashe-Card

By Alison Ashe-Card 

MIP’s Diverse Perspectives is a monthly blog feature to spotlight a member from North Carolina’s community of diverse attorneys and legal professionals. Members have the opportunity to share a personal perspective through a brief set of interview questions.

This month’s perspective is courtesy of Alison Ashe-Card, Associate Director, Diversity & Inclusion, Wake Forest University School of Law, Winston-Salem, NC.

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Get Involved with the YLD

By Will Quick

It is hard to believe we are almost halfway through the 2021-2022 bar year. COVID-19 surges and related precautionary measures prevented us from engaging with our members in person during the first half of this bar year, but we are optimistic that the signs point to a rounding of the corner. As you may have heard, beginning November 1, 2021, the NCBA went back to hosting some in-person gatherings.

The YLD will take advantage of the opportunity to hold its first in-person council meeting in over 20 months on December 10, 2021 (there is a virtual participation option available). I’m thrilled at the prospect of getting back together with our great leadership team. I know many of our committee chairs are already starting to plan ways to bring in-person programming safely back to our members.

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YLD e-Blast: November 2021

Claire O'Brien

Claire O’Brien

Michael Cohen

Michael Cohen

By Claire O’Brien and Michael Cohen

DATES TO KNOW

December 2 | Member Social at Bowstring Pizza & Brewyard | 5 to 6 p.m.

December 9 | Virtual Escape Room | 6 p.m.

December 10 | YLD Winter Council Meeting | 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

December 10 | YLD Social | 5 to 7 p.m.

January 13 | Firsthand Experiences with Salary Negotiation | noon to 1 p.m.

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YLD Season of Giving Recurring Gift Campaign

Sarah R. Clark

Sarah R. Clark

David Joyner

David Joyner

By Sarah R. Clark and David Joyner

The YLD and the North Carolina Bar Foundation are excited to announce the first-ever YLD Season of Giving Recurring Gift Campaign which kicks off tomorrow on #GivingTuesday (Nov. 30) and runs through noon EST on Dec. 10.

Our aim through this campaign is to increase recurring gifts to the NCBF in a way that’s financially doable for YLD members. We know that as a young lawyer, annual giving can seem financially unfeasible. Starting Nov. 30, a recurring donation as low as $5.00/month (less than your Netflix subscription!) will enter you into a raffle for exclusive prizes. Prize winners will be selected by random daily drawings from all eligible entries. We will select daily prize winners each business day from donations made Nov. 30 through Dec. 10, and then announce two grand prize winners during our quarterly YLD meeting on Friday, Dec. 10. 

View campaign details and prizes >>

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Survey from Elon University Poll & YLD Initiatives

By Sheila Spence

Elon University Poll Survey

The Elon University Poll is conducting a survey of young lawyers in North Carolina who are in their first ten years of practice to gather information about a variety of topics, including views on the legal profession, running for office, current employment and demographic information. This survey also includes a portion of questions focused on salary and benefits which I suggested and was included by the Elon University Poll staff.

The YLD believes that this survey will serve the profession well, and we encourage YLD members to participate in this survey once they receive the link via email from Elon University Poll. The responses to this survey are voluntary, anonymous, and confidential. Once the poll closes, the results will be shared with YLD members. Our hope is that this information will serve as a benchmark and a tool to help young lawyers advocate for their own compensation, benefits, resources and more within their current workplace or at a future job.

Honoring Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the forefront of our work as an organization. As part of the original purpose of the poll survey, you’ll notice a few important questions.

This Poll Survey features demographics questions regarding race, ethnicity and gender identity. These questions ensure we can (1) identify and assess any racial, gender or other wage gaps within our profession (2) support pay transparency and equity, and (3) promote diversity and inclusion efforts at legal employers.

2021-22 YLD Initiatives

This survey also directly corresponds with other initiatives and programing that the YLD – and specifically the Law Student Outreach Committee – have planned this year. On November 1, the Law Student Outreach Committee hosted a Salary Negotiations 101 event featuring Karen Chopra, LPC, CCC, NCC, founder of ChopraCareers. Karen covered key negotiating concepts, how to handle salary questions in interviews and online applications and how to ensure interviewees get the best deal from their employer. The Law Student Committee is also hosting a Firsthand Experiences with Salary Negotiations event in December that will feature a conversation with two attorneys and a law firm recruiter who will share their firsthand experiences with salary negotiation in the legal field. Be on the lookout for more information coming soon. We hope to see you there!

Join Me on an Odyssey to E-Filing, Won’t You?

By Matthew A. Freeze

North Carolina’s Superior and District courts are undergoing an operational sea change: electronic filing. For those of us who practice before federal courts and state appellate courts, electronic filing will be nothing new. Federal courts have used PACER since 1988[1] and North Carolina’s appellate courts have used electronic filing since 1998.[2] But for many of our colleagues, the Administrative Office of the Courts’ new journey into electronic filing will be a great departure from our standard practice at the state level and we, as practitioners, have a great deal to learn. To borrow from Homer, even an attorney learns something once it hits him.[3] But this is not something which we must be hit about the head with to accept. It is something we should embrace, as it will strengthen our practice and benefit all involved.

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Join Me on an Odyssey to E-Filing, Won’t You?

By Matthew A. Freeze

North Carolina’s Superior and District courts are undergoing an operational sea change: electronic filing. For those of us who practice before federal courts and state appellate courts, electronic filing will be nothing new. Federal courts have used PACER since 1988[1] and North Carolina’s appellate courts have used electronic filing since 1998.[2] But for many of our colleagues, the Administrative Office of the Courts’ new journey into electronic filing will be a great departure from our standard practice at the state level and we, as practitioners, have a great deal to learn. To borrow from Homer, even an attorney learns something once it hits him.[3] But this is not something which we must be hit about the head with to accept. It is something we should embrace, as it will strengthen our practice and benefit all involved.

Read more