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Annual Convention
Information2015 Annual Convention
May 12, 2015 - May 15, 2015
Date(s)
Tuesday, May 12, 2015 - Friday, May 15, 2015Time
8:30 AM - 5:00 pmEarly Bird Discount Prior To:
Monday, April 13, 2015Registration Deadline
Monday, May 11, 2015Location
Click here for directionsThis event is included in these packages: 100% Off Convention, online promo code
Scroll to see schedule below.
HOTEL
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Westmark Fairbanks Hotel, 813 Noble Street
Fairbanks, AK 99701. Make your reservations by calling 1-800-544-0970 or online at www.westmarkhotels.com using group code: ABAC051015. Rates are $79 per night for a standard room. Make reservations by April 13, 2015 for discounted rate.
Fairbanks, AK 99701. Make your reservations by calling 1-800-544-0970 or online at www.westmarkhotels.com using group code: ABAC051015. Rates are $79 per night for a standard room. Make reservations by April 13, 2015 for discounted rate.
MEETING SITE
Convention Registration, CLE programs, luncheons and Thursday night's dinner/dance will be held at the Westmark Fairbanks Hotel.
Wednesday's Opening Reception will begin at the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center at 101 Dunkel Street and continue at Doyon Limited across the Chena River at 1 Doyon Place.
AIR TRAVEL TO THE CONVENTION
Alaska Airlines has provided a 5% discount on all travel to Fairbanks. Make your reservation online at www.alaskaair.com and provide discount code ECMW026.
CAR RENTAL - UPDATED RENTAL INFORMATION
Avis sponsors the Convention by offering low rates on car rentals. For as little as $23/day! MUST Contact: Chris King Email: cking@avisalaska.com Phone: 907-249-8271
CONVENTION CANCELLATION POLICY
There is a $50 cancellation fee on your registration. No refund of registration fees can be made for cancellations after Friday, April 24
Tuesday, May 12
7:00 - 9:00 p.m. FREE for all Convention Attendees! Pre-Convention Concert Featuring Pamyua
Plan on coming to Fairbanks a day early and join us for a FREE concert by Pamyua. Their music showcases drum songs from the Inuit cultures of Greenland and Alaska. Pamyua's vocalists bring “a blizzard of interlocking harmonies,” says Native People Magazine. Pamyua reminds listeners to embrace relationships with honor, humility and tolerance. PAMYUA /bum yo-ah/
Wednesday, May 13
7:30 a.m. Registration and Exhibits Open - Breakfast - Gold Room
8:30 a.m. Introduction
9:00 a.m. What Every Lawyer Should Know About Judicial Ethics
Judge M. Margaret McKeown and Marla Greenstein
How can a lawyer ask a judge about the status of a pending matter? When is a personal relationship with a judge disqualifying? Can a judge write a recommendation letter for a lawyer? Is it possible to honor a judge at a fundraising event for service to a community charitable organization? These and many other common questions that lawyers have about their relationships with judges will be explored in a presentation and follow-up discussion led by Judge M. Margaret McKeown, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and Chair of the Judicial Conference of the United States Codes of Conduct Committee, the ethics committee for the federal judiciary. Other participants will include an Alaska
practicing attorney and an Alaska state trial court judge. Marla Greenstein, Executive Director of the Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct, will act as moderator.
10:30 a.m. BREAK
10:45 a.m. Alaska Appellate Law
Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, University of California, Irvine School of Law
A comprehensive review of recent decision of the Alaska Supreme Court and the Alaska Appellate Courts.
12:15 p.m. Choosing Alaska's 'Tallest Timber' for the Judiciary: Theory and Practice (Ticketed Event)
Retired Chief Justice Walter Carpeneti and Vic Fisher, Delegate to the Alaska's Constitutional Convention
Vic Fisher, a delegate to Alaska's Constitutional Convention, will discuss what the framers envisioned in establishing the Judiciary Article, including what sending on the “tallest timber” to the governor was intended to mean. Retired Justice Walter Carpeneti, who served on the Judicial Council, will discuss how the standard works in practice.
1:30 - 5:00 p.m. U.S. Supreme Court Opinions Update
Dean Erwin Chemerinsky & Professor Laurie Levenson, Loyola Law School
This duo returns once again with an enlightening and entertaining review of the U.S. Supreme Court decisions on civil and criminal law. Their presentations have been the highlight of our conventions, so you won't want to miss a minute!
5:30 - 8:30 p.m. Welcome Reception (buses available from the Westmark Hotel)
Start your evening off at the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center, where you will experience the grandeur of Interior Alaska. Located on the banks of the Chena River in downtown Fairbanks, this extraordinary community centerpiece celebrates the Interior's natural beauty and cultural history--and will motivate you to explore all that Fairbanks and the Interior have to offer! You'll participate in the Taste of Alaska, tour the beautiful building, and watch Alaska Native youth dancers accompanied by renowned Gwich'in Athabascan Fiddler Bill Stevens.
This event will also feature a presentation commemorating the centennial of Judge Wickershan's historic 1915 meeting with the Interior's Tanana Chiefs--a meeting which reflected a desire for continuing dialog between clutures with often conflicting interests.
It's not over yet! Head across the Chena River to the Chiefs Court in the beautiful Doyon Limited Building, where you'll find a spread of heavy hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar, and plenty of time to connect with old friends and meet new ones.
8:30 p.m. Hospitality Suite: Acoustic Legal Jam sponsored by Tanana Valley Bar Association
Fairbanks, well-known for its old time, bluegrass, and folk music traditions, beckons!
Bring your instruments and voices to the “Acoustic Legal Jam” in the Tanana Valley Bar Association's hospitality suite. Hosted by Fairbanks music legends Robin Dale Ford and Pat Fitzgerald, the session will be a friendly, informal gathering that's open to all. We'll do our very best to make you feel welcome.
Thursday, May 14
7:30 a.m. Registration and Exhibits Open - Breakfast - Gold Room
7:30 a.m. Local Bar Presidents' Breakfast - Boardroom
8:30 a.m. - Noon Accidental Racists and Other Elephants in the Room: The Impacts of Subtle Forms of Bias on Access to Justice - Michael E. Kahn, JD, LPC
One of the most significant, yet perhaps neglected, aspects of providing increased access to justice is the challenge of sustained interaction between people of different races, socioeconomic classes, and cultural or religious backgrounds. Even the simplest of encounters can often leave lawyers, paralegals, community agency workers, or the clients themselves feeling confused, frustrated, offended, or (worst of all) seriously hurt-even when everyone involved began with the best of intentions.
This workshop from ReelTime CLE explores cross-cultural interactions, and the perhaps surprising ways that less overt forms of bias can affect how we interact with folks who are different from us in various ways. The unique ReelTime CLE format uses poignant clips from high-quality films (including 2005 Best Picture winner, Crash) as the starting point for a highly interactive discussion, and an opportunity for participants to collaborate in discovering practical, more effective ways of developing cross-cultural competence.
12:15 p.m. Bar Luncheon - Judge James Wickersham of Alaska (Ticketed Event)
Fairbanks actor Steve Mitchell will present a portrait of Wickersham from diaries and writings of adventures he recorded over forty years. James Wickersham, a remarkable man, embrace Alaska with all his energy and truly brought justice to the Last Frontier. Arriving in Eagle in 1900, appointed judge of the third judicial district by President McKinley, Wickersham pioneered the administration of the court system throughout Alaska, and must be credited in large part with the founding of the City of Fairbanks and the University of Alaska. Later, as Alaska's sole non-voting delegate to Congress, he secured funding for the construction of the Alaska Railroad and proposed statehood in 1916. Wickersham's legacy inspires our
awe and commands our respect.
Awards: Robert Hickerson Partners in Justice Campaign; Robert Hickerson Public Service Award; Layperson Public Service Award; 4th Annual Human Rights Award; 2015 Benjamin Walters Distinguished Service Award
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Work-Life Balance for Lawyers: It Can Be Done
Panelists: Beth Harbison, Superior Court Judge; Mamie Brown, Fairbanks; Anne Marie Billingsley, Fairbanks; Julie Willoughby, Juneau; Tonja Woelber, Anchorage
The practice of law is engaging, yet demanding of time and mental effort. How can attorneys achieve a work-life balance where professional obligations and work requirements are met, and yet outside interests and relationships can still thrive? This panel discussion will address the many ways attorneys can attempt to achieve balance. Your participation and ideas will be encouraged.
OR
Hot-Tubbing of Expert Witnesses at Trial: The Use of Concurrent Evidence Techniques
Ever wish you could get both trial experts in court together, answering the critical questions in your case at the same time? Think it would save time and money, get to the truth more quickly? It does, according to judges, attorneys and expert witnesses in Australia, where the practice of taking concurrent expert evidence has been in place for more than 10 years. Courts in England and the United States have begun “hot-tubbing” expert witnesses. Join Australian Justice Rachel Pepper to learn how it's done and listen to a panel of Alaska attorneys discuss if it could work here.
3:30 - 5:00 p.m. What Role for Tribal Sovereignty in Alaska?
The grievous problems faced by Alaska Natives, whether residing in villages or in urban areas, have been repeatedly documented and are of concern to all Alaskans. What role do Alaska's federally-recognized tribal governments have in addressing those problems? Would an expanded role for the tribes be beneficial? Should the Alaska state government have a different relationship with Alaska's tribes? Are amendments to ANCSA needed to mitigate structural impediments to the efforts by tribes in Alaska to deal with these problems? A distinguished panel of leading Alaskans on the forefront of Alaska Native affairs, moderated by Andy Harrington, will explore the possibility for reaching consensus on these and related questions.
6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Dinner with a Twist (Ticketed Event)
This year's event gives members more opportunity than ever to network and connect while enjoying a variety of creative food stations in a relaxed atmosphere with music by Fairbanks' jazz guitarist Ron Veliz.
Awards: Court Community Outreach Award and the Pro Bono and Distinguished Service Awards.
Hate, Free Speech and the Battle Against Extremism
Mark Potok, senior fellow at the Southern Poverty Law Center, will discuss issues of free speech in the context of racial hatred in both Europe and the United States. What are the differences? Is it helpful in any way to suppress or censor speech? Is it legal? And what is the best approach to dealing with hate groups and their demonizing propaganda and conspiracy theories in the age of the Internet?
9:00 p.m. Hospitality Suite sponsored by the Tanana Valley Bar Association
Friday, May 15
7:30 a.m. Registration and Exhibits Open - Breakfast - Gold Room
8:30 a.m. Second Wave: Return of the Militia Movement
Mark Potok, Southern Poverty Law Center
The first wave of the antigovernment militia movement swept the country in the 1990s, climaxing violently in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing but dying out toward the end of the decade. In recent years, however, the movement has come roaring back due to a variety of factors. Mark Potok will discuss the movement's origins, its current size and shape, the role of so-called “sovereign citizens,” and the violence, terrorism and propaganda that has accompanied its resurgence. He will also give a brief overview of the level and types of hate crimes afflicting our country.
10:00 a.m. BREAK
10:30 a.m. Criminal Justice Reform in Alaska: The Way Forward
Major criminal justice reform is the focus of discussion by policymakers throughout the nation. The need for reform has been recognized by leaders of all political persuasions, given the staggering monetary and human costs of continued reliance on incarceration as the correctional tool of first resort. In other states such as Texas, community-based sentencing alternatives have proven far more effective in addressing offenders' underlying issues and preventing recidivism, and far less expensive than building prisons. Through evidence-based analysis, resources in those jurisdictions are being successfully reinvested in community-based programs that work.
Criminal justice reform now has bipartisan support in Alaska. Senate Bill 64 (“SB64”), enacted by a unanimous Legislature and signed into law in 2014, recognizes that incarceration is enormously costly and, from a public safety perspective, often unnecessary. The new law calls for information-driven decisions in addressing the goals of public safety and rehabilitation. And perhaps most importantly, SB64 points the way forward through its creation of the Alaska Criminal Justice Commission, charged with making comprehensive recommendations for improving our state's sentencing and corrections laws and policies.
What are the specific concerns driving criminal justice reform efforts? What successes have been achieved in other jurisdictions? What are the prospects for true criminal justice reform in Alaska? This presentation, hosted by former Deputy Commissioner of Corrections Carmen Gutierrez, will address these and other issues, with an eye toward developing continuing consensus on the need for reform in Alaska.
12:15 p.m. Annual Meeting Luncheon - Outgoing Board Members; Passing the Gavel; Awards and 25, 50, 60 Year Membership Recognition (Ticketed Event)
Alaska Bar Professionalism Award; Judge Nora Guinn Award; Rabinowitz Public Service Award
1:30 p.m. Bar Convention Ends
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