Utah Chapter

Welcome to the website for the Utah Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. You will find numerous helpful reminders here, including a schedule of upcoming FBA events. I encourage you to explore the website, and to let us know how you’d like it improved. I also want to take a moment to encourage each of you to consider giving back to the community. While it may not seem like it on a day-to-day basis as each of us struggles with our practices and to meet the needs of our profession, we are, each of us, very fortunate to be able to engage in our profession. While it may be hard to always remember and appreciate, lawyers as a group on average live better than the average person, and enjoy more rewards than the average person. So why am I talking about the higher than average incomes and lifestyles of lawyers? For the simple reason that with privilege, comes responsibility. I would like to encourage each of you to find a way to give back to the community outside of the legal world. I believe that we owe the community for the great gift we all have as professionals who are fortunate enough to work in a noble profession. Especially now, during one of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, the community needs you. Whether it is volunteering at a homeless shelter, helping with an at risk youth program, or working with another non-profit of your choice, you owe it to yourself, and to our wonderful state, to use your skills and your income to enrich our wonderful state and city. In 1996, a friend of mine nominated me to serve on the board of a non-profit organization. The experience changed my life. I have continued ever since to give my time, my resources, and my income, to many wonderful non-profit boards. This community service has enriched my life in ways that were unforseeable, and which would not have happened had I simply focused only on the practice of law. If you take the time to get involved with the non-profit of your choice, to give them your time and your money, you will find that you are the person who walks away richer for the experience, and more satisfied with a profession which, at times, is combative, adversarial and counter-creative. Take the time to help create something wonderful in the world, and please give your time and money to the thousands of non-profit and charitable organizations that make life in Utah simply wonderful.

Erik Christiansen
Utah Chapter President

The Utah Chapter of the Federal Bar Association is composed of federal judges and lawyers who practice in Utah federal courts. Participation in the FBA gives lawyers the opportunity to network with local attorneys and judges. In addition, the FBA provides many substantive CLE programs on federal practice and the latest developments in the law. These valuable programs are offered to our members at a discount rate!

Annual Ronald N. Boyce Federal Court Litigation Practice Seminar. This popular, full-day seminar features presentations by our local federal judges and magistrates. The speakers cover subjects of particular interest to federal lawyers such as changes to the federal rules, evidence issues, pretrial practice, the appellate process, ethics, and recent developments in federal law. This year, the seminar will be held on November 7 at the Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah. See Calendar of Events.

Annual Criminal Law Seminar. The Utah Chapter offers a full-day seminar designed for prosecutors and criminal defense lawyers. The seminar generally features presentations by local federal judges and other experts in criminal law. The afternoon breakout sessions will allow prosecutors and defense counsel to met separately to discuss issues of particular concern to each group. This year, the Criminal Law Seminar will be on May 2, 2008, at the Hotel Monaco in Salt Lake City, Utah. See Calendar of Events.

Tri-State Conference. The Utah, Idaho and Wyoming Chapters of the Federal Bar Association have joined forces to present a unique regional CLE conference focusing on timely federal law issues. This one-day conference was held in Jackson Hole in 2005, Sun Valley in 2006, and Park City in 2007. This year, the Tri-State Conference will be held again in Jackson Hole on May 30-31. See Calendar of Events.

“Side Bar” CLE Luncheons. The Utah Chapter's "Side Bar" Series of CLE luncheons is a unique opportunity for federal practitioners to interact with our local federal judges. The Side Bar luncheon begins with remarks from the judge, but the majority of the time is devoted to questions from the attendees. This is a perfect opportunity to ask questions and learn about the featured judge's preferences and insights into federal practice. Because this is a limited seating event, invitations are extended first to our members -- just one of the benefits of membership in the Federal Bar Association.

Social and Special Events. The FBA sponsors social and special events, including our Annual Awards Dinner at which we honor an outstanding federal judge and lawyer. We also co-sponsor special events with the Tenth Circuit Historical Society. These events are a great opportunity to get to know who’s who in the legal community.

Informative Publications. Members receive the Utah Chapter’s quarterly newsletter on events and developments of interest to local federal practitioners. In addition, members receive The Federal Lawyer, published monthly by the national Federal Bar Association.

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Pro Bono

The Utah Chapter provides its members with the opportunity to participate in pro bono project related to federal law. In 2007, the Chapter provided training to domestic violence shelters regarding the protections afforded by the federal Violence Against Women Act to immigrants who are the victims of domestic violence.

This year, the Pro Bono Project is focusing on soliciting law firms' commitment to accept pro bono referrals, and provide pro bono support, in the Federal system. For more information, please contact the Chapter’s Pro Bono Director, Jennifer Tomchak at 532-7840. Download Enrollment Form

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Announcements

Earl Kintner Award: Our own Robert S. Clark has been announced to be
the recipient of the 2008 Earl Kintner Award at the Annual Meeting of
the Federal Bar Association. The Earl Kintner award is the most
prestigious national award for service to the FBA. The Utah Chapter is
proud of Mr. Clark's contributions to the national and local FBA
programs and to have Mr. Clark as a member.

Southern Utah Leadership Council: The Utah Chapter of the FBA is
pleased to announce the formation of the Southern Utah Leadership
Council and the associated seminar on Sept. 25-26, 2008, at the Dixie
Center. With the growing federal practice throughout the state, the
council and seminar are designed for those interested in learning about
federal court programs and procedure. The seminar will also be a great
opportunity to meet other federal practitioners and the federal court
judges.

Speakers will include: Hon. Ted Stewart, Hon. Richard Braithwaite, Hon. David Nuffer, U.S. District Attorney Brett Tolman, and Jack Lockridge, executive director of the Federal Bar Association, among others.

Participants will be able to earn up to 6 CLE credits (pending approval). Please see the Calendar of Events for more information.

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Calendar of Events

October 9 & 10, 2009
Tri-State Federal Bar Conference
Location: Sun Valley, Idaho
Registration: View Flyer for conference details. If you have questions or comments, please contact Wendy Olson at (208) 334-9125 or Susie Headlee at (208) 334-9373 or Susie_Boring-Headlee@id.uscourts.gov

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Chapter Newsletters

Spring 2009 newsletter

Spring 2008 newsletter

Request previous editions

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Federal Judicial Profiles

U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball

U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart

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Related Links

U.S. District Court for the District of Utah
http://www.utd.uscourts.gov/

Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals
http://www.ck10.uscourts.gov/

Utah State Bar
http://www.utahbar.org/

The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals recently adopted a greatly revised Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Plan (see Addendum I, pp 181-186, of the 2006 FRAP/10th Circuit Rules at: http://www.ck10.uscourts.gov/downloads/rules2006.pdf). The court also filled a new position created to assist it with reviewing vouchers, developing CJA procedural training opportunities and administering a new CJA appellate attorney panel.
The court is forming an attorney panel for criminal defense lawyers specifically interested in accepting indigent defendant appointments at the appellate level. It is the court's hope that the qualified panel selected through an application/review/recommendation process will be geographically diverse and able to assure that each counsel receives enough appellate CJA appointments to keep their specialized skills and knowledge up-to-date. We hope to complete that the applicant review and selection process by mid-fall 2006.
The Tenth Circuit encourages FBA members to consider applying for its appellate attorney panel. As an update for attorneys who already have filed their applications with the Tenth Circuit, . . . the court is currently identifying and appointing the members of the standing committee (see new CJA Plan at III). The committee will then review the submitted applications and make recommendations to the court.
Interested applicants should carefully review the 12/16/06 memo on the court's Web site at http://www.ck10.uscourts.gov/downloads/cjaplanmemo.pdf regarding the CJA appointment process both before and after the panel is formed.
Application materials can then be found at http://www.ck10.uscourts.gov/downloads/cjapanelapp.pdf.