The VBA Journal is the official publication of The Virginia Bar Association.
Issue link: http://vba.epubxp.com/i/80228
" 4 t VBA JOURNAL I am very proud of the VBA's work on these activities, both of which highlight our Association's commitment to improving the administration of justice and to enhancing access to justice in the Commonwealth. ... Your Virginia Bar Association has never been more vibrant and active. tions, a Herculean effort was organized to obtain the right re- sult, 18 years in the making. Te VBA is very proud of our role in helping to achieve this historic accomplishment. (Chief Jus- tice Cynthia Kinser also notes this in a Q&A; article on page 22.) We are also proud of our efforts to secure passage of a bill that would allow the Supreme Court to consider adopt- ing mandatory IOLTA in Virginia. Virginia is one of only a handful of states without mandatory IOLTA, and each state bordering us and the District of Columbia has it. While this bill failed in the House Courts of Justice Subcommittee by just one vote, we are very encouraged by the progress made this year on this important initiative. With sources of funding for legal aid dwindling, and with interest rates at historic lows for so many years, the VBA views support of mandatory IOLTA as a critical step to enhance access to justice in Virginia, as well as to improve the administration of our court system. We moved straight from a busy legislative session to prepara- tions for the Pro Bono Summit, which was hosted by Chief Jus- tice Kinser and the Supreme Court on April 24. You may recall that in 2009 during his term as VBA President, John Epps and Chief Justice Leroy Hassell conceived of a plan to focus much- needed attention on the challenges confronting the pro bono publico and legal aid communities and to spotlight the successes achieved by the heroes on the front lines of this im- portant work. Te first Pro Bono Summit occurred in April 2010, hosted by the Chief Justice and with the full Court in session. Tis widely attended and inspiring event created ener- gy and enthusiasm in the legal community to work even harder to bridge the justice gap that prevents access to our courts by so many. Notably, the legal department of Capital One Finan- cial Corporation was so inspired that it committed company resources to developing a virtual clearinghouse to match pro bono matters with attorneys who are able and willing to ac- cept these matters. Capital One announced in January that its JusticeServer project was close to being tested, and a number of leading law firms and corporations, including Dominion Virginia Power and Capital One, immediately stepped up to donate needed capital to fund the ongoing operation of this promising new tool for managing pro bono cases. In January Chief Justice Kinser agreed that Spring 2012 would be a good time to hold a second Pro Bono Summit. Our summit planning committee was co-chaired by Pete John- son, Scott Oostdyk, Delegate Jennifer McClellan and Profes- sor Michael Hernandez. Along with these leaders, the staffs of the VBA and the Court worked tirelessly to plan an incred- ible event. Te Supreme Court again graciously hosted the Pro Bono Summit in full Court session, and leaders in the pro bono and legal aid communities reported on the challenges and successes in their respective regions since our last summit. Rep- resentatives from Capital One gave moving accounts of their involvement with the JusticeServer project and how meaning- ful this experience has been for them. Te summit concluded with an inspiring presentation by Jim Sandman, the President of Legal Services Corporation of America. After the summit, the Court and attendees assembled on the Capitol Grounds to dedicate a Forever Tree in memory of the late Chief Justice Hassell. Tis was truly a splendid day for the advancement of pro bono publico services, and the VBA was very proud to be a part of it. Your Virginia Bar Association has never been more vibrant and active. I am so gratified to be a part of the professional- ism and collegiality exhibited by our members and staff as we successfully navigate the VBA's busy calendar. I hope everyone enjoys a pleasant fall season, and please make plans to attend one or more of our six fall conferences as well as our Annual Meeting at the Lodge in Williamsburg Jan. 24-26, 2013.