Save The Date!
MLBA ANNUAL MEETING – Tuesday, April 14th 6-9pm!

All MLBA members and friends, their guests, and interested law students are cordially invited to attend the MLBA 2009 annual meeting on Tuesday, April 14. MLBA has reserved the Private Party Room at The Independent, a neighborhood dining & cocktail lounge located in the heart of Uptown on the corner of Hennepin & Lake on the 2nd floor of Calhoun Square, (3001 Hennepin Avenue, Suite A201; Minneapolis, MN 55408)

We do not plan to have an outside speaker – just association business and a time to relax and enjoy one another’s company. The business meeting, which will include nominations of new board members and updates on MLBA projects, will take place from 6:30--7:15; afterward, social time and enjoyment of hors d'oeuvres (see menu below) from 7:15--9:00. We hope you can join us for a pleasant evening!

Interested in serving on the MLBA board or on a committee? Please send a letter of interest and relevant information to Co-Chair Melissa Houghtaling at: mjhoughtaling@gmail.com

To assure we have sufficient space, PLEASE RSVP (with total number in your party) by email to: events@mnlavbar.org See you there!

Menu:
• Chicken Satay served with peanut sauce
• Garlic Hummus served with sun dried tomato-feta tapenade and pita bread
• Bruschetta of Roma tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil and balsamic
• Jalapeno-Cream Cheese Wontons served with sweet-n-sour
• Margherita Pizza with garlic oil, fresh mozzarella and basil
• Fruit & Cheese Platter with artisan cheeses, seasonal fruits and fresh bread

RCBA Judges Dinner -- March 19

MLBA members are invited to the Ramsey County Bar Association judges dinner on Thursday, March 19 at the Town & Country Club in St. Paul. The focus will be on the devastating budget shortfall Ramsey County courts are facing, and how they will respond. Social hour, including an opportunity to offer your own solutions, will be from 5-6pm, followed by dinner at 6:15 and a program thereafter. Tickets are $50 for RCBA members and $65 for non-members. Contact Alexandra, RCBA event manager, at Alexandra@ramseybar.org, for more information.

Report from the ABA and National LGBT Bar Association

The ABA committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) will be holding hearings during the ABA's annual meeting in Chicago (July 30-Aug. 4, 2009), and is seeking people who are willing to share their difficult experiences/poignant stories related to their sexual orientation or gender identity. Please share this with your groups and encourage those willing to testify to contact Jeff Gibson (jgibson@g3mh.com) or Michael Helfgott (helfgotm@staff.abanet.org) as soon as possible.

ABA President Tommy Wells has formed a committee to expand the organization's diversity efforts, to examine how the face of diversity has changed over the years and to determine what direction diversity may take in the future. Our representative on the committee reports that the ABA is in need of education concerning GLBT issues. Please help ensure that the GLBT voice is heard, and ask your members to go to the ABA website and take the survey: www.abanet.org/diversity/summit

The Urban Lawyer, the ABA's national quarterly law journal on local government law and urban legal affairs, is seeking articles on GLBT & diversity concerns. See the following for more information: http://www.abanet.org/abastore/products/periodicals/5330100_writ.html

The National LGBT Bar Association's Nominations Committee is seeking affiliate members for Board, committee, and appointed representative positions. Please consider volunteering and contact Kelly Olmstead at klolmstead@rkmc.com if you are interested.

Proposal would expand restrictions on use of peremptories

A peremptory strike is a way to exclude a potential juror without giving a valid reason. The proposed amendment would expand the prohibition on exercising peremptory challenges based on race or gender to 10 additional protected categories, including religion, age and sexual orientation.

A Minnesota Lawyer reports on the MLBA endorsed resolution, comments by Michelle Lore Associate Editor from Minnesota Lawyer Click here for complete text.

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“Advertising” opportunities in the MLBA newsletter!

Looking for a chance to get word out to MLBA members and friends? At its June meeting, the MLBA Board approved an advertising” policy for use on a trial (six-month) basis. For now, the policy contemplates free announcements of such things as job openings, available office space, and other law-related matters other than simple advertisements of services. This opportunity is available to MLBA members only. For more information click here: http://www.mnlavbar.org/membership.htm

Job Opportunities posted
on MLBA website

MLBA receives a number of notices from employers seeking candidates for open positions. We try to post these on our web site regularly, and in fact have now created a specific page dedicated to sharing these opportunities.
Please click here for more information. http://www.mnlavbar.org/Employment.htm