| Archive | Printer-Friendly | Send to a Friend | www.gtla.org | Advertise | September 22 2011 |
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
In 2011, four of our neighboring states passed major anti-justice legislation that affect ALL types of cases, from car wrecks to medical negligence. It’s not hard to see that we face a potential frontal assault here in Georgia and we must be prepared. We don’t know when it will come or where it will focus, but we do know that we need legislators who are receptive to our arguments.
Through our 236 Project, GTLA’s Legislative Team has been systematically approaching legislators and asking them who they turn to for explanation of legal issues facing the Georgia General Assembly. This way, we know which lawyers the legislator considers particularly reliable.
To date, we’ve spoken to well over 100 legislators – Republicans and Democrats, urban and rural, and leadership and rank-and-file. We are starting to hear some common themes. One state senator told us that he regularly calls a few of his college buddies who are now trial lawyers when seeking input on justice-related legislation. Another state senator mentioned he attends the same church as a certain GTLA member and values that person as an important resource. A state representative told us she trusts the trial attorney who represented her son in court a few years ago.
College friends, churches and clients. Neighborhood associations, kids’ soccer teams and rotary clubs. Take a minute. Think about whether you know someone who is a state legislator through any of these experiences or community events.
GTLA staff is working to ensure the trusted contacts have a solid relationship with the legislator. To work, the 236 Project requires your prompt response when called. When the time comes, we know these relationships will be the foundation from which we build our protections for civil justice. Geoff Pope
GTLA President
FEATURE
Experts agree that truancy is a first sign of trouble; a gateway to crime. The progression from school failure to serious adult crime is well documented and terribly expensive. For example, more than 88 percent of all adult prison inmates in Georgia are high school dropouts. With early intervention, lives can be saved.
Since its first case in 1992, the Truancy Intervention Project has served nearly 6,000 Georgia children. And now GTLA members will have a chance to help. GTLA is proud to announce that our Community Outreach Committee is working with the Truancy Intervention Project (TIP) in 2011-12. TIP was started in 1991 by Judge Glenda Hatchee and then-President of the Atlanta Bar Association, Terry Walsh. The goal is to provide an early, positive intervention in a child's life when he or she skips school on a regular basis. Here's how it works: GTLA volunteers will receive five hours of training and then advocate for child in juvenile court after a petition of truancy has been brought against him or her. In addition, volunteers will work with the child and their family to encourage and facilitate attendance at school. Join us and your fellow GTLA members at the inaugural Truancy Intervention Project training on October 13 at the State Bar in Atlanta. For more information, contact Community Outreach Committee Chair Erik Olson at 404-897-1014 or erikolson@theolsonlawfirm.com.
LEGISLATIVE NEWS
Although GTLA took no position on any of the redistricting issues that were the primary focus of legislators during the Special Reapportionment Session in August, we were nonetheless very busy addressing a handful of bills reviewed by committees during the session. The House Judiciary Committee took up a revised version of HB 397, a bill that would update Georgia’s Open Records/Open Meetings laws. Of primary importance to us is a provision that would preclude a plaintiff from obtaining via an open records request any records that could be used in pending litigation. GTLA Legislative Committee Co-Chairs Jay Sadd and Alwyn Fredericks and I met with Attorney General Sam Olens to negotiate over this provision and I testified to the House Judiciary Committee regarding our opposition to the provision. We will be meeting with AG Olens again on this provision and other concerns we have with HB 397 this fall. The Senate Economic Development Committee took up SB 244, a bill that would create a tax loophole for online travel agencies, relieving them of the obligation to pay state and local hotel/motel taxes. Because this bill is designed to gain an upper hand for the defendants in litigation that has been prosecuted by several of our members for the better part of the past decade, your GTLA took part in a coalition of groups opposing the legislation including the associations made up of city and county governments. There was very little support for the bill at the committee hearing but you can expect more fireworks over this bill in the 2012 regular legislative session. Finally, GTLA also worked behind the scenes with House leadership and the lead sponsor of HB 242, the American Laws for Georgia Courts, prior to that bill being taken up by the House Non-Civil Judiciary Committee during the Special Session. This bill began arguably as a xenophobic attempt to prevent Georgia courts from relying on foreign laws (especially laws having Muslim connections). At our insistence, the bill has been transformed into one that only precludes Georgia courts from (i) following foreign laws that would deprive a U.S. citizen of their constitutional rights, (ii) enforcing a contractual choice of laws provision that would call for the application of a foreign law that would deprive a U.S. citizen of their constitutional rights or (iii) granting a motion to change venues based on ‘forum non conveniens’ if the foreign jurisdiction would apply laws that would deprive a U.S. citizen of their constitutional rights. Bill Clark Director of Political Affairs COMMUNICATIONS
Thank you to the more than 200 GTLA members who have responded so far to a very brief survey on personal political preferences in furtherance of GTLA’s efforts to protect the civil justice system. If you have not yet done so, please take the survey today. Your answers will help us target our efforts more specifically.
GRASSROOTS REPORT
 After having such a great time in 2010, the Cobb County Trial Lawyers Association, along with help and support from the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, decided once again to sponsor a booth at Constitution Day on the Marietta Square on September 18. Constitution Day is a day of education and camaraderie centered on the United States Constitution. Each Amendment is represented by a booth, where volunteers are stationed to teach and engage in healthy dialogue about the importance of our Constitution. Naturally, our group chose the 7th Amendment, which is our right to a civil trial by jury. As we began to setup our booth, we were welcomed by absolutely beautiful weather and an amazing scene. American flags were gently rustling in the breeze, smells of BBQ wafted through the air and live music played on the Marietta Square stage. The GTLA booth came together quickly. We had a huge banner telling everyone who we were, folders containing information about Civil Justice, and two inspirational quotes from Thomas Jefferson and John Adams flanking our table. With our booth looking impressive, we began welcoming guests.
The majority of the people attending Constitution Day are members of the Tea Party, Libertarians or Republicans. These groups of people saw our booth and often openly wondered why "a group of trial lawyers" would be at an event like this. We smiled politely and told them in no uncertain terms, that when it came to Civil Justice we had more in common then they thought. We told the patrons we believed, like them, in personal responsibility, the Constitution and small government. We explained that a jury is the smallest and most local form of government in our society. We then said that many politicians who call themselves "conservatives" act like hypocrites when they propose big government ideas like statewide or national "tort reform." After spending time explaining our beliefs, we began making friends and convincing people that "tort reform" was simply another way for the insurance industry to erode our 7th Amendment Right to Trial by Jury.
I believe people walked away from our booth appreciating our passion for the Civil Justice system and with a better understanding of why "tort reform" is contrary to our Constitution. I hope there is a third Constitution Day so we can continue this important dialogue.
Aaron Strimban
Cobb TLA
CIVIL JUSTICE PAC
Our Civil Justice Political Action Committee (PAC) strives to ensure public safety and justice for all Georgians. It is vitally important that we all find a way, regardless of contribution size, to support the PAC.
In an effort to help bolster revenue and (hopefully) reduce the number of call-a-thons we have each year, it seems prudent to raise the dollar amounts for each of our giving categories. By automating the increase on our end in each of these specific categories, it saves you the time of resubmitting your information. If you have been set up to donate monthly, the new amount will be reflected in this month’s statement. If you are an annual contributor, your next renewal notice will be invoiced for the new amount based on your financial level. Here are the new contribution levels we have established: * Champion: $3,000 annually or $250 per month * Partner: $1,500 annually or $125 per month * Esquire: $1,000 annually or $85 per month * Associate: $500 annually or $40 per month Keep in mind that the prior contribution levels have been in place for a very long time and it was time for a reasonable increase. If you are not already, we hope you will support the PAC and encourage your GTLA friends to give as well. An increase in participation from the 70% of GTLA members who have yet to give to the PAC will go a long way in achieving our goal of protecting the civil justice system. For more information on the Civil Justice PAC, contact Executive Director Dawn Lasusky Painter at 678-491-0462 or dawn@civiljusticepac.com Our Civil Justice Political Action Committee (PAC) strives to ensure public safety and justice for all Georgians. It is vitally important that we all find a way, regardless of contribution size, to support the PAC. In an effort to help bolster revenue and (hopefully) reduce the number of call-a-thons we have each year, it seems prudent to raise the dollar amounts for each of our giving categories. By automating the increase on our end in each of these specific categories, it saves you the time of resubmitting your information. If you have been set up to donate monthly, the new amount will be reflected in this month’s statement. If you are an annual contributor, your next renewal notice will be invoiced for the new amount based on your financial level. Here are the new contribution levels we have established: * Champion: $3,000 annually or $250 per month * Partner: $1,500 annually or $125 per month * Esquire: $1,000 annually or $85 per month * Associate: $500 annually or $40 per month Keep in mind that the prior contribution levels have been in place for a very long time and it was time for a reasonable increase. If you are not already, we hope you will support the PAC and encourage your GTLA friends to give as well. An increase in participation from the 70% of GTLA members who have yet to give to the PAC will go a long way in achieving our goal of protecting the civil justice system. For more information on the Civil Justice PAC, contact Executive Director Dawn Lasusky Painter at 678-491-0462 or dawn@civiljusticepac.com. WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Thank You to Our Newest GTLA Champion Members!
Frank Burns & Jeff Gilbert
Welcome New GTLA Members! Regina B. Barber, Cale R. Brice, Michael Brill, Jennifer Cabrera, Kori Caldwell, Cathy J. Cobb, Natalee Drummond-Fairley, John A. Early, Susan M. Ebersbach, Amanda L. Evans, Jennifer M. Fleeman, James L. Garvin Jr., Stacy Gerdmann, Ted A. Greve, Andrew L. Hagenbush, Leigh Harris, Lee Hicks, Mandy Hinson, Ken Hodges III, William J. Hunter, John W. Hurst III, James A. Ivey, Jennifer S. Ivey, D. Anne Jarrell, Jordan M. Jewkes, Bobby Johnson, Edward Kim, Ami Manik S. Koldhekar, Steven M. Litner, Jean G. Mangan, Alex Manning, Nicole T. Martin, Maya Micou, Joseph H. Moon, Bret S. Moore, Blake A. Poole, Naveen Ramachandrappa, Cameil Reddick, Hope Ries, Todd Robinson, Rebecca Kay Sapp, April Scherer, Beth Tyson, Jessica Vasquera, Eric A. von Hacke, Richard C. Wayne Sr., Katie Williams, Mary E. Wilson
UPCOMING GTLA EVENTS
We hope to see you at an upcoming CLE or social event!
To RSVP or register for an event, please visit www.gtla.org. |
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Founded in 1956, the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (GTLA) is dedicated to strengthening and upholding Georgia’s civil justice system and protecting the rights of Georgia citizens and consumers. GTLA works in the legislative, political and media arenas to ensure that Georgians know and understand the importance of their rights to justice and to make certain that these rights, which are at the very core of what it means to be American, are safeguarded and protected. |
| Georgia Trial Lawyers Association 101 Marietta Street, NW Suite 3350, Atlanta, GA 30303 Phone (404) 522-8487 | Fax (404) 522-3705 |
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