www.IrishAmericanBarNorCal.com
President's Message
Dear Members,
Happy autumn! We hope you had an enjoyable summer, and we're excited to invite you to join us at some upcoming events. On October 16th at 6:30 at the Roxie Theater in San Francisco, we are hosting a special screening of Don't Leave Home, a thriller about an American artist's investigation of an Irish urban legend. Producer George Rush will give a presentation before the screening on the Section 481 Tax Incentive for Film Production in Ireland, which will earn California attorney members one hour of MCLE credit. More information about this event can be found at the link below. Please register today and join us for this special Halloween season event! We are also looking forward to the 2018 Irish Arts & Writers Festival in Los Gatos, from October 11th through 15th. This year's event will feature RTE reporter Caitriona Perry, will give a presentation on her 2017 book In America: Tales from Trump Country, an Irish perspective of today's American society. The Festival will also welcome Melatu Uche Okorie, a 2006 immigrant to Ireland who will share her experience as a migrant woman facing prejudice and legal obstacles as she tries to settle in her new country. You can register for these and other events on the Festival website. Hope to see you there! In recent months, we enjoyed another wonderful evening with the Italian-American Bar Association at this year's Garlic and Gaelic Night in North Beach. Guests were treated to a rollicking debate on the Irish and Italian contributions to the world, and a fantastic dinner prepared by the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club. We are especially grateful to President Fulvio Picerno, Italian Consul General Lorenzo Ortona, Irish Consul General Robert O'Driscoll, and the entire Irish and Italian communities who attended the evening's dinner and events.
Please stay tuned for further announcements of upcoming events and activities. Also, please consider becoming a sponsor of the IABA. Further information on sponsorship levels can be found here. Your support is invaluable to the IABA's mission, and we are happy to have so many active and interested professionals as members.
From all of us on the Board, thank you, and we hope to see you at one of our events very soon. Best regards,
Jim WeixelIABA President
Upcoming Events
"Don't Leave Home" - Oct. 16, Roxie Theater, San FranciscoJoin us for a screening of this Irish-produced thriller that explores an American's investigation of an urban legend. Producer George Rush will give a one-hour MCLE presentation on the Irish fim production tax credit before the screening.
2018 Irish Arts & Writers Festival, Los Gatos This year's festival features RTE reporter Caitriona Perry's book reading about an Irish perspective on Trump's America, and 2006 Irish immigrant Melatu Uche Okorie and her experience as a woman migrating to Ireland.
Board Updates
We are looking for members interested in joining the Board and helping the IABA continue its growth and good work in the years ahead. If you're enthusiastic about participating in the local Irish American legal and cultural community, then this is a great opportunity for you! Please contact IABA President Jim Weixel at info@irishamericanbarnorcal.com for more information.
Thank you to our sponsors:
Copyright © 2018 Irish American Bar Association of Northern California. All rights reserved. Contact email: info@irishamericanbarnorcal.com
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The pictures from our Gaelic & Garlic dinner have now been posted.
Click here to see the photo gallery.
Click here to see the photos on our facebook page.
Photo credit: Gerard Sheridan.
A Message From Our Outgoing President
Over the last couple of years, it has been my great privilege to serve as president of the IABA. With help from my fellow board members, we've grown the association from our early days of a group of folks kicking around ideas on how to revitalize the IABA for a new generation, to an official organization registered as a non profit and recognized by the State Bar of California as an MCLE provider. We've held over 30 events, growing our membership each step of the way. I'm looking forward to seeing where we can go from here. With this in mind, I'd like to be the first to welcome our incoming president, Jim Weixel. I'm delighted to see the association benefit from new leadership and fresh ideas, and I can think of no better man to lead the IABA into its next chapter. Jim has been with the association since day 1, serving as Vice President and leading many of the efforts to restructure our association. The IABA would not be where it is today without Jim's dedication and hard work.
I'd also like to say a special thank you to all of our members. Meeting both new and original members of the IABA has been the highlight of being president. Thank you all and I will see you at future IABA events!
Regards,
Nick Ginger
I'm delighted and deeply honored to have been elected as IABA president. As our outgoing president Nick Ginger said, this organization owes its quality and progress to you, its members. I've had the great pleasure of meeting and speaking with so many of you over the past couple of years, and I'm looking forward to growing our connections and making new ones as my term as president progresses.
My first order of business is to give our deepest appreciation and gratitude to Nick for all of his hard work and endless enthusiasm as president. Nick has taken the laboring oar throughout the renaissance and growth of the IABA over the last couple of years. His leadership and creativity have brought us to a position where we are well-positioned to continue expanding our role in the Irish and legal communities. The IABA owes its vitality to Nick's service as president, and I'm very happy that he will be continuing on our Board of Directors as vice president. In current news, your Board has plans in the works to continue the IABA's tradition of informative and enjoyable programs and events. We're finalizing plans to reprise our successful highly Garlic and Gaelic Night with our friends at the Italian-American Bar Association. Our target date is May 31, 2018 at the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club. Full details will be announced soon, but please save the date and make plans to join us for another great evening! We're also planning more MCLE programs on issues of interest to the legal community generally, and will announce those events soon as well. In the meantime, if you or your firms would like to host an MCLE program on topics relevant to your practice, please let us know. IABA members come from a wide range of practices, and learning about new areas of law is invaluable to our professional growth.
Please watch your inbox for further announcements regarding events and activities. Also, please consider becoming a sponsor of the IABA. Further information on sponsorship levels can be found here. Your support is invaluable to the IABA's mission, and we are happy to have so many active and interested professionals as members. From all of us on the Board, thank you, and we hope to see you at one of our events very soon. Best regards,
May South Bay Meet Up - May 16Come join us at Molly Magee's in Mountain View for another fun social event. Meet your colleagues and fellow members from Silicon Valley and the rest of the South Bay for drinks and fun!
Save the Date: May 31, Garlic & Gaelic Night with the Italian-American Bar Association San Francisco Italian Athletic Club (More details to follow)
At the last Board of Directors meeting on April 10, 2018, the following officers and directors were elected: President: Jim Weixel Vice President: Nick Ginger Secretary: Cliona Plunkett Treasurer: Ryan Dunn
President's Letter
I hope the new year is treating you well. Here at the IABA we've been busy preparing for our first General Meeting, taking place next Wednesday, the 21st of February. This year we have decided to open up the meeting to both members and non members alike and combine it with a happy hour. We're eager to present our accomplishments from 2017 and goals for the year ahead. We're also looking forward to hearing any feedback that our members have. As a reminder, the IABA's board of directors is elected during this meeting. We are actively seeking new board members who want to help continue to build out the association. We have some positions we need to fill, so if you're thinking about joining, there is no better time.
Last month we were fortunate enough to cohost, with the INBA, Irish Minister Pat Breen for a luncheon at Original Joe's. Minister Breen shared his thoughts on the upcoming European General Data Privacy Regulation, Brexit, and the state of the Irish economy. It was a fun and informative event. The event was sponsored by the IABA's newest sponsor William Fry.
Lastly, and in no way the least, the IABA would like to wish a special Valentine's day to all our members. Thank you for helping us keep the great tradition of the Irish American Bar Association going!
See you all next Wednesday.
IABA President
AGM & Member Happy Hour
February 21
Save the date for the IABA General Meeting & Happy Hour. Hear what the Association has been up to, our plans for the upcoming year, and maybe even decide to join us on the board! Open to all interested persons.
February South Bay Meetup
February 22
Molly Magees, Mountain View
Attorney social in Mountain View for anyone interested in joining for drinks, networking, and general discussion.
Meet in the patio, walk all the way into the back covered outdoor area.
Copyright © 2016 Irish American Bar Association, Northern California. All rights reserved. Contact email: info@irishamericanbarnorcal.com
Season's Greetings!
It's been an exciting year for the Irish American Bar Association. We've continued to see our membership grow and have had a great mix of events. Recently we were lucky to host Mark Hull as part of the Irish Writer's Festival in Los Gatos where he gave an overview into his research of the chameleon like Rosaleen James, a lady who masqueraded many different lifestyles through World War II. We also hosted Father Coleman S.J.who led an erudite discussion on the evolution of the Church's attitude towards the role married men may play in the priesthood.
Click here for pictures of the writers festival
Click here for pictures from our event with Father Coleman S.J.
We also have some exciting events already planned for the new year! On January 10th, the IABA will welcome the Irish Minister of Data Protection, Pat Breen, for lunch at Original Joe's. This will be a small group lunch and a great opportunity to hear first hand the Minister's thoughts on the issues facing Ireland as we enter 2018. Purchase your tickets for the luncheon here.
The IABA will host its first General Meeting on Wednesday, February 21st. This will be an opportunity to hear the Board's recap of activities and the proposed plans for the new year. Members will be electing the 2018-2020 board at this meeting. We welcome anyone to this event and would love to see new faces interested in joining our board.
The IABA is always looking for new and improved ways to connect with our members and increase our online presence. To this end, the IABA now has a a Facebook page. Click on the image below to visit and "like" our new page and start a discussion with fellow members! You'll also find our event calendar and photo gallery.
I hope you all have had a wonderful year these past 12 months. I would also like to extend my personal gratitude to our members and sponsors for their support of the IABA!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Upcoming Events:
Ministerial Luncheon with Pat Breen
January 10
Original Joe's, San Francisco
Join the Irish American Bar Association and the Irish Network Bay Area as they host Minister for Data Protection, Pat Breen T.D. for lunch. Minister Breen will discuss how Ireland plans to implement the EU's new privacy law, the GDPR, and the potential impacts for Silicon Valley companies. This intimate event will enable attendees to discuss this and other topics of interest (Brexit anyone?) with Minister Breen.
2018 AGM
Venue TBD
Save the date for the IABA Annual General Meeting & Member Happy Hour. Hear about the IABA efforts to date and help elect the new board.
South Bay Meet Up
January 11
We have some exciting events coming over the next few weeks. First up we have partnered with the St. Thomas Moore Society of San Francisco to host a discussion in the FiDi examining the Pope's recent commentary on allowing marriage within the priesthood. We are very lucky to have Father John Coleman, S.J. joining us to lead the discussion. Fr. Coleman has an extensive background in theology research and education and is a tremendous resource for us to have. Also participating will be our very own Phil Kearney.
Speaking of Phil, you might have had the chance to catch him at last year's Los Gatos Writers Festival talking about his experiences prosecuting war crimes in Kosovo. It was a thrilling topic, one of many presented at the festival. The writer's festival returns to Los Gatos this year October 5th through October 8th. The IABA will once again be presenting a session. This year we will have attorney Mark Hull come to discuss his book Masquerade. This captivating true tale of survival, deceit, and espionage is incredibly rich and complex. Be sure to join us for this presentation at 2 PM, October 6th at CB Hannegans in Los Gatos.
It is with regret that I must also inform our membership that due to unforeseen circumstances, this year's softball competition with the Italian Bar Association has been cancelled. This is truly a great event and we have every intention of continuing the tradition in the future.
Do you know if your membership is current? If you'd like to check the status of your membership, you can check your profile by clicking on this link: {Member_Profile_URL} If you have forgotten your password, you can reset it here: {Contact_Password_Reset_URL}
A Conversation on Catholic Priest Marriage in the Age of Pope Francis
October 5
Join us for a conversation between our very own Phil Kearney and Father John Coleman, S.J. on the practical impact of Pope Francis' recent comments on the eligibility of viri probati (married men) for the priesthood.
2017 Writers Festival - Los Gatos
October 5 through October 8
The annual festival brings together Irish, local and international writers, artists and audiences at unique venues in the charming town of Los Gatos
Masquerade
October 6
Phyllis Ursula James. Nora Ó Mara. Róisín Ni Mheara. Like her name, the life of Rosaleen James changed many times as she followed a convoluted path from abandoned child, to foster daughter of an aristocratic British family, to traitor during World War II, to her emergence as an Irish citizen.
Learn how this Irish imposter became close to writer Francis Stuart, whose years in Nazi Germany led to a great deal of controversy.
As we reach the midyear point, I look back and see that we've had a great year of events, and yet we still have plenty more events to look forward to!
The Italian American Bar Association has invited our members to their annual dinner. Our Garlic & Gaelic night with the Italians was one of my personal favorite events of the year. For those that missed it, this would be a great chance to make up for it and get to know our Italian friends.
Speaking of which, it's almost time for out annual Softball competition. After our rousing victory last year, the Italians will no doubt come back this year in full force. The link below will have further information, but please note the competition is open to anyone, you do not need to be a member to play.
Our South Bay presence continues to be strong. If you're near Mountain View on the 9th, stop by our monthly happy hour for a pint. You'll find us on the back patio of Molly Magees. We will also participate in this year's Writer's Festival in Los Gatos. Last year's event included our own Philip Kearny discussing his experiences as a war crimes prosecutor in Kosovo. Also featured was Frank Shouldice discussing his documentary on an impactful EU labor law case that was taken up in the name of a worker who only became aware of "his" case after the fact. Stay tuned for details on this year's program.
Word of our association continues to spread. This month alone, we have been contacted twice for attorney referrals. If you'd like to be considered for referrals, make sure your profile is up to date by clicking on this link: {Member_Profile_URL} If you have forgotten your password, you can reset it here: {Contact_Password_Reset_URL}
Italian Bar Association - East Bay Dinner
August 9
Trabocco 2213 South Shore Center, Alameda
Our good friends, the Italians, have invited us to their annual member dinner. It promises to be a great event, almost as much fun as our Garlic & Gaelic night.
The Irish v. the Italians Softball Competition
September 23
Moscone Softball Fields
Back for its second year, the Irish American Bar Association of Northern California cordially invites your to participate in a renewed annual softball game against the Italian American Bar Association.
All are welcome!
Various venues, Los Gatos
I'm happy to say our Gaelic & Garlic night was a great success. We joined with the Italian Bar Association for an evening of fun and great food at Mangia Tutti. Who knew lawyers could have such great singing voices! Special thanks to our own Michael Hale who worked with the Italians in setting up the event. We've posted the pictures to our website, you can view them by clicking here.
Last year the good folks at Squire Patton & Boggs put together an informative overview of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Although an EU regulation, the GDPR will have a huge impact on how US companies handle data. With just one year to go before the GDPR becomes applicable in all EU member states, we will be presenting an update on what we have learned over the last year and best practices for preparing for the year ahead. We have decided to expand the event by partnering with the British American Business Council and the German American Chamber of Commerce. We are also adding NCC Group to the panel to bring their point of view. Whether you are interested in the field, or are looking for a great opportunity to network with other European chapters, this is an event you do not want to miss. As a reminder, the event is free for members! Members and non members can register by clicking here.
The Irish Network Bay Area have invited us to join them again this year for their annual home brewing education event. This was a great event last year. Whether you're interested in learning the craft, or just like to sample some local brews, don't miss out! For further details, click here.
These are some great upcoming events. I look forward to meeting as many of you as I can at them!
May/June MCLE - The EU General Data Protection Regulation
June 1
Squire Patton Boggs 275 Battery St. #2600
The GDPR is looming large, with just one year to go before enforcement begins. Gretchen Ramos, Philip Zender, and Rob Chahin will provide an overview of what we've learned since the regulation was adopted last year as well as share thoughts on the best path forward as US multinationals come to grips with the requirements.
Irish Network Bay Area Home Brew Event
June 22
100 Vallejo St.
Looking for a lighthearted evening of networking? Join our sister organization, the INBA, for an interactive night of homebrewing education. Learn the basics of homebrewing, where to get supplies, and be set to brew you first batch by the weekend!
June 7
I hope this newsletter finds you well. We have some exciting news and events coming up in the next few weeks as we continue to build on the Association's strong momentum.
First up is our Garlic and Gaelic Dinner on April 27th. This is a great opportunity to get to know our friends in the Italian Bar and discover what else we have in common besides our shared IABA acronym. Dinner topics will be sure to touch on our triumphant victory in last year's softball game and plans for this year's rematch! The meal is prix frixe, so the last day to register will be this Sunday. Be sure not to miss out!
Next, I'd like to take a moment to highlight a pro bono opportunity that has come our way. As you can read below, the Irish Immigration Pastoral Center (IIPC) has a need for someone with experience in family law to work with one of their members. Each year the IIPC provides invaluable support to numerous folks both resident here in the Bay Area and those on visas visiting from Ireland. They are a huge benefit to our community and if the IABA can in anyway help them, we should certainly try our best to do so. Please take a moment to consider whether you may be of assistance, or if you know of someone who could be.
Finally, we are getting ready to launch our member directory. We are hoping this will be a useful tool as we move towards building our mentorship program. We are also hoping to use the information to facilitate referrals. As a reminder, the only information in the directory is that which is provided by members themselves and only paid members who opt in to share their information will have access to the directory. If you would like to see your information, confirm if you are part of the directory, and/or control your email preferences, this and more can be done by logging in to our site and visiting your profile. If you have forgotten your password, you can reset it by clicking here: {Contact_Password_Reset_URL}
All for now. Have a great weekend, and be sure to get out and enjoy the sun while it lasts!
Pro Bono Opportunity:
The Irish Immigration Pastoral Center is looking for anyone with expertise in family law to assist one of their members. Any and all assistance would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Celine Kennelly for further information at celine@sfiipc.org
Garlic & Gaelic Dinner
April 27 (last day to register is April 23)
Mangia Tutti, 635 Clay St.
The IABA cordially invites you to join us for an evening of food and camaraderie with our dear friends from the Italian American Bar Association in what we hope will become an annual tradition.
April/May MCLE - Immigration Law
May 3
Consulate General of Ireland, 100 Pine St.
A topic that is foremost in our minds as we prepare for potential changes to US visas. Jim Byrne will host a session covering the latest developments in immigration law.
Molly McGees, Mountain View
The GDPR is looming large, with just one year to go before enforcement begins. Gretchen Ramos will provide an overview of what we've learned since the regulation was adopted last year as well as share thoughts on the best path forward as US multinationals come to grips with the requirements.
I hope you all are having a great March. It has certainly been a good month for the Irish in the Bay Area, and has been a great opportunity to meet many of the dignitaries who came over for the holiday. Speaking of which, the pictures of our breakfast with the Tánaiste have been posted!
We have a strong line up of events planned over the next few months. This Wednesday, we will hold our first MCLE event of the year. I hope many of you will be able to join us as we present an overview of Accounting for Lawyers.
I'm also happy to announce that the IABA has a new sponsor! Special thanks to our friends at A&L Goodbody who join LPS as our corporate sponsors. A&L Goodbody were the first Irish Law firm to open an office in the US (New York) and we welcome them as the first Irish Law firm to sponsor the Irish American Bar Association of Northern California.
One of our goals for this year is to expand the reach of the IABA. To this end, we will partner with other networks from time to time to bring events we think are of interest to our members. The folks over at the British American Business Council have planned a great event for April 19th, discussing the future impact of Brexit. They've put together a great panel and it's sure to be an informative evening.
Speaking of partnering with other organizations, we are in the beginning stages of putting together what I hope will become an annual tradition; a Garlic & Gaelic dinner with our friends at the Italian American Bar Association. The date has been set for April 27, details will be added to the event page soon.
Lastly, I would like to mention an upcoming event that I hope you take the time to read about. You'll see information below for Comedy for a Spinal Cause. I've had the chance to attend this event in the past. It's an amazing evening with first rate comedians, and it's all for a good cause. Please take a moment to visit their event page.
MCLE Accounting for Lawyers
March 29
Consulate General of Ireland, 100 Post St
Join the IABA & John Tira for an informative session covering what every lawyer should know when working with accounting concepts and/or accountants. This session will provide one hour of participatory MCLE credit.
Comedy For a Spinal Cause
April 5
1268 Sutter St.
Comedy for a Spinal Cause is a quarterly event bringing together top comedians & local communities, raising funds and awareness to assist incredible individuals on their road to spinal cord injury recovery.
April 6
Global Words of Wisdom...On Life After Brexit
April 19
Hogan Lovells US LLP 3 Embarcadero Center Suite 1500
Please join the BABC alongside HM Consul General San Francisco, Andrew Whittaker, on Wednesday, April 19th to hear how the UK government intends to navigate Britain’s exit from the EU.
April 27
Join us as we dine with our friends at the Italian American Bar Association.Details coming soon!
