www.IrishAmericanBarNorCal.com
President's Letter
Dear Members,
I hope you are all enjoying the break in the weather we've been having. Long may it continue! This is California after all.
The IABA board recently met to discuss plans and goals for the year ahead. While it will be tough to beat the tremendous growth we had last year, the board is up for the challenge. I'm happy to announce that we have secured all of last year's MCLE presenters to return to present again this year! Please visit the events section of our website for the specifics. In addition, we are actively looking to increase our MCLE offerings. To this end, our first MCLE event will cover a new topic, Accounting for Lawyers, and will be held on March 29th. Our MCLE events are free for members, so be sure to secure your spot for our first MCLE event by registering here.
Besides our MCLE calendar, the board is looking to build on our other great events we held last year. Stay tuned for further information! We are also looking to further expand and hold some events in the Sacramento area. We take the NorCal part of our name seriously! Our intrepid Vice President, Jim Weixel, will be visiting the area and scouting for opportunities. If you know of anyone in the Sacramento area who would be interested in participating in the Irish American Bar Association, please forward on this email to them.
The IABA is truly starting the year in a solid position to be of benefit to our members. If there's something you'd like to see the IABA accomplish, or have any ideas for events, please send them on! I'm looking forward to a great year ahead!
Regards,
Nick Ginger
IABA President
Upcoming Events
Ireland Funds San Francisco Gala Dinner
March 4, 2017
Grand Ballroom, St. Francis Hotel
Honoring Philip Grant, Consul General of Ireland, recipient of The Ireland Funds Distinguished Leadership Award, & Ian Casey, recipient of The Ireland Funds Young Leadership Award
1st SF Irish Film Documentary Festival
March 4th, 2017 (1st film at 4 pm)
Delancey St. Theater, 600 The Embarcadero, San Francisco
In response to the tremendous success of Irish-made documentaries at the annual San Francisco Irish Film Festival, SF Irish Film is pleased to announce the inaugural one-day DocFest, March 4, 2017, at the Delancey Street Theater. A partnership with the Irish-American Crossroads Festival, this upcoming special event will offer San Francisco audiences an opportunity to view a new selection of feature-length Irish documentaries and aims to bring an entertaining, informative and authentic insight into the words and worlds of Irish people.
Board Updates
Our board is always looking for opportunities to engage with the community. Any suggestions or comments to the board can be made through info@irishamericanbarorcal.com
If you would like to be more involved, or have any requests for events you would like to see, please contact Nick at info@irishamericanbarorcal.com
Thank you to our sponsors:
Copyright © 2016 Irish American Bar Association, Northern California. All rights reserved. Contact email: info@irishamericanbarnorcal.com
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I'd like to thank each and every one of you for helping the IABA grow over the past year. Indeed, it was a little over a year ago where a group of us met several times over pints to discuss how we could reinvigorate the IABA. I don't believe any of us could have believed how far we could have come in one year.
Our newsletter below will highlight our accomplishments, but two are of particular note to me. First, we were able to partner with the Italian American Bar Association to bring back the annual softball game. I saw many of our past members come out to join our new members, the same can also be said of the Italian players. Continuing the traditions of the IABA and creating new ones will always be important for our organization. Speaking of past members, Pat Goggins was kind enough to help me get in touch with Barbara Kavanaugh so that we could arrange to hold the game in her late husband, Denny's, honor and send on the game ball to Barbara. Denny was one of the main organizers for the softball game in the past. Although I did not get the chance to meet Denny in person, we were able to exchange several emails where he hoped we would bring back the game. I very much enjoyed the chance to speak with and get to know Barbara. A special thank you to current board member Michael Hale for taking on the responsibility of bringing back this tradition!
Second, the IABA is now an approved provider of legal education credits. This, coupled with the gracious volunteer speakers we've found, has helped us not only provide a valuable service to our members, but also introduce us to new friends! We've partnered with several firms & speakers to hold discussions on a variety of topics. I look forward to welcoming them back in the new year, as well as engaging with many more members of the legal community as we continue to build out our MCLE program.
As we wind down the year, I hope that you have the chance to spend plenty of time with loved ones and family. My wife and I will be traveling to Longford, Ireland where we will be celebrating our son's first Christmas!
In short - it's been a great year, but we're only just getting started!
Safe travels, Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Reeling in the Year
This has been quite a year for IABA NorCal. Along with the introduction of a new website and online membership platform, the IABA was approved by the IRS as a tax-exempt 501(c)(6) Business League, and was also approved by the State Bar of California as a Multiple Activity Provider (thereby enabling us to offer and grant MCLE credits to attendees without first submitting separate applications requesting prior approval).
The IABA took full advantage of its MCLE provider status and ran an MCLE event virtually every month, each session covering a different and interesting area of law. This year saw the first South Bay MCLE event, where Michael Moore took us through the ins and outs of patent portfolio management. Back in San Francisco, Joseph Breen (former president of the Irish American Bar Association) spoke on the topic of employment law. Our very own Jim Byrne, an original member of the IABA, presented an overview of the recent changes to immigration law impacting J1 and other visas. Tom Trombadore (owner of Trombadore Gonden Law Group LLP) spoke on the topic of non-profit law. Siegmar Pohl, Gretchen Ramos, and Philip Zender, all of the firm Squire Patton Boggs, were kind enough to present an overview of the EU's latest privacy law, the General Data Protection Regulation. Alana Joyce (of the firm Strike & Techel) presented an overview of alcoholic beverage law in the United States. We look forward to continuing this trend in legal edification in the new year.
This year also saw a changing of the guard, involving the departure of a beloved board member and the induction of many new. Mr. Kevin Byrne, the Vice-Consul General of Ireland returned to Ireland to fulfill his diplomatic duties at home, and we saw the addition of several new members: Caroline Goulding, Brian O'Beirne and Jane Cunningham.
The IABA Board is exceedingly grateful for the generous support it has received over the past year. We received support in the form of a grant from the Emigrant Support Program and also from our new sponsor Leland, Parachini, Steinberg, Matzger & Melnick LLP (LPS). A big thank you to both LPS and the Emigrant Support Program from the Board of Directors! As an all volunteer board, these funds go a long way in helping build out our infrastructure and continuing the Board's activities.
The IABA was involved in many other events this year, playing the part of both host and participant. The IABA played a part in the Dublin Business and Legal Symposium that took place in Dublin and Galway from September 29 to October 1, 2016 and was hosted by the the Irish American Law Society of Cleveland in association with the National University of Ireland, Galway School of Law. The IABA also provided pro bono advice to the Board of Directors of the United Irish Cultural Center. Three volunteers, William Crean, William Murphy, and Frank Liuzzi, put their legal heads together to help the UICC.
The Board also participated in the Los Gatos-Listowel Writers' Festival, where they hosted a special literary-cum-legal event on the eve of the Festival. Los Gatos Mayor, Barbara Spector welcomed guests and speakers which included include IABA Board Member, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Kearney. Also joining was Irish investigative journalist and playwright, Frank Shouldice. The event was a big success and hopefully something we can continue to participate in in the New Year.
Apart from many of the new events and initiatives that the Board are involved in, the Board continued some of its time-honored traditions. It showed off its athleticism in the annual Irish Italian softball match. The game was played in honor of Dennis Kavanaugh and John Riccio, two esteemed former members of our associations. We were honored to be able to commemorate these two men with this fun event, and more recently we hosted the Third Annual Irish Thanksgiving. It was a ball (no pun intended) and we would encourage everyone to attend next year.
All-in-all, the IABA has come a long way in the last year. We hope to continue our work on into the New Year, and continue to represent the Irish American Legal Community in the Bay Area.
Happy Holidays to all! And may the New Year bring you joy and fortitude!
Copyright © 2016 Irish American Bar Association, Northern California. All rights reserved. Contact email: iabasanfrancisco@gmail.com
Vice President's Letter
As we head through autumn and towards the holidays, we’re fortunate to be able to look back on a year of progress and growth for our Association. We are continuing our series of informative programs and social events, and our ranks are increasing by the week. We’re proud of our accomplishments and are looking forward to the coming holiday season and beyond.
Earlier in October, we were welcomed by Mayor Barbara Spector to the Los Gatos-Listowel Writers’ Festival, where we held a well-attended reception and lectures by our own board member and author Philip Kearney and by investigative journalist and playwright Frank Shouldice. Philip and Frank led riveting discussions of their respective works during a great evening gathering. We’re already looking forward to participating in next year’s festival.
Our series of MCLE events continues on November 1st, when we’ll be hosting “Alcoholic Beverage Law 101,” presented by Alana Joyce of Strike & Techel at the Consulate General of Ireland in San Francisco. Alana will give a rundown of Prohibition’s legacy on the current structure of state alcoholic beverage laws and regulations and industry practices. Registration and more information on this program can be obtained from our website.
We’d also like to invite you to two other social events in November. On November 9th at 6:00 pm, the Irish Network Bay Area will be hosting their third annual Irish Thanksgiving dinner at the United Irish Cultural Center, 2700 45th Avenue (at Sloat) in San Francisco. Tickets start at $50 and can be purchased through our website. And on November 16th at 6:30 pm, we’ll host another South Bay Meetup at Molly Magee’s, 241 Castro Street in Mountain View. Our last meetup was a great success and we’re looking forward to our next gathering in the South Bay.
Our president Nick Ginger is currently on a trip to Ireland, where he’ll be meeting with several of the local contacts that I made during my own trip in February. Nick will continue our outreach with our Irish colleagues in the hopes of developing partnerships between the Association and the legal and academic community in Ireland. We’re looking forward to expanding our scope in this regard, and hope to organize several events and programs in collaboration with our Irish colleagues in the years ahead. Nick will report on his trip in the November newsletter, so please stay tuned.
We want to thank you for your support of the Association during this time of growth, and hope to see you at our upcoming events. This is a great community, and we’re happy to have you as a part of it!
With best regards, Jim Weixel
IABA Vice President
IABA Final Wednesday Meet Up - San Francisco
When? 26 Oct 2016 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where? Patriot House, 2 Embarcadero Center, Level P
Come join us for our monthly "Final Wednesday" happy hour and meet up. We will have an area reserved, you'll find us by looking for the IABA sign. Stop by for a pint or two on your way home!
Show details
November MCLE Event - Alcoholic Beverage Law 101
When? 01 Nov 2016 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Where? Consulate General of Ireland, 100 Pine St, San Francisco, CA 94111
Presented by Alana Joyce of the firm Strike & Techel
This course will present an overview of alcoholic beverage law in the United States. Ms. Joyce will discuss the lasting effects of Prohibition in the modern marketplace, including: the three-tier system of distribution, the difference between open and control states, franchise laws and other trade practice issues in the alcoholic beverage industry.
Participants are eligible for 1 hour of MCLE credit
Reminder: all MCLE events are free for members (and law students) and $15 for non-members.
3rd Annual Irish Thanksgiving
When? 09 Nov 2016 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Where? The United Irish Cultural Center, 2700 45th Avenue
Join the United Irish Cultural Center and our sister network, the INBA for the 3rd Annual Irish Thanksgiving! The INBA will be hosting their Thanksgiving dinner on the 9th of November, giving you plenty of time to build another appetite for the official Thanksgiving holiday. The event will feature a traditional Thanksgiving meal, topped off with the best Irish food and drink in the Bay Area. Two members of the Irish community will be recognized for their contributions over the past year.
Come celebrate with friends and family from across the Bay Area Irish community
Purchase your tickets here.
IABA November South Bay Meet Up
When? 16 Nov 2016, 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Where? Molly Magees, 241 Castro St, Mountain View, CA 94041
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.
New Sponsors: Leland, Parachini, Steinberg, Matzger & Melnick LLP
The Board of Directors are pleased to welcome new sponsor, Leland, Parachini, Steinberg, Matzger & Melnick LLP (LPS). LPS are a prominent Bay Area law firm. We have included a brief excerpt from the firm's website below that provides some details of the firm's illustrious history and practice.
"For many years, our law firm of Leland, Parachini, Steinberg, Matzger & Melnick LLP, has helped business and individual clients achieve their goals. LPS serves a diverse client base in a stimulating practice that strives for counsel and advocacy of the highest quality in a prompt, efficient, and cost-effective manner.
Today, as a full-service civil law firm, our lawyers of exceptional credentials extend the tradition of our founding partners to advance and protect the interests of clients facing difficult economic, professional and personal challenges. We pride ourselves on our responsiveness and accessibility to clients and encourage close working relationships between partners and associates, lawyers and staff, or attorneys and clients. We can therefore offer an integrated team approach that not only provides sound legal advice, but that also helps achieve the optimum practical result for our clients."
A big thank you to LPS from the Board of Directors!
September Newsletter
I hope that the month of September finds you well! This has been a great month for the IABA, it is difficult to know exactly where to start. We held our first game of the renewed annual softball competition with the Italian American Bar Association. I've heard from many members that this was one of the most popular traditions the association held in the past and am delighted to be able to bring it back! The Italians showed up in good numbers, many of whom played in the games of yore. As you can read in the newsletter, the game was held in honor of the memory of Dennis Kavanagh who was instrumental in making the annual competitions a success. It was great to hear many of the players, both Irish and Italian, reminisce about Dennis. We look forward to future events with the Italians. And of course the best news - the Irish team won the game (by a lot).
We also have received official notice of our status as a Multiple Activity Provider of MCLE credits by the State Bar of California. While we were able to host MCLE events in the past, we were required to file separate applications for each event one month in advance. Our new status will allow us much greater flexibility in hosting MCLE events. If you would like to see us host an MCLE in a particular area, please let us know! Our next MCLE will cover Alcoholic Beverage Law & Licensing. Details to be announced shortly.
Next month I will be traveling to Ireland for two weeks for my son's christening, although I'll also be trying to squeeze in two weddings! Between festivities, I am hoping to follow up on our Vice President, Jim Weixel's, successful goodwill tour of Irish law schools. You can read a recap of Jim's exploits by clicking here. I'm looking forward to building on the great relationships established by Jim and to hopefully work together with our contacts to put together some great events!
Finally, we have had great success with our new website and membership software. We hope you like the new looks of both the website and the newsletter as much as we do. We are also looking forward to using more of the capabilities this software affords us. Please read the newsletter section on setting up your profile! Great things ahead.
Update your profile
Did you know that our new website allows you to control your profile? The only required information is an email address, although you can provide additional information if you like (name, area of practice, etc.) You can also update your email address by making the change in your profile.
Once you sign into the website, you can visit your profile by clicking your name in the top right of the screen and selecting "view profile."
If you are receiving this email, you have a profile with the IABA. If you have not signed in before, you will first have to request a new password using this link: {Contact_Password_Reset_URL}
Please take a moment to reset your password and sign in to the website. The IABA will never share your information with third parties. Your information is only visible to other members if you explicitly give permission in your profile.
The IABA will use provided information to help us plan events that cater to our member's interests.
MCLE provider Status After recently being recognized as a non-profit 501(c)(6) professional organization, the IABA Norcal has now also been recognized as an Approved Multiple Activity Provider by the State Bar of California. This means that the IABA is authorized to offer and grant MCLE credits to attendees of all permissible activities without first submitting separate applications requesting prior approval.
The IABA runs an MCLE event about every month, each event covering a different and interesting area of law. Attendance to all MCLE events is free for members and a mere $15 for non-members.
Results of the Irish Italian Softball Showdown
After an epic battle of wills that took place this past Saturday, the IABA came away victorious in the annual Irish Italian softball match. It would seem that some of those Hurling and Camogie skills transferred over to softball!
A sincere thank you to our Italian counterparts for a rousing and enjoyable game, as well as all the friends and families who attended to cheer us on.
The game was played in honor of Dennis Kavanagh and John Riccio, two esteemed former members of our associations. The game concluded with both teams signing two softballs which will be presented to the Kavanagh and Riccio families. We were honored to be able to commemorate these two men with this fun event.
Additional photographs are available in the Gallery section of our website.
We are already looking forward to next year! In the meantime, how about some GAA?!
Letters of the Law Event at the Los Gatos-Listowel Writers’ Festival
When? Thursday, October 6th @ 6pm – 8.30pm
Where? Los Gatos Town Chambers
Cost? $35 (includes program, appetizers & wine at adjacent Friends of the Library)
Purchase tickets here
The Los Gatos-Listowel Writers’ Festival and the Irish American Bar Association host a special event with a literary and journalistic twist on the eve of the inaugural writers’ festival. Guests and speakers will be welcomed by Los Gatos Mayor, Barbara Spector. Speakers include Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Kearney, and Irish investigative journalist and playwright, Frank Shouldice.
Philip Kearney’s experience in Kosovo as a war-crimes prosecutor is the subject of his fast-paced 2011 memoir Under The Blue Flag. Armed with only the region’s archaic criminal justice code, Kearney found himself prosecuting local street thugs, shutting down a ring of international sex-traffickers and spearheading an investigation into secret death camps – a case that ultimately implicates local officials and inflames ethnic violence.
Irish journalist Frank Shouldice shares his experience making his ground-breaking radio documentary The Case That Never Was that recently took the 2016 Justice Media Award. The story follows a hugely successful Irish-owned international recruitment company that is taken to court by one of its workers from Poland. Referred to the European Court of Justice, the outcome could change EU labour law for millions of people. The only problem? The worker ‘taking’ the case knows nothing about it. Listen to the RTE documentary by clicking here.
Dublin Business Legal Symposium
From September 29 to October 1, 2016 the Irish American Law Society of Cleveland, in association with the National University of Ireland, Galway School of Law will host a Business and Legal Symposium in Dublin and Galway, Ireland.
For further information, please visit their website by clicking here.
IABA SOUTH BAY MEET UP
When? 13 Oct 2016 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Where? Molly Magees in Mountain View (Meet in the patio, walk all the way into the back covered outdoor area.)
Attorney social in Mountain View for anyone interested in joining for drinks, networking, and general discussion. Click here for more information.
Copyright © 2016 Irish American Bar Association, Northern California. All rights reserved. Contact email: iabasanfrancisco@gmail.com You are receiving this message because you opted in at http://www.irishamericanbarnorcal.com/ Unsubscribe
August Newsletter
As many of you might have noticed, the IABA is about to launch an amazing new website, hopefully as soon as next week. I'll send out a special email announcing the site's launch when it is ready to go. This is an exciting development and will make it much easier for our members to connect and draw value from the association. Members will be able to set up their own profile and indicate their areas of both legal and professional interests. Speaking of which, one of the new features of our site will be a voluntary member directory, allowing us to leverage the skill-sets of our membership and giving us greater visibility into the strengths of our organization. You will only be added to the directory if you decide to opt in and it will only be accessible by paid members.
Another goal of mine for this new website is to collect and display as much information about the history of the IABA as possible. To that end, I ask that if any of you have any information on past events, newsletters, officers, and especially photographs, please reach out to me. I would love for our website to be a seamless timeline showcasing the association and the efforts of all those involved.
I am delighted to officially announce the return of the annual softball competition with our friends, the Italian American Bar Association. This year's event will be held on Saturday, September 24th at the Moscone baseball fields in the Marina. Save the date! Details will be coming shortly.
This Thursday, Tom Trombadore will be presenting for our monthly MCLE session. Tom is a good friend to the Irish community and has been actively assisting the United Irish Cultural Center through their recent revitalization efforts. Now he is assisting us by sharing his expert knowledge of non profit law!
Please join me in welcoming our newest Board Member, Caroline Goulding! Caroline brings to the board a great deal of experience in tech compliance. Her energy and enthusiasm for the association will be a great asset moving forward.
August MCLE Event This month, the MCLE event will take place on 25 August, at 6pm in the Irish Consulate on Pine street. Our guest speaker this month is Thomas Trombadore. Thomas is the owner of Trombadore Gonden Law Group LLP. He will be speaking on the topic of Non-Profit Law.
A reminder: all MCLE events are free for members and $15 for non-members. For the convenience of our hosts, we respectfully request that you visit the RSVP page which you can view by clicking here. Non-members may pay with a credit card through this page.
South Bay Happy Hour The next South Bay happy hour will be held on 8 September at Molly Magee's in downtown Mountain View. Please click here for details.
INUSA Conference Registration Now Open Our sister organization, the Irish Network Bay Area is a member of the larger national Irish Network USA organization. This September, the INBA will be hosting INUSA's national conference!
registration is now available for the the Irish Network USA 2016 National Conference in San Francisco. INUSA '16 will kick-off on September 15th and wraps up on September 18th. The Irish Network Bay Area and the INUSA are looking forward to building on the successes of the past three annual conferences and are developing a high-impact agenda featuring speakers from government, tech, the arts and more. Program Highlights include:
Click here to register.
For further information, please visit their websitehere.
As part of the Los Gatos-Listowel Writers' Festival, the Irish American Bar Association will co-hosting a special event on October 5th, the eve of the festival. Guests and speakers will be welcomed by Los Gatos Mayor, Barbara Spector.
Speakers include Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Kearney, and Irish investigative journalist and playwright, Frank Shouldice. Philip Kearney's will speak to his experience in Kosovo as a war-crimes prosecutor: the subject of his fast-paced 2011 memoir Under The Blue Flag. While Irish journalist Frank Shouldice will share his experience making his ground-breaking radio documentary The Case That Never Was that recently took the 2016 Justice Media Award in Ireland.
ABA Non-Profit Status Thanks to the tireless efforts of our esteemed Vice President, Jim Weixel, the IRS has granted the IABA non-profit status, recognizing it as a 501(c)(6) educational organization. This is a big step forward for the IABA. It will enable us to continue to provide our educational programs and services without fear of tax reprisals from the IRS.
New Website The IABA has transitioned over to a new web hosting platform. This will allow us to provide our members with a far better experience. It will also free up a considerable amount of time allowing our board to focus on other important areas of the IABA. Members will be able to directly check their membership status, payment and profile information.
At the most recent board of directors meeting, the board voted to admit one new member to the Board. Please join us in welcoming Caroline Goulding. Caroline is Global Trust and Safety Manager at LinkedIn.
In addition to joining the board, Caroline will also be taking up an officer position. Look for a hello message from her in our next newsletter.
Caroline joins two recent additions to the Board: Jane Cunningham & Brian O'Beirne.
Another month brings another newsletter packed with updates!
The growth of the IABA has been amazing to witness. However, with this continued expansion comes the need for some stronger foundational support. As such, I'm excited to announce that we have 2 new members joining our Board. We are also investing in some technology that will help us more effectively manage our membership, mailing list, and sponsors. This will include a new website which will include a new look, and also a new official email address!
Of course, the Association is ever only as strong as its membership. If you have been on the fence about signing up, I encourage you to visit our website to view some of the amazing events we've been holding. We also rely heavily on word of mouth, so please feel free to invite guests to our events! Remember, there is no requirement to be an attorney, or Irish, to join - although we do cater to the interests of both.
This month also brings a sad farewell to one of our most supportive board members, Kevin Byrne. I would like to personally thank Kevin for all that he has done for the association. We would certainly not be as far along as we are without his help.
I'd like to end this letter on a happy note. This month's MCLE will be presented by Joseph Breen, a former president of the IABA. I'm delighted that our association is truthfully a continuation of a long standing group, rather than a brand new group. I've had many opportunities to speak with some original members and have heard many stories of past events and am looking to maintain these traditions. Although we don't have the details fleshed out yet, I can let slip that the famous softball competition between the IABA and the Italian American Bar Association (that's right, we have the acronym) will return this Autumn!
Hope you can get out there an enjoy the good weather we've been having!
July 26 IABA Reception & MCLE - Employment Law: Basics, Updates, and Emerging Trends
Join Joseph Breen for an informative night covering pertinent issues of Employment law, hosted by The Consulate General of Ireland, 100 Pine St., San Francisco.
This will be an especially significant evening for the IABA. Joseph is a former president of the Irish American Bar Association. We have been delighted to see the level of member engagement from the former Association, and are especially pleased that Joseph is helping to move the IABA forward!
This will also be our 4th MCLE event. Once an organization has held four MCLE events, they are eligible to apply for "multiple activity provider status" with the State Bar of California. This means the IABA will be an approved MCLE provider and will be listed on the State Bar of California. It will also allow us far greater flexibility in scheduling MCLE sessions!
To celebrate this milestone, the IABA will be hosting a reception immediately following Tuesday's MCLE presentation. We look forward to seeing you there!
The reception will take the place of our usual happy hour which would have been scheduled for this week.
A reminder, all MCLE events are free for members and $15 for non-members. For the convenience of our hosts, we respectfully request that you visit the RSVP page which you can view by clicking here. Non members may pay with a credit card through this page
Farewell & Best Wishes Kevin Byrne
The IABA board has been fortunate to benefit from the efforts and talents of Vice Consul General of Ireland, Mr. Kevin Byrne over the past year. Kevin was instrumental in arranging many of the early discussions that laid the groundwork for the IABA's resurgence. Kevin's dedication and determination helped guide the Association through its precipitous early months to become the organization that it is today.
Sadly for us, Kevin's diplomatic duties in San Francisco are coming to a close, necessitating his return to Ireland. While we will miss him greatly on the board, we know that wherever he goes and whomever he works with, they will be all the better for it.
Slán go fóill!
IABA Welcomes Two New Board Members
At the most recent board of directors meeting, the board voted to admit two new members to the board. Please join us in welcoming our newest board members, Jane Cunningham and Brian O'Beirne!
In addition to joining the board, Jane and Brian will also be taking up officer positions. Jane will be assuming the role of Treasurer from Kevin. Brian will be taking on the role of Social Media Manager. Look for a hello message from them in our next newsletter.
New Website & Email Coming Soon
The IABA continues to expand at a good pace. We have folks signing up for our mailing list, we have folks signing up to become paid members, and we have folks interested in corporate sponsorship. Our events are often free for members and priced at a reasonable fee for non members. This requires us to run our list of attendees against our paid members list. It also requires non members to go to a 3rd party website to purchase tickets. Our emails are handled via a Google groups distribution list. All these activities are run across multiple platforms and require some administrative elbow grease to operate smoothly.
In the next few weeks, the IABA will be transitioning all these activities to a single platform which will also host our new website! This will allow us to offer a far better experience for our members when interacting with the IABA. It will also free up a considerable amount of time allowing our board to focus on other important areas of the IABA. Members will be able to directly check their membership status, payment and profile information. One example of what we hope to accomplish with this would be an optional members directory accessible by our paid members.
South Bay Happy Hour - August 10
The next South Bay happy hour will be held Wednesday, August 10 at Molly Magee's in downtown Mountain View. Please click here for details.
IABA October Event - Mark Your Calendars
The Los Gatos-Listowel Writers' Festival and the Irish American Bar Association host a special event with a literary and journalistic nod on the eve of the inaugural Los Gatos - Listowel Writers' Festival. Guests and speakers will be welcomed by Los Gatos Mayor, Barbara Spector.
Speakers include Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Kearney, and Irish investigative journalist and playwright, Frank Shouldice.
Philip Kearney's experience in Kosovo as a war-crimes prosecutor is the subject of his fast-paced 2011 memoir Under The Blue Flag. Armed with only the region's archaic criminal justice code, Kearney found himself prosecuting local street thugs, shutting down a ring of international sex-traffickers and spearheading an investigation into secret death camps - a case that ultimately implicates local officials and inflames ethnic violence. Philip discusses some of the challenges of writing this, his first book that has been described as reading "like an international thriller."
Irish journalist Frank Shouldice shares his experience making his ground-breaking radio documentary The Case That Never Was that recently took the 2016 Justice Media Award in Ireland. The story follows a hugely successful Irish-owned international recruitment company that is taken to court by one of its workers from Poland. Referred to the European Court of Justice, the outcome could change EU labour law for millions of people. The only problem? The worker 'taking' the case knows nothing about it. The Law Society of Ireland's Justice Media Award recognizes outstanding journalism that contributes to the public’s understanding of law and justice, the legal system, or specific legal issues.
Dublin Business and Legal Symposium
From September 29 to October 1, 2016 the Irish American Law Society of Cleveland, in association with the National University of Ireland, Galway School of Law, will host a Business and Legal Symposium in Dublin and Galway, Ireland.
For further information, please visit the following link:http://www.irishclevelandlawyers.com/#!forums/c8ui
Membership
The IABA newsletter has always and will always contain a short pitch to encourage members to become paid members. Although we are happy to see the outpouring of support from our members, we do continue to struggle to meet our membership goals. As a reminder, there is no requirement to be an attorney, or to be Irish, in order to be a member, only that you have an interest in one or both. You can purchase your membership here. We are also interested in expanding our mailing list, please feel free to forward this email on to all those who you think would be interested. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions on member dues.
This month brings our most packed newsletter to date! In addition to our regular events, I'm happy to share some very exciting updates. The IABA was recently awarded a grant from the Irish government. The details are below, but I find it satisfying to see the organization's value proposition is being recognized abroad! This will no doubt help us to strengthen ties between the legal communities of Northern California and Ireland.
Additionally, I recently had the good fortune of coming across the Irish American Law Society of Cleveland. Their leadership had reached out to share news of a symposium they will be holding in Dublin. Again the details are in the newsletter below, but a scan through the itinerary shows and impressive list of speakers and events that will no doubt be of interest. I'm more than happy to share these details with you, in addition to the details of the Cleveland society. I look forward to continued cooperation with the folks in Cleveland, and many more of the Irish American law societies that exist today.
Several newsletters ago, we put out a call to our membership to assist the United Irish Cultural Center on a pro-bon basis. Several of our members stepped up to the task and have been actively assisting the UICC ever since. We recently received a note from the UICC president thanking the IABA for their help in this matter. To me this is another great example of how the IABA's membership can provide a positive impact for the Irish community. Congratulations on a job well done!
I hope many of you can join us this Wednesday night, as we hold our first MCLE event in the South Bay. This is a great opportunity to expand our events taking place outside of San Francisco!
Finally, happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there. It's a particularly special day for me as I celebrate my very first Father's day with my wife and 3 month old son.
Best of luck to the Warriors tonight!
The IABA is delighted to announce our first South Bay MCLE event. Join Michael Moore as he takes us through the ins and outs of patent portfolio management. This event is graciously hosted by Fenwick & West at their Mountain View office, 801 California Street.
Our monthly Final Wednesday happy hour will be held at Harrington's. You can find us by looking for the IABA signs. Details can be found on our events section of our website, or by clicking here. All are welcome, members and friends alike! Looking forward to getting together for some great chat and a few pints.
We have been holding our Final Wednesdays at Harrington's for the last 6 months. When we originally selected Harrington's, it was with the intention of revisiting the decision in 6 months to see if this would continue to be the best venue for our members. We will discuss this in our next board meeting, but would like to hear from the members. Please reply to this email with any suggestions or comments regarding Final Wednesdays and venues!
The symposium will start in Dublin on Thursday, September 29th at the Historic King’s Inns with a presentation on the trial of 1916 Easter Rising leader, Roger Casement. Casement was the only 1916 leader to go through a criminal trial, the others were condemned after military tribunals. His appeal will be presented again with lawyer/historians arguing both sides of the case beforepanel of two Irish Supreme Court Justices and two Ohio Supreme Court Justices. Those arguing the case includeMichael McDowell, an Irish Senator and grandson of Eoin MacNeill (Leader of the Irish Volunteers in 1916), and Terrance Kenneally, Esq., an Ohio lawyer with aMasters in Irish Studies. Following the presentation the group will enjoy a cocktail party at the King’s Inn attended by participants as well as Irish Lawyers and Judges.
The next morning the group will travel by Bus to Galway where they will be hosted in two half day seminars by NUI Galway School of Law. There they will enjoy business/legal topics such as Entity Selection (dealing with corporate inversions) and General Counsel’s Criteria for Selection of Outside Counsel. Another interesting topic will be comparisons of Same Sex Marriage Laws in Ireland and the US. Last year Ireland passed a constitutional referendum permitting same sex marriage and the SCOTUS decided the Obergefell case. Participating on Same Sex Marriage panel will be Plaintiff’s counsel in the Obergefell case and Ireland Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Katherine Zappone, a leading proponent of the Irish constitutional referendum.
Other great topics include Software Protection, Employment Law, Death Penalty, Legal Malpractice and US Discovery Assistance to Foreign Tribunals. Both days in Galway will include lunches and dinners.
Recently, the IABA Board had the opportunity to apply for a grant under the Emigrant Support Program. We are happy to announce that our grant application was approved! This is spectacular news for our organization as we are an all volunteer board and funds will go a long way in helping build out our infrastructure. The board will discuss the allocation of funds at our next board meeting, although several proposals are currently being considered. Of course, we are always open to member suggestions!
The IABA recently received this note from the President of the UICC regarding the UICC pro-bono volunteers:
The Board of Directors of the United Irish Cultural Center could not be more delighted by the involvement from IABA members in the Center's activities. We put out a request through the IABA for Pro-Bono assistance and found three delightful volunteers who have already committed several hours to assisting us in our evaluation of a major Capital Campaign. The work will be ongoing and they are committed to our cause. We could not be more appreciative. Thank you to William Crean, William Murphy, and Frank Liuzzi! Sincerely, Michael Barnacle President, Board of Directors, UICC
The next South Bay happy hour will be held Thursday, June 2 at Molly Magee's in downtown Mountain View. Please click here for details.
This October, the IABA will take part in the Los Gatos-Listowel Writers Festival, described further in this article. Details are still unfolding, stay tuned for further updates.
The IABA newsletter has always and will always contain a short pitch to encourage members to become paid members. Although we are happy to see the outpouring of support from our members, we do continue to struggle to meet our membership goals. The grant we recently received will go a long way in helping us streamline and automate certain processes, but as an organization we rely on our members dues to keep the association going. As a reminder, there is no requirement to be an attorney, or to be Irish, in order to be a member, only that you have an interest in one or both. You can purchase your membership here. We are also interested in expanding our mailing list, please feel free to forward this email on to all those who you think would be interested. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions on member dues.
It's hard to believe that June is right around the corner. Fortunately the ever so quick passage of time is somewhat mitigated by all of the day to day accomplishments we may claim. This is certainly true for the IABA. I am continually amazed by how far the hard work and dedication of the board has brought us in only a few short months. The board continues to be grateful for all the support they receive from our members.
Our membership base continues to grow, both from new members and the re-engagement of members of the former association. If you are looking to show your support, there is no better way than becoming a paid member. Membership dues help fund the administrative costs of our events, such as offering free monthly MCLEs to our members. If you have any questions about becoming a paid member, please see the membership section of this newsletter below.
Our website is continuously being updated with new features and pictures. If you haven't had a look recently, you'll find plenty of interesting information. If you'd like to suggest an event to add to our website, please send an email to IABASanFrancisco@gmail.com.
Finally, one of the main reasons I enjoy working with our association is the ability it affords to foster an inclusive and supportive environment for our members while we continue to build our careers. Jim Weixel's recent visit to various Irish law schools to build relationships and provide awareness of our association to Irish law students is one example of this. Another example is the ability to tap into the wealth of experience of our members to provide mentorship to some of our junior members. While we are still in the process of building a formal mentorship program, there are always opportunities to help today. In this newsletter, the IABA shares news of one of our members who recently passed the California Bar Exam. I encourage all of you to read this section and ask what you can do to help, whether it be a chat over coffee to discuss your experiences or an introduction to a colleague. For me, this is truly where the value of our association lies.
Happy Wednesday folks, and hope to see you at tonight's happy hour!
Regards, Nick Ginger IABA President
Final Wednesday - Tonight, May 25
Our monthly Final Wednesday happy hour will be tonight at Harrington's. You can find us by looking for the IABA signs. Details can be found on our events section of our website, or by clicking here. All are welcome, members and friends alike! Looking forward to getting together for some great chat and a few pints.
Congratulations Brian O'Beirne on Passing the California Bar!
The February 2016 California Bar Exam results were released on May 13th. We were delighted to see one of our paid members on the list, our very ownBrian O'Beirne! Brian received his law degree from Trinity College, Dublin where not only was he Editor-in-Chief of the Trinity Law Review, but also author of numerous publications. Following this, Brian received his BCL from the University of Oxford. More recently, Brian has been busy studying at UC Berkeley School of Law for his LL.M. specializing in Intellectual Property with an expected graduation date of August, 2016.
One of the great things about our association is the strength of our members and the ability to really make an impact in the career development of our junior members. If you believe you could offer any assistance to Brian as he looks towards beginning his law career in Intellectual Property, please reach out to him at bobeirne@berkeley.edu.
South Bay Happy Hour - June 2
June MCLE in the South Bay - New Date June 22, Intellectual Property & Patent Portfolio Management
***PLEASE NOTE THE NEW DATE***
A reminder, all MCLE events are free for members and $15 for non-members. To guarantee your spot, we have set up an RSVP page which you can view by clicking here. Non members may pay with a credit card through this page
The IABA exists as a non profit for the service of its members. Member dues are critical to our success and future operations, especially in our early times! While we enjoy the ongoing support of the Irish American legal community, we also heavily encourage you to join as a member if you have not yet done so. All are welcome, there is no requirement to be Irish or a lawyer, only that you have an interest in one or both. You can purchase your membership here. We are also interested in expanding our mailing list, please feel free to forward this email on to all those who you think would be interested. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions on member dues.
The IABA recently received the attached newsletter from one of our esteemed members. What's notable to me is not so much the date of the newsletter, December 1998, but that many of the names listed are the same as those who, after so much time, continue to show support for the resurgence of theIABA. The new board has been aware that we are not creating a new organization, but we are in fact building on a solid foundation of a long standing community. As we move forward, we welcome any of our member's stories of past events that they would like to see again.
Our MCLE series continues to grow. This month our very own Jim Byrne presented on the topic of Immigration Law, hosted by the Irish Consulate. With changes to the J1 visa program affecting many in the Irish community, this was an informative and valuable session. Next Wednesday, we are fortunate to have Squire Patton Boggs not only host an MCLE session, but also hold a wine reception for our members. The topic will cover the new data laws in the EU that many of us have heard so much of in the news of late. Further details can be found below.
The board has many plans in the works to build on the support we have received and to continue to strengthen the IABA. Look for more details in the coming newsletters. Please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions, and suggestions!
Finally, I look forward to meeting those of you who can make it to tonight's Final Wednesday!
Nick Ginger IABA President
May MCLE - May 4th, Understanding the EU's General Data Protection Regulation
On April 14th, the EU Parliament formally approved the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR applies to businesses of all sizes, anywhere in the world, that hold information on European residents, regardless of whether that company has an EU base or not. Jan Philipp Albrecht (Greens, DE) stated "The regulation will also create clarity for businesses by establishing a single law across the EU. The new law creates confidence, legal certainty and fairer competition." Violations of the GDPR can potentially reach up to 4% of a company's world wide revenue. That could amount to billions in fines for many of Silicon Valley's notable tech companies if they fail to adhere to the new law.
Join the IABA Wednesday, May 4th at 6 PM to learn more about how the GDPR will affect multinationals. This informative session will be hosted by Squire Patton Boggs. Presenters will beSiegmar Pohl, Gretchen Ramos, & Philip Zender.
Following the presentation, Squire Patton Boggs will be hosting a wine reception for attendees. Where possible, we respectfully request an RSVP to help our hosts accommodate us.
A reminder, all MCLE events are free for members and $15 for non-members. To guarantee your spot, we have set up an RSVP page which you can view by clicking here. Non members may pay with a credit card through this page.
Final Wednesday - Tonight, April 27
Our monthly Final Wednesday happy hour will be tonight at Harrington's. We will have a table reserved, look for the IABA signs. Details can be found on our events section of our website, or by clicking here. All are welcome, members and friends alike! Looking forward to getting together for some great chat and a few pints.
South Bay Happy Hour - May 11
The next South Bay happy hour will be held Wednesday, May 11th at Molly Magees in downtown Mountain View. Please clickhere for details.
June MCLE - June 15th in the South Bay
The IABA is excited to present its first MCLE event in the Southbay. Join us on Wednesday, June 15th for a presentation on Intellectual Property law. Our speaker will be Michael Moore, whom many of you have met during our South Bay happy hours. Click here for more information. This page will continue to be updated.
Irish Network Bay Area - Home Brew & Networking Event, June 2
Curious about the beer brewing process? Want to start your own home brew hobby but don’t know where to start? Looking for a lighthearted evening of networking? Come join our sister network, the INBA, for an interactive night of homebrewing education. They will have master home brewer Andre Sanchez from San Francisco Brewcraft on hand to go over everything you need to know to start your own micro brewery from your living room closet. This was one of the most popular events held by the INBA last year and we are delighted to be included for this year's event! Information can be found on their facebook page by clicking here.
The IABA exists as a non profit for the service of its members. Member dues are critical to our success and future operations, especially in these early months! While we enjoy the ongoing support of the Irish American legal community, we also heavily encourage you to join as a member if you have not yet done so. All are welcome, there is no requirement to be Irish or a lawyer, only that you have an interest in one or both. You can purchase your membership here. We are also interested in expanding our mailing list, please feel free to forward this email on to all those who you think would be interested.
For any questions on membership, or for details on corporate membership, please reach out toIABASanFrancisco@gmail.com
The IABA hopes you all had a pleasant holiday! The change of seasons (yes we have them in California) brings with it a slew of updates and we have a packed newsletter for you this month. In this newsletter, you will find updates on our MCLE sessions, information on our next happy hour, an update on events for our South Bay members, and a reminder to join the IABA as paid members.
Additionally, our Vice President, Jim Weixel, has returned from Ireland where he embarked on a goodwill tour of Irish legal institutions and societies. Jim has written an informative article on his exploits, attached as a PDF to this email and also copied down below. This was an excellent trip and has laid a strong foundation for strengthening the relationship between the legal communities of Northern California and Ireland. I hope you enjoy his article as much as I did.
As always, I'd like to mention that the IABA is a member based organization. We aim to serve the interests of our members. If you have any comments, ideas, or suggestions on what you'd like to see from the IABA, please feel very welcome to send them my way!
April MCLE
Join us April 19th, 6 PM at the Consulate General of Ireland for the first in our series of MCLE events (pending approval by the State Bar). Our very own Jim Byrne will host an informative session on recent updates and trends in Immigration Law. Full details can be found by clickinghere. Registration is not required; however, to help us keep track of participants we have set up an RSVP page here.
We have an exciting schedule of upcoming MCLE events. Squire Patton Boggs will be hosting May's MCLE session and will cover recent updates on EU Data Privacy regulations. Future MCLE sessions will also cover Intellectual Property, Sports & Entertainment, Non Profit, Employment Law and many others!
As a reminder, the IABA will be hosting an MCLE event each month. These events are free for members and current law students. There is a $15 charge for non members.
Final Wednesday
Our monthly Final Wednesday happy hour will be this Wednesday at Harrington's. Details can be found on our events section of our website, or by clickinghere. All are welcome, members and friends alike! Looking forward to getting together for some great chat and a few pints.
Southbay Members
The IABA will hold monthly happy hours for our South Bay members. Our next event will be on April 6th at Molly Magees in downtown Mountain View. Please click here for details.
Additionally, the IABA will also hold MCLE sessions in the South Bay whenever possible. We are currently planning a session for June. Stay tuned for more details.
An Article by Jim Weixel
From the Golden Gate to the Ha’penny, Building Bridges Jim Weixel, IABA Vice President
I was fortunate to be able to introduce the Irish American Bar Association of Northern California to several representatives of the Irish legal and academic communities during a recent trip to Ireland. The news of our Association’s establishment and our goals of linking the Irish and Northern California legal communities was met with resounding enthusiasm.
Upon my arrival, I was welcomed by David Carthy, Esq., a partner at the major Dublin law firm of William Fry, who had met several of our board members on a recent trip to San Francisco. We discussed how the Association can be a resource for Irish attorneys and firms who wish to establish a presence in Northern California, as William Fry will do upon opening their San Francisco office later this year. Mr. Carthy and his colleagues also graciously referred me to a number of their contacts in the Law Society of Ireland (the governing body for solicitors), King’s Inns (the training institution for Irish barristers), and other institutions of the local bench and bar. After a weekend in Carrick-on-Shannon in County Leitrim, I met Professor Brian Tobin of the National University of Ireland at Galway’s School of Law. We discussed NUI Galway’s eagerness to expand its partnerships in the American legal community, and the Association’s desire to further that goal. Dr. Tobin, who lectures in the areas of family law and human rights, related his students’ interest in the American legal system and community, and expressed his great willingness to work with the Association to create opportunities for Irish law students to intern in California law firms and courts. Dr. Tobin even extended a gracious invitation for me to deliver a lecture to his students on the American legal system on a future trip to Galway.
The next day, I was welcomed at the University of Limerick School of Law. Prof. Shane Kilcommins, Head of the School of Law, and several of his colleagues hosted a luncheon at Plassey House, UL’s historic presidential mansion. I was very encouraged to hear of the School’s extensive connections with international legal communities. Prof. Kilcommins and his faculty expressed their desire to forge a working partnership with the Association, and invited us to plan future programs and conferences in cooperation with the School and members of the California and Irish legal communities. After our luncheon I was treated to a tour of campus by Mr. Eddie Keane, a lecturer in the School’s commercial and labor law curriculum and the advisor of the School’s Moot Court program. Later that evening, a number of us met again at a steakhouse in downtown Limerick and continued our discussion about fostering future collaboration between UL and the Association, as well as the many American companies that have opened operations in the Mid-West of Ireland in recent years.
On my last full day in Ireland, I met with Prof. Joseph McMahon, Dean of University College of Dublin’s Sutherland School of Law, and Dr. Oonagh Breen, Senior Lecturer and Head of Alumni and Career Development. Prof. McMahon and Dr. Breen recounted Sutherland’s many international pursuits, and we discussed how Association might be of assistance in growing a solid relationship between our respective legal and academic communities. Sutherland is especially active in the area of alumni relations and business opportunities, and Prof. McMahon and Dr. Breen regard the Association as a significant resource for the school’s pursuits going forward.
These contacts will prove invaluable for the Association going forward. We intend to establish internship programs for placing Irish law students among the Northern California legal community. We are also developing a number of programs and conferences to create business connections between Irish and Californian attorneys, and to improve the exchange of legal services between Ireland and the Bay Area. The introductions I had in Ireland were a great start for those efforts, and all of us on your board are looking forward to seeing these endeavors come to fruition.
