Family-Based Immigration: An Introduction to Concepts and Procedures
Family-based immigrant and nonimmigrant visas are one of the major ways foreign nationals enter, remain, and obtain permanent residence in the United States. The policy behind family-based visas is family reunification. All family-based immigrant visas require a petition to be filed in the United States, proving eligibility for the benefit. If you are a family law or immigration law practitioner, consider attending this short, 90-minute presentation to get the fundamentals of family-based immigration on February 6.
Diversity LSAT Scholarships Being Offered by the Center for Legal Inclusiveness
The Center for Legal Inclusiveness, the Colorado Pledge to Diversity Legal Group, and the Association of Corporate Counsel-Colorado Chapter are partnering with Kaplan Test Prep to offer multiple Diversity LSAT Exam Scholarships for 2012 test takers. Scholarships cover the cost of a review course, the exam fee, and application fees to both the University of Colorado Law School and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. The deadline to apply is March 1, 2012.
Gilbert Martinez Named Chief Judge in the Fourth Judicial District; David Prince to Serve as Deputy Chief
On Thursday, February 2, 2012, Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael L. Bender announced his appointment of the Honorable Gilbert Martinez to serve as the new chief judge in the Fourth Judicial District, which serves El Paso and Teller counties. Chief Justice Bender also appointed District Court Judge David Prince to serve as the district’s deputy chief judge. Both appointments are effective February 9, 2012.
Janet Raasch: Competitive Intelligence – An Essential Component of Better Law Firm Decision-Making (Part 1)
Important law firm decisions should never be made in a vacuum. Instead, they should be made with an abundance of the right information in hand. For many law firm decisions, “the right information” means competitive intelligence. Competitive intelligence is defined as a systematic and ethical program for gathering, analyzing and managing information about the external business environment – information that can affect all of a law firm’s plans, decisions and operations. Knowledge of companies and people is power.
Colorado Court of Appeals: Announcement Sheet, 2/2/12
On Thursday, the Colorado Court of Appeals issued fourteen published opinions and thirty-three unpublished opinions. Summaries of published cases are forthcoming, courtesy of The Colorado Lawyer.
Resources
State Judicial Amends More Forms to Comply with New Civil Procedure Rules and Fee Changes (Part 3)
Colorado State Judicial continues to issue forms that have been amended to comply with fee changes and the new civil procedure rules adopted as part of Rule Change 2011(18), effective as of January 1, 2012. The changes are being made to time calculation requirements in the forms, which now must reflect the “rule of 7″/multiples of a week. State Judicial is reviewing all JDF forms and instructions, however it is always the Parties’ responsibility to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court rules.
State Judicial Continues Amending Forms to Comply with New Civil Procedure Rule Changes (Part 2)
Colorado State Judicial is continuing to issue forms that have been amended to comply with fee changes and the new civil procedure rules adopted as part of Rule Change 2011(18), effective as of January 1, 2012. The changes are being made to time calculation requirements in the forms, which now must reflect the “rule of 7″/multiples of a week. State Judicial is reviewing all JDF forms and instructions, however it is always the Parties’ responsibility to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court rules.
State Judicial Issues Revised List of Statewide Parenting Classes
The Colorado State Judicial Branch has issued a new list of Colorado parenting seminar providers for family law consideration. Practitioners should begin using the new list immediately.
Medical Marijuana
Spark the Discussion: The Inevitability of Marijuana Legalization
In an impressive step forward in citizen activism, advocacy groups in both Colorado and Washington recently turned in ample signatures to place marijuana legalization measures on the 2012 Presidential ballot in their respective states. These measures, which seek to regulate marijuana like alcohol at the statewide level—limiting its use to those 21 and over and requiring sales to take place in strictly regulated stores—would shake the foundation of the nation’s long-standing and increasingly unpopular War on Drugs. And here’s the kicker: these measures are likely to pass.
Updates
Gilbert Martinez Named Chief Judge in the Fourth Judicial District; David Prince to Serve as Deputy Chief
On Thursday, February 2, 2012, Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael L. Bender announced his appointment of the Honorable Gilbert Martinez to serve as the new chief judge in the Fourth Judicial District, which serves El Paso and Teller counties. Chief Justice Bender also appointed District Court Judge David Prince to serve as the district’s deputy chief judge. Both appointments are effective February 9, 2012.
State Board of Health Proposes Rule to Require Annual Influenza Vaccination for Certain Nursing Facility Personnel
The Colorado State Board of Health has proposed a rule to require all acute care and long-term nursing care facilities to annually vaccinate personnel against influenza. All other licensed healthcare entities must assess their own clients, staff, and services and develop a written policy regarding influenza vaccination of its health care workers. A hearing on the proposed rule will be held on Wednesday, February 15.
Judge Robert H. Russell, II to Retire from Eighteenth Judicial District Court Bench
The 18th Judicial District Nominating Commission will meet March 26, 2012 to interview and select nominees for appointment by Governor Hickenlooper to the office of District Judge for the Eighteenth Judicial District (Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties). The vacancy will be created by the retirement of the Honorable Robert H. Russell, II on May 31. Applications must be received by Wednesday, March 7.
Legislation
HB 12-1047: Waiving Non-Safety Licensing Standards for Kinship Foster Care
On January 11, 2012, Rep. John Kefalas and Sen. Linda Newall introduced HB 12-1047 – Concerning the Waiver of Non-Safety Licensing Standards for Kinship Foster Care. The bill allows a county directory of social services, or his or her designee, to waive certain non-safety licensing standards for kinship foster care if certain conditions are met and to limit or restrict a license for kinship foster care.
Community
Diversity LSAT Scholarships Being Offered by the Center for Legal Inclusiveness
The Center for Legal Inclusiveness, the Colorado Pledge to Diversity Legal Group, and the Association of Corporate Counsel-Colorado Chapter are partnering with Kaplan Test Prep to offer multiple Diversity LSAT Exam Scholarships for 2012 test takers. Scholarships cover the cost of a review course, the exam fee, and application fees to both the University of Colorado Law School and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. The deadline to apply is March 1, 2012.
Stacy Carpenter, Past DBA President, Honored with Davis Award
When accepting the Richard Marden Davis Award on Tuesday, Jan. 24, Denver Bar Association past president Stacy Carpenter reflected on the people who have shaped who she is today, as a lawyer and as a member of the Denver community. Davis’ family, his law firm Davis Graham & Stubbs, and the Denver Bar Foundation established the award in his memory in 1993, honoring his belief that great lawyers should be professional and community leaders.
Practice Management
Janet Raasch: Competitive Intelligence – An Essential Component of Better Law Firm Decision-Making (Part 1)
Important law firm decisions should never be made in a vacuum. Instead, they should be made with an abundance of the right information in hand. For many law firm decisions, “the right information” means competitive intelligence. Competitive intelligence is defined as a systematic and ethical program for gathering, analyzing and managing information about the external business environment – information that can affect all of a law firm’s plans, decisions and operations. Knowledge of companies and people is power.
Job Search & Career Transition
Life in the Gap (Part 2): Take a Facer (Not a Bow)
We got inspired, we went for it. So now what? Time to take a bow while the world applauds our resolution? Nope. The bows will have to wait. What comes first isn’t a bow, it’s a facer . . . into the Gap. If we want our Big Ideas to come to fruition, we must live through the Gap, because that’s where we’re equipped to meet the challenges we need to meet and make the changes we need to make in order to finally prevail.
