Minutes for February 11, 2004

The Executive Committee of the Litigation Section met on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 at 8:00 a.m., at the Utah Law & Justice Center in Salt Lake City.

Executive Committee members present were:

• Sammi Anderson
• Bruce Badger
• Lee Curtis
• Ryan Harris
• Deno Himonas
• Wayne Klein
• Elaina Maragakis
• Judge Randy Skanchy
• Dan Steele

Former committee chair, Frank Carney, also attended at the request of the Executive Committee.

1. Minutes/Financials. The draft minutes for the January meeting were reviewed and approved (and have been posted on the Section’s Web site). There was a discussion of financial matters including income and expenses for the first six months of the fiscal year. The Section’s CLE programs have produced net income sufficient to cover all other expenses incurred by the Section. This means the Section’s fund balance continues to grow. There was a discussion of ways to provide additional services for Section members. A committee, consisting of Lee Curtis, Judge Skanchy, and Wayne Klein, was appointed to develop recommendations.

2. Report on CLE Seminars There was a brief report on the January 22 CLE seminar on the Olympic trial, which had been co-sponsored by the Section.

3. Recognition of Service A special award was given to Frank Carney, thanking him for his many years of exceptional service to the Section on the Executive Committee.

4. Legislation Lee Curtis reported on the work of the bar’s legislative affairs committee. He said the session has been fairly calm relating to legal issues and the bar. He identified some issues that have been raised including the unauthorized practice of law, mandatory arbitration, appeal bonds, use of court reporters, and limits on contingency fees.

5. E-mail Update Deno Himonas sent the quarterly e-mail update of section activities to all section members. He received some comments from section members and volunteers for the Brown v. Board of Education project.

6. Brown v. Board of Education Sammi Anderson distributed a draft curriculum for the Brown program in the schools. Comments were solicited on the draft. Schools are being solicited as well as attorneys to lead the discussions.

7. Upcoming CLE Programs

a. Dan Steele reported the mid-year bar meeting programs are ready.
b. There is an appellate brief-writing CLE with the Appellate Section on April 23.
c. The Litigation Section’s sessions at the annual meeting are set.
d. There was a lot of interest in having a seminar on using mock jurors and focus groups. Deno Himonas agreed to organize the seminar for June.
e. This would be the year for the biennial Trial Academy.

8. Judge’s Benchbook Judge Skanchy reported on his efforts to get judges to provide information for the benchbook.

The meeting adjourned at 9:00 a.m. The next meeting is set for Wednesday, March 10, 2004, at 8:00 a.m. at the Law and Justice Center.

DATED this 10th day of March, 2004.

For the Executive Committee
________/s/________________________
Wayne Klein
Secretary