WVELA News
2012 Annual Conference at Adaland Mansion
WVELA held its 2012 Annual Conference on November 9-10, 2012, at the Bridgeport Conference Center on November 9, and at the historic Adaland Mansion near Phillipi, West Virginia on November 10, 2012.
The annual conference included several presentations and panel discussions by its members on current issues of employment law, along with the election of new officers.
Election of Officers for 2012-2013
Kristina Thomas Whiteaker (with The Grubb Law Group) was elected President. Walt Auvil (with Rusen & Auvil PLLC and The Employment Law Center) was re-elected as Treasurer. Lonnie Simmons (with DiTrapano, Barrett, DiPiero, McGinley & Simmons, PLLC) was re-elected as Chair of WVELA's Amicus Committee. The officers serve for one year, starting with their election on November 10, 2012, and continue until WVELA's next annual conference in around October 2013.
Speeches and Articles for 2012 Conference
Here was the 2012 conference's program of speeches and panel discussions:
| Speakers | Topics (2012 Conference) |
|---|---|
| Paul Sheridan | Update on the West Virginia Human Rights Act and Human Rights Commission |
| Dave Hammer | Discovery, discovery, discovery |
| Sarah Montoro | What do you do when your client or client's medical providers gets a subpoena rather than a Discovery request? |
| Roger Forman | Exhaustion (of remedies) |
| Kay Bayless | Drug testing and termination |
| Drew Capuder | Update on employment law (article prepared by Bob Bastress) |
| Walt Auvil, Lonnie Simmons, and Jane Peak | Thinking of representing more than one party in a case? Practical tips on how to avoid ethical dilemmas and unhappy clients. |
| Anne Lofaso | Social media in the work place |
| Bob Bastress | Use of military tribunals in West Virginia labor disputes |
2011 Annual Conference at Waterfront Place Hotel
WVELA held its 2011 Annual Conference on October 28-29, 2011, at The Waterfront Place Hotel in Morgantown, West Virginia.
The annual conference included several presentations and panel discussions by its members on current issues of employment law, along with the election of new officers.
Election of Officers for 2011-2012
Kathleen Abate (with The Law Office of Kathleen Abate, Esq.) was elected President. Walt Auvil (with Rusen & Auvil PLLC and The Employment Law Center) was re-elected as Treasurer. Dave Hammer (with Hammer, Ferretti & Schiavoni) was elected as Chair of WVELA's Amicus Committee. The officers served for one year, starting with their election on October 29, 2011, and continued until WVELA's next annual conference which took place on November 9-10 2012.
Program for 2011 Annual Conference
Here was the 2011 conference's program of speeches and panel discussions:
| Speakers | Topics (2011 Conference) |
|---|---|
| Anne Lofaso | An Inconvenient Truth: Boeing's Decision To Move Jobs from Washington to South Carolina and the Rule of Law |
| Dr. Susanne Choby | How to deal with difficult, stressed, or depressed individuals? |
| Emily Goodwin Kime | Using technology to prepare and present your next case. |
| Justice Brent Benjamin | Update on the West Virginia Supreme Court, followed by a Q and A session. |
| Harry Deitzler | Arbitration and Public Justice |
| Jane Peak, and panel discussions | Employment Law 101: “Client problems” |
| Al Karlin and Lonnie Simmons | Mediation Panel: Strategy, pointers, and ideas for resolving cases |
| Bob Bastress | State and federal case law update |
| Paul Sheridan | What is going on at the West Virginia Human Rights Commission and how is the West Virginia Supreme Court analyzing inferences? |
| Candace Gorman | Upholding the rights of prisoners incarcerated at Guantanamo Bay |
| Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn and Jane Peak | Social media and ethical considerations |
| Drew Capuder, Dave Hammer, Kay Bayless, and Walt Auvil | Discovery and Settlement Issues, Panel Discussion |
2010 Annual Conference at Oglebay Park
WVELA's 2010 Annual Conference took place at Oglebay Park in Wheeling, West Virginia on October 29-30, 2010 (the picture below was taken at Oglebay Park during our conference).
The annual conference included several presentations and panel discussions by its members on current issues of employment law, along with the election of new officers.
Election of Officers for 2010-2011
Drew Capuder (with Capuder Fantasia PLLC) was elected as President. Walt Auvil (with Rusen & Auvil PLLC and The Employment Law Center) was re-elected as Treasurer. Lonnie Simmons (with DiTrapano, Barrett, DiPiero, McGinley & Simmons, PLLC) was re-elected as Chair of WVELA's Amicus Committee. The officers served for one year, starting with their election on October 30, 2010, and continued until WVELA's next annual conference in October 2011.
Program for 2010 Annual Conference
Here was the 2010 conference's program of speeches and panel discussions:
| Speakers | Topics (2010 Conference) |
|---|---|
| Jane Peak, Frank Duff | Employment Law 101 Panel Discussion: nemployment Compensation and Wage Payment Claims |
| Rory Perry | An Appeal of Right: The Revised West Virginia Supreme Court Rules of Appellate Procedure |
| Paul Sheridan | What is going on at the West Virginia Human Rghts Commission |
| Bob Bastress | Helping your employment clients by litigating consumer credit and protection claims |
| Lonnie Simmons | State and federa case law update (with article prepared by Bob Bastrress) |
| Arbitration Panel | Recent developments in the law and strategies for dealing with arbitration |
| Panel discussion | An open discussion of any cases or issues the members are addressing in their daily practice, ranging from evidentiary issues, strategic decisions, mediation strategies, types of cases accepted, to dealing with clients with serious psychological issues |
| Drew Capuder | Protection of employees against unlawful retaliatory discharges |
| Harry Waddell, Drew Capuder, and others | Keeping up with changing technology: Effective Uses of Twitter, Facebook, Other Social Media, iPad, smart phones, and scanning in the modern law office |
2009 Annual WVELA Conference at Lakeview Resort in Morgantown
WVELA held its 2009 Annual Conference on October 2-3, 2009 at Lakeview Resort in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Election of Officers for 2009-2010
Harry Waddell (with Waddell Law Offices) was elected President. Walt Auvil (with Rusen & Auvil PLLC and The Employment Law Center) was re-elected as Treasurer. Lonnie Simmons (with DiTrapano, Barrett, DiPiero, McGinley & Simmons, PLLCC) was re-elected as Chair of WVELA's Amicus Committee. The officers served for one year, starting with their election on October 3, 2009, and continued until WVELA's next annual conference in October 2010.
Speeches and Articles for 2009 Conference
Here was the 2009 conference's program of speeches and panel discussions:
| Speakers | Topics (2009 Conference) |
|---|---|
|
Linda Batiste Principal Consultant Job Action Network (“JAN”) |
What can JAN do for you? |
| Lonnie Simmons | Defeating qualified immunity, public duty doctrine and the resurrection of Pittsburgh Elevator |
| Drew Capuder | Sexual Harassment Law in West Virginia |
| Mark Atkinson | Trying an employment case |
|
Andrea Hinerman W. Va. Office of Disciplinary Counsel |
Employment related ethics issues |
|
Anne Lofaso WVU College of Law |
E-mail Organizing in the Real and the Virtual Workplace |
| Kathleen Abate & Kay Bayless | Schoolin’ us on school law |
|
Judge Randy Minor Family Law Judge, Monongalia Co. |
How family law may affect your practice |
|
Judge Susan Tucker Circuit Court, Monongalia County |
The view from the other side of the bench |
|
Bob Bastress WVU College of Law |
Update on employment law |
|
Jamie Alley W. Va. Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Office |
Update on the West Virginia Human Rights Commission |
| Jane Peak, Walt Auvil | W. Va. Employment Law 101 |
|
Donna Lenhoff National Employment Lawyers Association |
What NELA’s up to in Washington DC |