Washington County Bar Association

State Police Warn of COVID-19 Vaccine Scams The Pennsylvania State Police issued a disturbing warning last week about scammers using COVID-19 vaccine dist...ribution as a means to steal people’s money and/or personal information Scams already circulating include: Emails claiming to offer a vaccine waiting list, early access or doses shipped to your home. These emails may have poor grammar and spelling, as well as links that may contain malware that, once installed on your computer, steals your information. Texts, robocalls or messages on other platforms containing links to websites that promise the vaccine but solicit personally identifying information such as addresses, banking or credit card information. The sites may claim to be official sites belonging to manufacturers, medical providers or public health organizations and may be difficult to spot as fake. Social media posts with disinformation or misinformation about the vaccine’s origins or efficacy or claims of political motivation. These posts may really be selling worthless or harmful products. To help protect yourself, never provide money or personal information to anyone who requests it in exchange for special access to the vaccine; instead, rely on public health agencies for information about vaccine availability. Also, be sure your computer has the latest updates and an antivirus program. Delete any email from people you do not recognize or that has attachments you are not expecting.

A message from Pitt Law Deans Wildermuth, Hamoudi, and Linsenmeyer on violence at the U.S. Capitol Building: With the violence and upset at the Capitol, we are... vividly reminded of the critical role of lawyers to ensure that our country remains faithful to the rule of law, to our Constitution, and to seeking equal justice for all in our society. Like us, we hope you have been inspired by our colleagues-- election officials, judges, and other brave and dedicated public servants--who have committed to safeguarding democracy and its values, a bright note not to be forgotten in today’s chaos. We know this is an incredibly difficult time as we endure not just political turmoil, but a pandemic, racial injustice, and economic uncertainty. It is a time of stress, pain, anger, and upset. It is all the more difficult that we cannot share and connect in person. But if ever there was a time calling out for change, it is now. And we are up to this challenge. We hope you will join us in taking from this moment what must be our common calling: to demand that we are governed by laws that are fair to all, to model--through our actions and words--what is expected of an engaged and responsible citizenry, and, ultimately, to help heal our nation.

Breaking Barriers and Building Futures for YOU! Get to know who we are and what we do! Check out all of our programs by visiting ... www.myblueprints.org See more

I love this Courthouse.

For those who like history here’s an old Photo of the Washington County Courthouse, Washington, Pa. circa 1900. The construction of the dome.

The Washington County Bar Foundation recently sent a check to the LeMoyne Center - and several other area agencies - with donations from members and friends who support our Holiday Gift Drive for Children. We mourn the loss of Joyce, and support efforts of the Center to continue to serve the children of our Washington County community.

Happy Anniversary WCBA! Celebrated the 125th three years ago with a glorious party! Oh, for when we can gather in such numbers again...

District Attorney Zappala issued the following statement today concerning the death of Judge John Zottola: My wife Mary and I offer our deepest sympathies to ...Marie and their children. My friendship with John Zottola goes back decades to our days as classmates at Central Catholic High School. John’s death leaves a tremendous void not only on the bench, but also in our community. There is no doubt that his work leading Veteran’s Court has saved a large number of lives and assisted in putting veterans, who have given so much to this country, on the path to recovery. John took the time to know everyone who appeared before him and when he addressed defendants, he always sought to encourage them to make a positive change not only for themselves, but for their family and friends. John was first and foremost, a loving husband and father, as well as a dedicated and passionate jurist. I, along with the rest of this courthouse, will miss him deeply. See more

Over 39,000 new protection from Abuse (PFA) orders were filed statewide in 2019. A PFA is a civil court order that protects victims of domestic violence, provid...ing relief from abuse by an intimate partner, family or household member. The infographic below highlights 2019 court data including the statewide number of PFAs filed over the last five years, the top 10 counties with the highest number of PFA filings and the percentages of PFA case outcomes.

Meet Amy J. Coco, a shareholder in the Pittsburgh firm of Weinheimer, Haber & Coco, P.C. She defends lawyers, particularly with respect to legal malpractice cla...ims, professional responsibility, professional ethics matters, and represents lawyers in matters involving compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct before the Disciplinary Board and the Client Security Fund. She serves as program director for the Pitt Legal Services Incubator at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law helping lawyers start their solo practices. Amy has actively participated in the PBA since she became a member in 1995. Amy serves as the Zone 12 delegate and is a member of multiple sections and committees including serving as the co-vice chair of the Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility and the co-chair of the Professional Liability Committee. See more ways we are saying thanks to our members bit.ly/2IW2YTg #PBA4U

Late today the IRS announced that the time to request an economic impact payment this year has been extended from October 15 to November 21.

NEWS RELEASE: PA Supreme Court Advisory Council Develops Guidance for Judges Handling Guardianship Cases http://www.pacourts.us/news-and-statistics/news?Article=1041

Barbara Griffin featured on the Pittsburgh List! Ms. Griffin is the Director of the Pro Bono Center of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation, where she creates,... manages, and supports programs that provide free legal services to individuals and families with low incomes. She helps connect attorneys in law firms and corporate legal departments with communities in need. In March 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court appointed Ms. Griffin to serve as the Vice Chair of the Pennsylvania Lawyers Fund for Client Security, an organization whose mission is to ensure public confidence in the legal profession. Ms. Griffin is also a director on the boards of Renewal, Inc. and Legal Services for Immigrants & Internationals. Ms. Griffin earned her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, where she was an Executive Editor of the Texas Law Review. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

The American Bar Association mourns the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and expresses its deepest sympathy to her family. Ginsburg, who passe...d away on Friday night at the age of 87, was a ground-breaking jurist, and only the second woman appointed to the Supreme Court, where she served for 27 years. Although she will be greatly missed, her legacy will continue to inspire future generations of lawyers. Read ABA President Patricia Lee Refo's full statement here: https://ambar.org/cxb3t See more