For this week’s Guest Post Friday here at Construction Law Musings, we’re doing something a bit different and plugging the Virginia State Bar Annual Meeting. As a member of the Construction Law and Public Contracts Section Board of Governors, I recommend it.
The Virginia State Bar (VSB) was created in 1938 by the General Assembly as an administrative agency of the Supreme Court of Virginia. The creation of the agency unified Virginia’s lawyers in a mandatory State Bar. The VSB is governed by its Council and Executive Committee, whose members are elected or appointed from every judicial circuit in the Commonwealth. The mission of the Virginia State Bar, as an administrative agency of the Supreme Court of Virginia, is to regulate the legal profession of Virginia; to advance the availability and quality of legal services provided to the people of Virginia; and to assist in improving the legal profession and the judicial system. Each year the VSB hosts the Annual Meeting for bar members across the commonwealth. This year marks the 76th annual meeting.
The Virginia State Bar is giving its members a host of opportunities to “Rediscover” the benefits of bar membership at its 76th Annual Meeting, June 12-15, in Virginia Beach. While the meeting destination remains the same, there are exciting meeting format changes, including a resourceful mobile app to stay up to date on all things “Annual Meeting”; a new collection of participating hotels; private, complimentary transportation between events; and showcase CLE offerings.
Of particular interest to construction law professionals who practice, or are thinking about practicing, in Virginia, the Construction Law Section of the VSB will be hosting the kickoff CLE at 9 a.m. on Friday, June 13, featuring a panel discussion on the law and policy of Public-Private Partnerships (also known as PPPs or P3s) in the Commonwealth.
During “Public Private Partnerships: Smooth Sailing or Choppy Waters in the Wake of the Elizabeth River Crossings and VDOT v. Meeks,” Chief Deputy Attorney General Cynthia E. Hudson, Virginia Senator Thomas K. Norment Jr., and attorneys Patrick M. McSweeney and Charles E. Wall, will examine topics such as the recent Portsmouth tunnels case (upholding the collection of tolls on P3 projects), special purpose authorities such as the Fort Monroe Authority, and the failed regional taxing authorities.
Although the P3 procurement model may accelerate project delivery and engage previously untapped resources, panelists will also explore the sometimes tense relationships between the executive and legislative branch, and state and local government, as a result of some of these high profile projects.
Attorneys interested in attending this CLE must be registered for the Annual Meeting. For more information or to register for the 2014 VSB Annual Meeting, visit www.vsb.org or https://www.virginiainteractive.org/vsbreg/cgi-bin/registration.cgi.
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