Robert G. Sterne
Founder & Director
Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox

Bio

Grace E. Speights
Partner
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Bio

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am excited to share that I am the Event Chair for the National Capital Area Council (NCAC), Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Attorney of the Year ‘Good Scout’ Award Luncheon honoring Robert G. Sterne, founder and director of Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox, and Grace E. Speights, partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP.

The event is designed to recognize legal professionals who have made - and continue to make – an impact in their community and who exemplify the Scout Oath and Law by adhering to the highest ethics and standards in their practice.  We are thrilled this year to be able to honor two stalwart examples of the event’s mission, including the event’s founder and 2006-2008 chair, Mr. Sterne.

Proceeds from this event will fund and grow NCAC’s programs, which prepare local young people for life by teaching them critical and creative thinking skills as well as helping them develop moral and ethical standards. To better illustrate this point, information about the Law Merit Badge and Law & Government Career Exploring is provided below.

How many of the requirements can you satisfy?!

For more than 100 years Scouting has continued to meet the needs of young people in our nation.  Today I am asking you to please join me - and others from our industry - in honoring Mr. Sterne and Ms. Speights while ensuring that every child who wants to be involved in the programs of Scouting has the opportunity to do so. Thank you, in advance, for your interest in helping them become positive, productive, contributing members of our society and our world.

Yours in Scouting,

Thomas J. Curcio
Curcio Law
Event Chairman

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EVENT STEERING COMMITTEE

William D. Blakely
Polsinelli Shughart PC

Gary Blankenship
EPS Settlements Group, Inc.

Steven P. Cahn
Cahn Litigation Services

Robert K. Burger
Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox

Rob Deziel
Alderson Court Reporting

Tracy-Gene G. Durkin
Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox

Beth L. Jeffries
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Eugene Kane, Jr.
Law Offices of Eugene I. Kane, Jr.

Richard S. Levick
Levick Strategic Communications

Michael K. Lowman
Jenner & Block

Bob C. MacKichan, Jr.
Holland & Knight

Paul R. Michel
Chief Circuit Judge (Ret.)

John B. Montgomery
Butzel Long Tighe Patton PLLC

Darrell G. Mottley
Banner & Witcoff

Robert B. Murphy
Dykema

Gene Schaerr
Winston & Strawn LLP

Nicole A. Smith
DLA Piper

Randy Stein
Medical Science Affiliates

Proceeds will benefit the Scouting, Learning for Life
and Exploring programs of National Capital Area Council,
Boy Scouts of America.

National Capital Area Council (NCAC) was organized in 1911 and today stands as one of the oldest and largest councils in America. The mission of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

In addition to Scouting, NCAC administers Learning for Life, a youth program created by BSA “to develop and deliver engaging, research based academic, character, leadership and career focused (co-educational) programs aligned to state and national standards that guide and enable all students to achieve their full potential.” The program has five areas of emphasis - character development, career development, leadership training, citizenship training and life-skills training - which are facilitated through two separate components, a classroom-based program and a career-focused program. The classroom-based component has integrated academic and character-focused lesson plans for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, including a specific initiative for special needs youth called Champions™ Special Education, featuring themes such as Accepting Consequences, Conservation, Ethnic Heritage, Meeting Deadlines, Gangs, Never Give Up, What Is Freedom?, Violence Prevention, and Sticking to What’s Right.

The Exploring component, an interactive, co-educational, worksite-based program for youth between 14 and 20 years old, is broken into 12 career fields, which purposely align to the 16 U.S. Department of Education Career Clusters.

$5,000
PLATINUM
One table of ten; full-page color program ad;
and recognition from the dais at the event.

$2,500
GOLD
Seating for five; half-page color program ad;
and recognition from the dais at the event.

$1,500
SILVER
Seating for four; half-page color program ad.

$1,000
BRONZE
Seating for two; listing in the program.

$250
FRIENDS OF SCOUTING
Seating for one.

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ADVERTISEMENTS

$1,000
Full-page color ad in the event program.

$500
Half-page color ad in the event program.

Earning the Law Merit Badge enables a Scout to learn about the history and kinds of laws, the purpose and methods of law enforcement, consumer protection agencies, emerging law, and careers in the legal profession. The requirements are:

1. Define "law." Tell some of its sources. Describe functions it serves.

2. Discuss two of the following:
 a. Justinian's Code, the Code of
 Hammurabi, and the Magna Carta
 b. The development of the jury system
 c. Two famous trials in history

3. Tell what civil law is; tell what criminal law is. Tell the main differences between them. Give examples of each.

4. Ask five people (not more than one from your immediate family) about the role of law enforcement officers in our society. Discuss their answers with them. Go to a law enforcement officer in your neighborhood and ask about his or her responsibilities and duties. Report your findings.

5. Tell about several laws that were passed to protect the consumer and the seller. Tell about several organizations that provide help to consumers and sellers.

6. Do ONE of the following:
 a. Attend a session of a civil or criminal
 court. Write 250 words or more on what
 you saw.
 b. Plan and conduct a mock trial with  
 your troop or school class. After the trial
 is over, discuss it with the group.
 

7. Arrange a visit with a lawyer who works for a business, bank, title company, or government agency. Find out his or her duties and responsibilities. Report what you have learned.

8. Explain the requirements for becoming a lawyer in your state. Describe how judges are selected in your state.

9. Make a list of 15 jobs that deal with some aspects of law or legal processes. Tell which you prefer. Why?

10. Tell where people can go to obtain the help of a lawyer if they are unable to pay for one. Tell what you can do if you can afford a lawyer but do not know of any in your area.

11. Discuss with your counselor the importance in our society of TWO of the following areas of law that have recently emerged and are still developing:
 a. Environmental law
 b. Computers and the Internet
 c. Copyright and the Internet
 d. Space travel and satellites orbiting
 Earth
 

Law & Government Career Exploring is open to young men and women ages 14 (and completed the 8th grade) and not yet 21 years old with an interest in learning more about careers in the fields of Law & Government.

The most popular Law & Government Exploring careers include:
• Attorney / Lawyer
• Military careers
• Judge
• Paralegal assistant
• Politician
• Urban Planner

Youth get to experience firsthand what it’s like to serve as a prosecuting and defense attorney; conduct legal research vital to the success of a case; meet with sitting judges who interpret the law every day; visit inmates in a jail; participate in a mock trial competition; run a military obstacle course; make decisions for a city or state government; practice some of the several hundred military skills; and much more…

Youth have an opportunity to participate in hands-on projects so they can decide if this career is the right one for them. They develop work experiences to begin building their resumes and an understanding of the importance of teamwork in a professional setting.  They also have an opportunity to network with professionals who work in these careers every day, people who can share with the youth the latest technology, emerging trends and what it takes to get into college for their specific career.

Youth also learn about the educational requirements for a career in Law & Government and will receive tangible advice on steps to take now to prepare and position themselves for a successful career in the field of Law & Government.

Law & Government Career Exploring provides youth with the following benefits improved self-confidence; leadership experience and social network development; fun and exciting “hands-on” career experiences; community service opportunities; and college & career readiness preparation.