BUCKS COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION MERIT SELECTION OF JUDGES COMMITTEE. Candidate Questionnaire

Transcription

1 BUCKS COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION MERIT SELECTION OF JUDGES COMMITTEE Candidate Questionnaire NOTICE: A candidate who chooses not to answer any question in whole or in part is requested to set forth the reasons) for not answering so as to minimize or eliminate any adverse inferences that may otherwise be drawn. I. PERSONAL DATA 2. Abe Name and Address. State your full name, home address and any other name by which you have been known. Charissa J. Lilier,.. 3. Business Activities. (a) In the past ten years, have you been engaged in any occupation, business ar praf~ssion, Ath~r than the pracdic~ of law or holt~ing of judicial or other public ~ff~ce? If yes, state de#ails, including name, address, c~~scrip#ion of activity and dates. I~//.1 Are you currently an officer or director or otherwise engaged in the management of any business enterprise? No (1) If yes, state the details, including the name of your enterprise, the nature of the business, the title or other description of your position, the nature of your duties and the term of your service. ~ D,1 (2) Is it your intention to resign such positions and withdraw from any participation in the management of any such enterprise if you become a judge? If no, state reasons. N/A -1-

2 EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND AND PUBLICATIONS 4. Education. State each trade school, college and/or law school attended, including the dates of attendance and the date and type of degree awarded. University of Pittsburgh (9/88 5/92): B.S. Psychology, cum laude University of Pittsburgh School of Law (9/95 5/98), J.D. 5. Teaching. Have you taught any law related courses after your admission to practice? If yes, state the name and address of the institution and the name and substance of the course taught and the date when it was taught. t~ o 6. Publications. Are there any publications or articles of which you are the author or a contributing author? If yes, state the name and date of the publication or article and the publisher. Include any CLE publications and seminars. CHANGE: (Candidates need not provide the materials for CLEs but only the date, place, topic, and entity for whom the CLE was presented) See attached sheet1 7. Honors. State any hon~r~, prizes o~ av~ ards or other forms of re~agnitit~n which you have received (including any indication of academic distinction in college or law school) other than those mentioned in answers to the foregoing questions. I nclude any lectures delivered or symposia in which you have participated in the past five years. 2006, 2008, and 2010 named as Rising Star by the Pa Super Lawyers Psi Chi National Psychological Society Honor Made case law on appeal in the areas of family law (Yates v. Yates; 963 A2d. 535 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2008) and Commonwealth v. Albert Leonberger, 932 A2d. 218 (Pa. Super Ct. 2007) III. LEGAL EXPERIENCE 8. Current Professional Occupation. (a) State the name and address of your principal office. Heefner LLP, 2005 S. Easton Road, Suite 100 Doylestown, PA Describe your present professional position. 1 These are only since 2016 since I have not kept a list of all the CLEs I prepared presented and the Pa CLE only went back to 2016 per my search. -2-

3 X firm sole practitioner X partner or Shareholder (Chair of the Family Law Division) associate public defender district attorney other (describe) (c) How long have you practiced law in Pennsylvania? 9. Courts. 20 years (a) State all courts in which you have been admitted to practice, including dates of admission. North Carolina (9/98) Pennsylvania (4/99) Have you ever been disciplined by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Disciplinary Board or a disciplinary agency in any otherjurisdiction? If so, please explain the circumstances. No. 10. Employment History. State chronologically your legal experience after graduation from law school, including: (a) whether you served as clerk to a judge and, if yes, the name of the judge and the court and the date of your clerkship; No whether you practiced alone, and, if yes, the addresses and dates of your solo practice; No. (c) the dates, names and addresses of law firms or offices, companies or governmental agencies with which you have been connected and the nature of your connection with each; See attached sheet -3-

4 (d) any other relevant information. 11. Areas of Practice. (a) What has been the general character of your practice? The first four years I was a prosecutor, so my practice was in criminal court. After that, the past 16 years have been family law and criminal law for the most part, with some adoptions, guardianships and mental health court work for ten years. State by percentage the approximate amount of time you spend in your practice in the following areas: In the past five years: Business 10% Criminal 90% Domestic Estates Civil Litigation Real Estate Municipal Other For the 15 years prior: 55% domestic; 40% criminal; and 5% Other (mental health commitment hearings) 12. Litigation Experience. With respect to the past five years: (a) How often have you appeared in a court proceeding? At least three times per week, on average, over the past five years What percentage of your appearance in court was in: -- Federal courts 100% State courts of record Administrative hearings. (c) What percentage of your litigation was: 90% civil 10% criminal. (d) What percentage of the cases in 12(a) above were: jury -- arbitrations 100% non-jury administrative hearings. (5) If part of your practice has been before appellate courts in the past five years, identify the appellate courts before which you have practiced. Pennsylvania Superior Court -4-

5 13. Judicial or Public Office Experience. (a) Have you ever held judicial office? If yes, give dates and details, including the courts involved, whether elected or appointed, periods of service and a description of the jurisdiction of each of such courts with any limitations upon its jurisdiction. No Have you ever held public office other than judicial office? If yes, give details, including the office involved, whether elected or appointed, and the length of your service, giving dates. No 14. Other Relevant Information: Please provide any other information such as military experience, membership in professional organizations or community involvement which you would like the committee to consider. 1. Women's Lawyers Division - Chair (2017, 2018) - organized various events for the Bucks County Bar Association and the public, which also raised funds for a selected charity each year; additionally organized food drives and diaper and formula drives in conjunction with the events 2. Women's Lawyers Division - Vice Chair (2016) - organized various events for the Bucks County Bar Association and the public, which also raised funds for a selected charity each year; additionally organized food drives and diaper and formula drives in conjunction with the events 3. Board Member - Bucks County Children's Museum (since 2015) 4. Member - Bucks County American Inn of Courts (since 2006) 5. Volunteer/Participant- Bucks County Bar Association Young Lawyer Division Mock Trial Competitions 6. Volunteer Attorney Coach - Bucks County Bar Association Young Lawyer Division Mock Trial Competitions (Archbishop Wood) 7. Volunteer- Bucks County Voter Protection Legal Team (since 2008) IV. CHARACTER INVESTIGATION 15. Criminal Convictions. Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony offense in the commonwealth of PA or any other jurisdiction? If yes, state the details. No -5-

6 16. Authorizations. I agree to authorize, as indicated below, the Bucks County Bar Association Merit Selection of Judges Committee to solicit disciplinary and/or conviction information about me from the entities stated below and agree to execute the authorizations attached hereto authorizing the entities, as indicated below, to release all information to said Committee. Entities Granted Denied * (1) Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and any otherjurisdiction stated in Paragraph 14 (2) Federal or State governmental agencies CERTIFICATION STATEMENT The undersigned certifies that all statements made in this questionnaire are true, complete and correct to the best of his/her knowledge and belief and are made in good faith and done so with the understanding they will be made public. Date 2/ l ~Zo! ~l Candida e G~n c.r-.rr~ ~ C.~~ t [w.. -6-

7 CHARISSA J. LILLER EMPLOYMENT HISTORY 10.(c) CURTIN & HEEFNER LLP, Doylestown, PA Partner, May 2015 to current; Chair of Family Law Department Representation of clients in all aspects of family law from inception of a case through appellate work for support, custody, guardianship, protection from abuse and divorce matters. Represent defendants in criminal and juvenile court tln-ough all phases, including expungenlents of criminal records. JENEI & COHEN P.C. (formerly Ba(di & Jenei, P.C.) New Hope, PA Attorney, June 2005 to May, 2015 (Partner from January, 2012 to May, 2015) Family law representation in all aspects; appellate work on criminal and family law matters (made case law on two cases before the PA Supreme Court); mental health commitment hearings as assistant solicitor for the Bucks County Mental Health Department; criminal defense in all stages, including bench and jury trials, and expungement and governor's pardons of criminal records; and representation in civil matters, including personal injury matters and other matters. KEVIN ZLOCK &ASSOCIATES P.C. Newtown PA Attorney, December 2003 to May 2005; October 2001 to February 200? (Part-time March 200? to November 2003 on domestic issues only) Interviewed and counseled clients on family law issues, including support and custody, as well as representation of clients at conferences and hearings; prepare all motions and filings as well as assembled pre-hearing statements in anticipation of trial. Represented criminal defendants in all stages fi-om investigation, trial, and through postsentence appeals. BERKS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, Reading, PA Assistant District Attorney, March 2002 to November 2003 Represented the Commonwealth in matters relating to criminal prosecution, including jliiy and bench trials, pretrial hearings and preliminary hearings. Witness and exhibit preparation conducted, as well as legal research and writing in anticipation of hearings. BUCKS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, Doylestown, PA Assistant District Attorney, October' 1999 to October 2001 Represented the Commonwealth in all aspects of criminal prosecutions in adult and juvenile court including jury and bench trials, as well as post-sentence appeals to the PA Superior Court. ALLEGHENY COUNTY CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES, Pittsbt~r~l~ PA (Prior to Law School) Intake Caseworker, December 1992 to August 1995 Investigated allegations of child abuse and neglect, including interviewing families, children and alleged perpetrators. Responsible for decisions regarding child safety and made court appearances I / 19026

8 Charissa J. Liller 6. PUBLICATIONS/CLEs Date Courses Place Entity 3/14/16 woman's Lawyers Division How Gritty Are You? Bucks County Bar Association Bucks County Bar Association Members 3/28/16 Effective Use of Technology in the Bucks County Justice Center Inn of Court Courtroom 9/23/16 Trying a Custody Case in Bucks County ~J~ h Bar Crystal Springs Resort Bucks County Bar Association Members 5/23/17 15 Successful Secrets About Time Management Bucks County Bar Association Bucks County Bar Association Members 9/20/17 To Have and to Hold or Not: NA PFA (National Association of Cohabitation, Prenuptial and Doylestown Country Club Personal Financial Advisors) and FPA Postnuptial Agreements (Financial Planning Associations) 10/6/17 So You Want to Rule the World Bench Bar Bedford, PA Bucks County Bar Association Members 10/26/17 Cracking Confidence- What it is and Women's Lawyers Division general 2017 Power Summit in How to Have it public Warrington, PA (Organized, but did not present) 10/30/17 Gone with the Wind: Natural Catastrophes Leading to Legal Chaos Bucks County Bar Association Inn of Court 4/10/18 Top Ten Tips for Mindfulness in Your Women's Lawyers Division and Practice Bucks County Bar Association Bucks County Bar Association (Organized but did not present) 4/30/18 Legal Issues Related to Social Media Bucks County Bar Association Inn of Court 9/18/18 Is it Income? Interpreting Business Tax Returns Bucks County Bar Association Family Law Section 9/21/18 The Power of Money Bench Bar Hershey, PA Bucks County Bar Association 10/18/18 Empowering Women Through Politics: 2018 Power Summit in Women's Lawyers Division/general How and Why? Warrington public 'I organized the CLE, which was a fundraiser for A Woman's Place, but I did not present it (Author Kevin Kruse did)