Pennsylvania Bar Institute

TO BRING EXELLENCE TO CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION BY PROVIDING PENNSYLVANIA LAWYERS WITH INFORMATION THAT IS TIMELY, PRACTICAL, COST EFFECTIVE, AND OF THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE QUALITY

PBI WAS ORGANIZED IN 1965 BY THE PENNSYLVANIA BAR ASSOCIATION TO SERVE ITS MEMBERS AND TO PROVIDE CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION (CLE) TO LAWYERS, JUDGES AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC INTERESTED IN THE LAW. AS THE CLE ARM OF THE ASSOCIATION, PBI PROVIDES CLE, PUBLICATIONS, AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL SERVICES THAT ARE TIMELY, PRACTICAL, COST EFFECTIVE, CONVENIENT, AND OF THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE QUALITY FOR LAWYERS THROUGHOUT PENNSYLVANIA, IN EVERY AREA OF PRACTICE AND AT EVERY LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE. PBI IS DEDICATED TO EXCELLENCE IN CLE AND TO SERVING THE PUBLIC INTEREST BY SUPPORTING THE LEGAL SYSTEM AND THE DELIVERY OF HIGH QUALITY LEGAL SERVICES IN PENNSYLVANIA. PBI IS A NONPROFIT, SELF-SUSTAINING ORGANIZATION SUPPORTED BY REVENUES DERIVED FROM COURSE ENROLLMENTS AND THE SALE OF BOOKS, CDS, DVDS, AUDIOTAPES AND VIDEOTAPES. PBI'S EDUCATIONAL SERVICES ARE DIRECTLY DEPENDENT ON THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRIBUTED BY MANY OF PENNSYLVANIA'S MOST EXPERIENCED LAWYERS AND JUDGES. THESE HIGHLY DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS GENEROUSLY DONATE THEIR SERVICES TO ASSIST PBI IN PLANNING AND TEACHING COURSES OF STUDY AND IN PREPARING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. PBI'S COURSES OF STUDY ASSIST ALL PENNSYLVANIA LAWYERS IN MAINTAINING AND ENHANCING THEIR PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE AND IN FULFILLING THEIR CLE REQUIREMENTS. PBI'S EDUCATIONAL SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL INTERESTED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND THE LEGAL COMMUNITY. PBI PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS IN THE FORM OF PARTIAL TUITION WAIVERS TO ASSIST LAWYERS WITH FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES IN MAINTAINING THEIR COMPETENCE AND ATTORNEY LICENSE. TUITION WAIVERS ARE PROVIDED FOR ATTORNEYS WORKING FOR LEGAL SERVICE OFFICES AND LAW-RELATED PUBLIC INTEREST ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT PENNSYLVANIA IN SUPPORT OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM. PBI PROVIDES REDUCED TUITION FEES AND CHARGES FOR PBI PUBLICATIONS TO JUDGES, LAW CLERKS AND OTHER COURT RELATED PERSONNEL SERVICES TO THE PROFESSION EVERY DAY. HUNDREDS OF LAWYERS LOOK TO PBI FOR COURSES OF STUDY AND PUBLICATIONS TO SUPPORT THEIR PRACTICE. PBI COURSES ARE PRESENTED THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH AND ARE MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH LIVE SEMINARS, WEBCASTS, PODCASTS, ON-DEMAND PROGRAMS, VIDEO CONFERENCING AND VIDEOTAPED REPLAYS. MEMBERS OF OTHER PROFESSIONS AND INTERESTED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC-AT-LARGE ARE INVITED TO ATTEND PBI COURSES IN ORDER TO FOSTER AND IMPROVE THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE LAW. IN ADDITION TO ITS HUNDREDS OF POPULAR "YELLOW BOOKS," PREPARED FOR SEMINARS, PBI PUBLISHES A COLLECTION OF PRACTICE BOOKS THAT ARE PROFESSIONALLY DESIGNED, EDITED, CITE CHECKED, TYPESET, INDEXED, AND KEPT UP TO DATE THROUGH THE COOPERATIVE EFFORTS OF STAFF AND AUTHORS. THESE STANDALONE REFERENCES APPEAR IN PRINT E BOOK AND OTHER AND ELECTRONIC FORMATS AND ARE REGULARLY SUPPLEMENTED. PBI HAS DEVELOPED AN EXTENSIVE CATALOG OF COURSES WHICH ARE ELECTRONNICLY ON DEMAND. ADDITIONAL COURSES ARE REGULARLY BEING ADDED TO THIS ON-LINE CAMPUS. PBI ALSO OFFERS FORMS ON USB DRIVES AS COMPANIONS TO APPROPRIATE PUBLICATIONS SERVICES TO THE JUDICIARY. PBI IS COMMITTED TO SERVING THE JUDICIARY AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM IN PENNSYLVANIA THROUGH ITS COURSE OFFERINGS AND PUBLICATIONS. PBI COURSES AND PUBLICATIONS ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE JUDICIARY AT A REDUCED COST. PBI HAS SUPPORTED THE EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS OF THE STATE CONFERENCE OF TRIAL JUDGES BY PROVIDING THE SERVICES OF ITS STAFF TO ASSIST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS PRESENTED AT CONFERENCE MEETINGS TO THE PENNSYLVANIA BAR ASSOCIATION (PBA). PBI WORKS CLOSELY WITH PBA AND WITH PBA SECTIONS AND COMMITTEES IN MEETING. THE CLE NEEDS OF PBA MEMBERS AND IN OTHERWISE SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES OF PBA THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH PBI'S MISSION AND TAX-EXEMPT PURPOSE SUPPORT FOR LEGAL SERVICES/PRO BONO INITIATIVE, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. PBI PROVIDES DISCOUNTED CLE TO ASSIST LAWYERS EMPLOYED BY NONPROFIT LEGAL SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS IN MEETING THEIR TRAINING NEEDS AND ANNUAL CLE REQUIREMENTS. PBI ALSO PROVIDES SUBSTANTIAL TUITION DISCOUNTS OR WAIVERS FOR AN ONGOING SERIES OF TRAINING COURSES FOR LAWYERS WORKING IN PUBLIC INTEREST ACTIVITIES AND IN PROVIDING PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC SUPPORT TO THE PENNSYLVANIA BAR FOUNDATION (PBF). PBI HAS MADE GRANTS TO THE PBF TO ASSIST THE FOUNDATION IN PROVIDING LAW RELATED EDUCATIONAL AND CHARITABLE SERVICES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC RESEARCH FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT. PBI PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO THE SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA BY PROVIDING ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND LEGAL RESEARCH TO PUBLISH AND MAINTAIN THE CIVIL AND CRIMINAL SUGGESTED STANDARD JURY INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE IN TRIAL COURTS THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH.