Attorney Jack Barnes, Chair of the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center will address members of the Virgin Islands Bar Association and the public interested in the work of the Appleseed Foundation (www.appleseeds.net) on Monday, March 3, 2008 at 5:30PM at the law offices of Tom Bolt & Associates, PC in Royal Dane Mall on St. Thomas.  Appleseed is a non-profit network of 16 public interest justice centers throughout the United States and Mexico and is dedicated to building a society where opportunities are genuine, access to the law is universal and equal, and government advances the public interest.

Continue Reading Appleseed Representative to Address VI Attorneys

Tom Bolt, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Virgin Islands Corps of the Salvation Army, was elected Chairman of the Virgin Islands Continuum of Care on Homelessness at its Annual Meeting.  The Continuum of Care consists of all the public and private agencies that provide services to the homeless throughout the Virgin Islands.  Bolt, a St. Thomas attorney, and Managing Attorney for Tom Bolt & Associates, PC, a St. Thomas business law firm, has been active in advocating on behalf of the homeless for many years. 

Also elected were Edith Moore of St. Croix as Vice President and Norma Hasell as Secretary.  Both represenatives are from St. Croix.  Ms. Moore is a representative of Ten Thousand Helpers of St. Croix and Ms. Hassell a representative of VI Care.Continue Reading St. Thomas Attorney Elected Chair of VI Homeless Advocacy Organization

St. Thomas attorney, Tom Bolt, Managing Attorney of Tom Bolt & Associates, PC and a Delegate at Large to the American Bar Association House of Delegates, addressed the House at its Midyear Meeting on February 11th in Los Angeles, California on "issues of concern to America’s territories." 

In the midst of pitched primary battles and the looming 2008 election,  the American Bar Association House of Delegates challenged the traditional way states and territories handle congressional and legislative redistricting, calling for a new process further removed from the politically charged atmosphere of local legislatures. In a vote by its policy-making body, the ABA urged each state and territory to assign the process to an independent commission, leaving it to each jurisdiction to configure the commissions and set suitable redistricting criteria.

Continue Reading Virgin Islands Attorney Addresses ABA House of Delegates

The Salvation Army commemorated an “International Day of Prayer for Victims of Sexual Trade Trafficking” this past Sunday at the call of General Shaw Clifton, its international leader.  “I called the Army to prayer once again for those exploited and irreparably damaged as victims of this dreadfully evil trade. The matter is a core issue for the Salvation Army today, just as much as it was in our early days.” Clifton said.

St. Thomas Salvation Army Advisory Board Chairman, local attorney Tom Bolt, noted to those gathering at the local corps headquarters on Sunday, “The United States government has declared one of the greatest threats to human dignity is human trafficking: the commodification of human beings.  Human trafficking is a term used to describe all forms of modern-day slavery. No longer is this a term from the past, but a horrific reality in our present and, unfortunately, our future.  The forms of trafficking are many and varied, but commonly involve victims entrapped in commercial sexual exploitation such as prostitution, or labor exploitation in sweatshops, domestic servitude, construction and agriculture.” Bolt said.Continue Reading Salvation Army Commemorates Victims of Sexual Trade Trafficking

Tom Bolt, Managing Attorney of Tom Bolt & Associates, PC and Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Virgin Islands Corps of the Salvation Army, met Friday in Chiciaco with Carol Garrity Komon, Vice President of Field Services, and Stephanie N. Dragatsis, Director of Field Services, for America’s Second Harvest – "The Nation’s Food Bank Network".

Currenty the St. Thomas Corps of the Salvation Army provides a feeding program for the homeless on St. Thomas.  "In addition to the Salvation Army, currently there are over 1000 meals served daily on St. Thomas and St. John." Bolt said.  "There is a tremendous amount of waste in the food service industry.  One large hotel on St. Thomas takes over a truck load of good food to the Bovoni Landfill every day.  What couldn’t we do if we could rescue this food, repackage it and get it to those in need.  Just think of all of the food that is disposed of daily by the hotels, restaurants, and grocery stores, not to mention the cruiseships." Bolt said.  "With all this food, there is no reason for anyone to go hungry in St. Thomas."Continue Reading Salvation Army Advisory Board Chair Meets with America’s Second Harvest

Tom Bolt, Managing Attorney of Tom Bolt & Associates, P.C., in St. Thomas, was among the 250 attorneys, judges, law professors, legislators and other state officials – all lawyers – participating in the 2007 Annual Meeting of the Uniform Law Commission (ULC), recently concluded in Pasadena, California. Mr. Bolt was first appointed a U.S. Virgin Islands Uniform Law Commissioner in 1988 and serves as Chair of the Virgin Islands Bar Association’s Committee on Legislation and Law Reform. He is currently Co-Chair of the ULC Committee on Liaison with the American Bar Association, and a member of the ULC Legislative Committee. He was also Chair of the drafting committee on the Uniform Money Services Act.

Now in its 116^th year, the Uniform Law Commission is comprised of more than 300 commissioners appointed by every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to draft and promote enactment of uniform laws that are designed to solve problems common to all the states and territories of the United States. Commissioners donate their time as a pro bono public service.  Bolt has served as Division Chair for the Conference for the past two years and is a member of the Conference’s Legislative Council.Continue Reading St. Thomas Attorney Participates in Uniform Law Conference

William Neukom, President Elect of the American Bar Association, announced Monday the appointment of Virgin Islands attorney Tom Bolt to the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Legal Education.  Bolt has served the legal profession in the area of continuing legal education in the past,  having served for more than 12 years as a member of the ALI-ABA Committee on Continuing Legal Education.

Bolt has been at the forefront of legal education in the United States Virgin Islands, having sponsored several CLE events in the Territory and having drafting the original MCLE rule for the Territory’s legal profession.  "I look foward to working with the other members of the ABA Standing Committee," Bolt said.  "It is my sincere hope that we can bring continuing legal education to attorneys in the more remote and rural areas throughout the country."

Continue Reading ABA President Elect Appoints Virgin Islands Attorney to National CLE Committee

Tom Bolt, Chairman of the Salvation Army Advisory Board for the St. Thomas Corps announced on Friday, that the Commissioner Lawrence Moretz, Eastern Territory Commander for the Salvation Army, has appointed a six member National Assessment Team to review Virgin Islands operations.  "Commissioner Moretz upon meeting with Virgin Islands Governor John P. deJongh during the St. Thomas Corps’ recent 90th Anniversary Celebration committed to building and reinforcing existing relations with the Government of the Virgin Islands." Bolt said.

"I believe the National Assessment Team is the first step in the Salvation Army returning to the forefront in providing social services in the Virgin Islands.  With Governor deJongh promoting private public partnerships the time is right for the Salvation Army to review the needs of our island community and determine where we may serve best." Bolt concluded.

Continue Reading Salvation Army Appoints Virgin Islands Assessment Team