SBAND 118th Annual Meeting Highlights
MAKE THE RIGHT CALL ...
By Tony Weiler , Executive Director , SBAND
The State Bar Association of North Dakota ’ s annual meeting was held June 14-16 in Fargo , and all attendees agreed it was one of the best . Most of the continuing legal education seminars were held at the Delta by Marriot , formerly the Ramada Plaza Suites , and the social events were held at the Sanctuary Events Center in downtown Fargo and the Avalon West .
ABA President Linda Klein
American Bar Association ( ABA ) President Linda Klein kicked off the event with a welcome and talk describing issues facing lawyers across the country and giving tips on how the ABA can help lawyers do their jobs .
The meeting ’ s opening plenary session was a program and talk by NFL referee and Phoenix trial lawyer Ed Hochuli . He spoke about “ Managing Crisis in Real Time ,” which included the similarities of referring an NFL game to those of being a lawyer . Hochuli used clips from certain NFL teams and players to explain how players manage events and circumstances that come at them quickly , and what lawyers can learn from how they handle those situations . Hochuli provided this seminar while wearing his NFL uniform and spent a lot of time after his session chatting with attendees , taking photographs , and signing autographs .
Ed Hochuli 6 THE GAVEL
The format for this year ’ s annual meeting featured several different tracks at one time , with the opportunity to hear a speaker at different times during the day . The speakers were varied and covered a wide range of topics . This year ’ s Mart Vogel
The Mart Vogel Lecture Presenters
Lecture on Professional and Legal Ethics covered “ The Challenges of Wellness in Our Legal Communities .” Presenters included UND School of Law Dean Kathryn R . L . Rand , Lawyer ’ s Assistance Program Chair John Olson , and Professor David A . Grenardo . The panel was moderated by UND School of Law Professor Michael McGinniss .
Other CLE programs included “ Communications for Lawyers ” by Meredith Z . Avakian-Hardaway from the Philidelphia Bar Association , “ Memory Power ” by Paul Mellor , “ The Structure of the Fourth Amendment ” by Thomas K . Clancy , a LAP Sponsored program called the “ Joyful Journey ” by Bob Bianchi , and a Women ’ s Lawyers Section program called “ Balancing
Tony Weiler the Scales ,” which included lecturer and panelist Sharon Rowen , along with Lynn Erin Slaathaug Moen , Justice Carol Kapsner , and moderator Lori Conroy . Some of the presenters provided multiple programs , including Mellor , who also presented “ How to Remember Names & Other Important Stuff .” The annual meeting concluded with a plenary session presented by Robins Kaplan lawyer Bill Manning , who discussed “ Nelson Mandela : The Greatest Lawyer That Has Ever Lived .”
Social Gatherings Held around Fargo
Attendees at this year ’ s annual meeting were treated to an opening night social at the Sanctuary Event Center in downtown Fargo .