H C B A P R E S I D E N T’ S M E S S A G E A m a n d a U l i a n o – L a w O f f i c e o f A m a n d a M. U l i a n o continuedfrompage6
Reconnect Challenge: what it truly means to belong to a professional community.
Sharing that story made me more nervous than any courtroom argument or presentation ever has. Not because I was worried about speaking, but because I was inviting people to see a chapter of my life that wasn’ t polished or predictable.
What happened next reminded me why I love this profession.
Throughout the evening and in the days that followed, people shared their own stories. Some had experienced layoffs or unexpected career changes. Others spoke about moments when they questioned their path or wondered if they truly belonged. Many simply thanked me for being willing to acknowledge that careers rarely unfold exactly the way we plan them. Those conversations reminded me of something we don’ t say nearly often enough. Connection often begins the moment we’ re willing to be authentic with one another. Later that evening, after the installation was complete and the formal program had ended, I paused for a
Before our next issue arrives, reconnect with one person. Reach out to a lawyer you haven’ t spoken with in a while. Invite them to lunch, coffee, or an upcoming HCBA event. One conversation may be all it takes to strengthen an existing relationship, begin a new friendship, or even change the course of someone’ s career. moment and simply looked around the room.
I saw judges laughing with young lawyers. I saw former colleagues reconnecting after years apart. I saw new members introducing themselves to people they had admired from afar. I saw mentors catching up with former mentees and friends introducing friends. Long after the speeches had ended, the room remained full of conversation, laughter, and genuine connection. It was hard not to smile. As I stood there, I realized that what I was seeing had very little to do with an installation ceremony.
It was exactly what I had hoped the evening would become. A celebration of our community. Over the past several years, our profession has changed dramatically. We appear remotely for hearings. We attend virtual meetings. Many of us spend more time communicating through email and video conferences than sitting across a conference table from a colleague. Technology has made us more efficient, but it has also
continuedonpage8 s e P- O C T 2 0 2 6 | H C B A L A W Y e R
7