The Atlanta Lawyer January/February 2011 | Page 7

Lunch” program for many years and invited Rick to go to lunch. Ben suggested Nan on 17th Street which has some of the best Thai food in the city. We did not spend a lot of time discussing the case, though we did talk in a friendly and collegial fashion about the issues and how they may ultimately be decided. The “Take Your Adversary to Lunch” program is a great way to promote civility between opposing counsel and we found it very helpful and enjoyable to get together in this fashion. David A. Hughes of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C., and Cheryl B. Legare of Buckley & Klein, LLP note: Our case was a pregnancy discrimination claim pending in N.D. Ga. The TYAL opportunity came up fairly early in the case, and the timing was good because we were able to do our mandatory Rule 26(f) conference in person at the same time. We decided to meet at Front Page News on Crescent Ave., which was convenient to both of our offices. Although our firms frequently represent opposing sides in employment cases, we had not individually had a case against each other prior to this one. The TYAL lunch gave us an opportunity to put faces to names and to learn about each others’ families and professional backgrounds, including the fact that Cheryl had a previous life as an employment defense attorney. It was a sensitive case, and the parties were far apart on settlement initially, but getting together for lunch helped get the case off on the right track, and we were eventually able to settle through mediation before either party had to invest a great deal of time and money in the case. The Litigation Section is hoping for record participation in the Program this February. Once you have taken an adversary to lunch, please complete an on-line form that will be available on the Atlanta Bar website at http://www.atlantabar.org/, or contact Tanya Windham at (404) 521-0781 or [email protected]. In the event that the above is insufficient to motivate you to take an adversary to lunch, then we all feel sorry for your adversary (not to mention your law partners, associates, spouse, and children). Nevertheless, as an additional incentive, during the March meeting of the Litigation Section, there once again will be a drawing from the entries received for Buckhead Life Restaurant Group gift cards, which you can use to take another adversary to lunch! Atlanta Bar Association Time to take off the glovesmembers are encouraged to anand Time to take off the more than invitethenadversary (or gloves and one) to lunch by March 15, 2011, Lunch for Take Your Adversary toand cardsenterthe a drawing of two gift from Take Your Adversary toGroup Restaurants Lunch Buckhead Life – one is for the member and one for the member’s adversary. The The Litigation Section’s Annual Take Your Adversary to Lunch program The Litigation take place during the month of FebruaryLunch program Adversary take place will Section’s Annual Take Your drawing will to 2011 at the Section’s breakfast meeting on will take place during the month of February 2011 lunch during Atlanta Bar Association members are encouraged15invite an adversary 18, more than the Colonnade March (or 2011 at one) to CH to Time to take offthenD TO MAR and gift cards from the Buckhead Life Group Restaurants the gloves the month of February and DE enter for a drawing of two an adversary (or more than one) to lunch during Restaurant. Atlanta BarINE E X TEN Association members are encouraged to invite ADLof February and then enter thea drawing of two gift cards from the BuckheadfollowingRestaurants Take for the member and one for for member’s adversary. The drawing will The place at thewill be –DE is Your Adversary to Lunch one take Life Group Section’s the month awarded: breakfast meeting on March one2011thethe Colonnade Restaurant.drawing will take place at the Section’s – one is for the member and 18, for at member’s adversary. The The following will be awarded: Restaurant. The following will be awarded: Thebreakfast meeting on March 18, 2011 at the Colonnade Litigation Section’s Annual Take Your Adversary to Lunch program will take place during the month of February 2011 Heavyweight Prize: Two $200 Gift Cards Heavyweight Prize: Two $150 Gift Cards Two $200 Gift Cards Welterweight Welterweight Prize: Two $150 Gift Cards Atlanta Bar Association members are encouraged to invite an adversary (or more than one) to lunch during the month of February and then enter for a drawing of two gift cards from the Buckhead Life Group Restaurants – one is for the member and one for the member’s adversary. The drawing will take place at the Section’s breakfast meeting on March 18, 2011 at the Colonnade Restaurant. The following will be awarded: Heavyweight Prize: Two $200 Gift Cards Welterweight Prize: Two $150 Gift Cards Name: ___________________________________ Firm: ________________________________________ Name: ___________________________________ Firm: ________________________________________ Name: ___________________________________ Firm: _________________