MSBA Annual Meeting June 11-14 2008

Solo Day, held on Friday to make attendance for busy solo and small firm practitioners, welcomed Jay Foonberg as its keynote speaker.
Foonberg delved into and expanded upon the topics outlined in his seminal book How to Start and Build a Law Practice (now in its fifth edition).
“I’m looking forward to seeing Jay Foonberg,” said Joan Gavigan, for whom Foonberg was instrumental in drawing her to attend her first Annual Meeting in 16 years of practice. “I got [his book] years and years ago, and it’ll be interesting to hear an update of what he thinks now.”

The beginning of summer has always been synonymous with celebrations. At high schools, universities and academies, graduation ceremonies are held to wave farewell to their dedicated students. For friends, families and loved ones,
graduation parties are thrown to celebrate the students’ accomplishments.  On the Friday afternoon at the Annual Meeting, the 2007-08 LeadershipAcademy Fellows gathered for a hybrid celebration with their respective mentors, the Chairs of the LeadershipAcademy and Chief Judge Bell.
“It’s a bitter sweet ending,” said Judge Barbara Howe, LeadershipAcademy Co-Chair since 2006.  “It’s like pushing the chicks out of the nest.”
“They become like family,” Judge Diane O. Leasure, Howe’s Co-Chair, echoed.  “It’s very gratifying to see their careers develop and their involvement in the Bar Association on a local and state level.”

Where the Wild Things Are, written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak, has been a childhood staple since its initial printing in 1963. “The Children’s Hour”,
presented by Citizenship for Law-Related Education Program (CLREP) Executive Director Rick Miller and friends, has been a constant at the Annual Meeting for most of that time. For the last 25 years, the Hour has entertained kids with lessons on America’s legal system and stories that ignite their imagination. A quarter-century, and it’s still hot.

While surfers strapped on their wetsuits for an early morning session, and lifeguards dragged their wooden stands from a sandy dune slumber, an assemblage of attorneys stretched at
Northside Park in preparation for the Young Lawyers Sun Run, the 5k and 10k race held for the last 20+ years on the Friday morning of the Annual Meeting.
A sizeable crowd huddled around the finish line when Evan Beard (left - 20:03) and Alix Paye (not pictured - 24:28) completed their 3.1-mile run; the same happened when Trevor Rose (center - 45:44) and Julie Rubin (right - 54:24) finished the 6.2-mile trek. The 7:30 a.m. start fazed neither these energetic athletes nor their supportive families.
“My family came down,” says Brian Zemil, ’08 Sun Run participant and winner last year’s 5k race. “The added benefit is if my family wants to either participate or...be there, it’s great because it becomes both a Bar and family event. And I think that’s what the Annual Meeting is all about. It’s an opportunity for all of us to enjoy family and take off the ‘practice-hat’ for a couple minutes so that we can all connect.”