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December 07, 2023 Message from the Chair-Elect

Message from the Chair-Elect

Keith Bergeron

“Learning is the only thing the mind never exhausts, never fears, and never regrets.”-Leonardo da Vinci.

Many years ago, when I contemplated whether to attend law school at night while still working full-time for a certain international, integrated oil and gas company, my supervisor and mentor reminded me that education can never be taken away from you. I accepted his advice.  The engineer who never contemplated law school became a 1L, served on law review, graduated, and passed the bar examination.  Learning and exploring new things will provide you with the ability to comprehend topics that seem at the time disconnected, but with study and use become familiar.  And my current firm allowed me to mash-up both of my careers in service to the design community.  I have never regretted my decision to learn.

I am honored and humbled to be your Chair-Elect for the ABA Forum on Construction Law.  My firm strongly supports the Forum’s mission as my senior partners were in the room when the idea for the Forum took shape.  Notably my deceased partner, Ralph L. Kaskell, Jr., also served the Forum as Chair in 1984 (when I was in high school).  More stories about my reverence for this legacy will be shared in future columns here.

The Forum boasts its mission “Building the Best Construction Lawyers.” The best construction lawyers understand the perspectives and points-of-view of all the project participants, not just their esteemed client. At the Forum, our members and associates question legal theories and share lessons learned with impunity.  All in search of continued learning.

A new Renaissance period is coming to the Forum.  Our Chair, John Marshall Cook, and his visionary teams created national programs focused on providing new knowledge into the worlds of federal contracting, building techniques, and energy sustainable construction projects.  The Forum’s diverse and skilled presenters will provide you with learning opportunities to bring you one step closer to your goal of being a well-rounded construction lawyer.  Your clients, partners and colleagues expect nothing less of you.  Put forth the effort to join us.  Your learning depends on it.

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Keith Bergeron

Deutsch Kerrigan LLP, New Orleans, LA