chevron-down Created with Sketch Beta.
    October 07, 2022 Appellate Judges Conference

    Council of Appellate Staff Attorneys Chair's Column

    Pumpkin Spice Edition

    By Hon. Jess D. Mekeel, Denver, CO

    Fall is here. For some, that means pumpkin-spice everything - lattes, cereal, cookies, and even Spam!  Others are geared up for football - college, professional, and, yes, fantasy. For the romantics among us, autumn ushers in vibrant foliage, countryside drives, and (quoting from a passage about my alma mater) “crisp October nights.” (Go Tar Heels!) Meanwhile for CASA, fall means that my tenure as Chair is in its home stretch and that this will be my final column for the JD Record.

    It has been a tremendous ten months as CASA Chair, and I am beyond grateful for the support of such an active Board. (So, a big “Thank you” goes out to Cliffie, Tray, Tricia, Jessica, Robin, Chris, Danielle, and Jennifer!) All Board members (and several CASA members not on the Board) continue to serve on working groups planning various panels and presentations at the upcoming Appellate Judges Education Institute (AJEI) 2022 Summit. It is not too late to register, so be sure to join us at this premier appellate conference, complete with pumpkin spice CLEs, in Scottsdale, Arizona, from November 10-13.

    In addition, CASA now has ABA-approved LinkedIn and Twitter pages, so give us a follow and keep an eye out for new content!

    And lastly, our Board is working on a large-scale project to identify and contact potential CASA members at courts around the country. As part of the effort to grow our ranks, we plan to circulate a survey to better understand the ways CASA can bring value to, and connect with, its membership. But rather than miss an opportunity to learn more about members and potential members, I invite anyone reading this column who works as an attorney for an appellate court (staff attorney, law clerk, etc.) to email me at [email protected] with your thoughts on the following:

    • If you are a CASA member, why did you decide to join? What would you like to see from CASA going forward in terms of communications, educational programs, and social and professional networking? Do you plan to attend the AJEI Summit? What ideas do you have for CASA?
    • If you’re eligible for CASA but not a member, have you considered joining? What would you like to see from an association of fellow appellate court attorneys? Have you registered, or considered registering, for the AJEI Summit? Is there any additional information we can provide on our organization?

    Again, I am humbled and honored to have represented CASA as its Chair over the past year and to have served alongside so many exceptional leaders within the AJC, the JD, and the ABA as a whole. I look forward to closing out my term at the Board meeting during the AJEI Summit, and please feel free to email me or message me on social media - better yet, come find me in Scottsdale in November. Until then…🎃

      Hon. Jess D. Mekeel, Denver, CO

      Hon. Jess D. Mekeel, Denver, CO

      2021-2022 Chair, AJC Council of Appellate Staff Attorneys

      Entity:
      Topic:
      The material in all ABA publications is copyrighted and may be reprinted by permission only. Request reprint permission here.