My feelings are a bit bittersweet as I am writing this column because it is my last column as Chair of the ABA’s Council of Appellate Staff Attorneys (CASA). As you may know, unlike other committees and divisions of the ABA, CASA’s leadership change takes place in November at the Appellate Judges Education Institute (AJEI) Summit. I am so glad to have served as the CASA Chair this past year. Meeting and planning with staff attorneys, judges, and practitioners from across the country reminds me of what an honor it is to serve in our court system. I look forward to the AJEI each year and am particularly excited about this year’s AJEI Summit. I always enjoy going to Washington, D.C., and the speakers and topics this year are exceptional. If you have not already registered, it is not too late!
If you are planning on attending the AJEI Summit this year, please be on the lookout for new members of CASA. In an earlier column, I wrote about scholarship opportunities for new CASA members to help them attend the AJEI Summit for the first time. Happily, there will be some brand new CASA members coming to the AJEI Summit and I hope those of us who have “been around” CASA for a while will make the effort to reach out to the new members. CASA will host a hospitality suite. If you are new to the AJEI Summit, be sure to stop by the hospitality suite in the evening for some casual conversation and snacks. And of course we will be having our annual CASA dinner and T-shirt exchange. This year we will be having the dinner at Fat Pete’s Barbecue. We will be exchanging L/XL T-shirts from an intramural, high school, collegiate, or professional sports team from our states. For more information and to purchase tickets, please see the Eventbrite page.