During this past month, members of the ABA Senior Lawyers Division have lived through many types of disasters, such as hurricanes, tornados, floods, and fires. Some members have lived through private disasters such as the loss of a job, loss of a home, loss of a loved one, or the diagnosis of illness, unexpected surgery, or injury sustained in an accident. Throughout all of these situations, the one common thread is that members are grateful.
Over the years, as close friends and family pass away, SLD members are grateful for each new sunrise. No matter the situation, one of the benefits of living to be 62 years old or older is that members have learned that it is possible to survive. As experienced lawyers, each member has valuable life lessons that may be shared.
Recognizing the value of seasoned attorneys' voices, the ABA Young Lawyers Division invited SLD to partner with the YLD Literary Society: A Virtual Book Club. On October 25, 2024, the virtual book club discussed The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law, Second Edition by Mark Edward Herrmann. The YLD Literary Society's goal is "to bring together like-minded legal professionals to explore topics of professional and personal development in a fun, relaxed, and engaging setting. We'll explore a mix of traditional books with legal ties and ABA publications that cover various aspects of the law. Whether you're here for spirited literary discussions or simply to enjoy great reads with fellow lawyers, everyone is welcome to join this enriching and thought-provoking journey. The book club meets virtually every month, so you can participate from wherever you are." SLD members may wish to join the book club.
Another way that SLD members may use their life experiences is through a program that is sponsored by The National Constitution Center, which hosts a program that gives students the opportunity to discuss constitutional topics with a lawyer, judge, or constitutional scholar and their peers from around the country. They work primarily with High School and Middle School students, and all of the Scholar Exchanges are virtual, usually on Zoom, and are scheduled for 45 minutes. Volunteers are called “scholars.”
As a volunteer “Scholar” SLD members are under no obligation to teach a certain number of classes. The NCC keeps a mailing list of participating scholars and scholars can decide whenever there is a class time that works for their schedule. Once a class time has been agreed upon, the NCC will send along the Zoom link to join, as well as a content script and PowerPoint that is used in each class. The script is paired with the slides of the presentation and provides a framework for the discussion. However, scholars are encouraged to include personal experiences and observations during the class. Scholars will be supported in each class by a member of the National Constitution Center's Education Team. The NCC moderator takes care of sharing the PowerPoint and facilitating the conversation, as well as providing any additional assistance scholars may require. Scholars are always welcome to observe a class. If there is a class that you would like to observe, just let me know, and I can send along the Zoom link.
The benefit of living a long life is that SLD members have accumulated knowledge and experience to share, and for that, many younger generations are truly grateful.
