In the fall of 2006, after much planning, TIPS introduced the first Leadership Academy class in Pine Hurst, North Carolina. With the guidance of TIPS leaders like Peter Neeson, Peter Bennett, Ginger Busby, Janice Brown, and John Tarpley, the Leadership Academy met at the four TIPS meetings that year and has continued through the present. Twelve years later, the tenth class of the Leadership Academy for 2018–2019 is set to meet on Amelia Island in October.
August 31, 2018 Did You Know?
TIPS Leadership Academy: 12 Years and 10 Classes Later
By Matthew J. Evans
The purpose of the Leadership Academy is to identify new, diverse young leaders and incorporate their skill sets into TIPS. Through the two Section meetings in the fall and spring, along with the ABA Midyear and Annual meetings, each themed meeting for the new Academy class will focus on topics ranging from personal development and service to the community to leadership in the profession. Equally important, each class brings together a group of 25 young lawyers who create life-long friendships and bonds through the experience. These classes have shared every aspect of life together ranging from professional successes to births of children.
A dozen years after the Academy’s inception, its graduates—now numbering in the hundreds—are found actively participating in almost every TIPS committee and task force, and many are contributing to the Section in leadership roles. The initial goals of the Leadership Academy were to bring new lawyers into TIPS and find places for them to use their professional skills. Those goals have been met, and the Section has benefitted significantly.
TortSource looks forward to welcoming the Leadership Academy of 2018–2019 to TIPS as the new class convenes for their first meeting at Amelia Island this fall. Board members anticipate working with them and TIPS in the years to come. More importantly, we look forward to participating in and sharing their future successes.