Young lawyers will enjoy a smorgasbord of enticing options at the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago July 31-Aug. 6, including numerous ways to connect and network with our diverse legal community, attend engaging CLE Showcase programs and experience all the Windy City has to offer.
July 15, 2024 Top Legal News of the Week
Annual Meeting draws young lawyers with host of activities
The Young Lawyers Division has its own track, highlighted by the YLD Annual Meeting Assembly on Friday, Aug. 2, from 1:30-4:30 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 3, from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The assembly, YLD’s highest policymaking body, is where your voice can be heard to help shape the legal profession by drafting and presenting proposed resolutions, debate the issues and ultimately vote to adopt or reject the proposals.
YLD Chair Tamara Nash will attend her seventh Annual Meeting in August. She has found the gathering to be “a great time to strengthen your leadership involvement through attending governance meetings, including the YLD Assembly and the ABA House of Delegates” as well as “a fantastic time to network and meet amazing members from around the country.”
Among the events of interest to young lawyers:
- CLE in the City are seven CLEs offered at law firms throughout downtown Chicago on Thursday, Aug. 1, that address topics ranging from AI and the evolution of gambling to legal ethics and professional responsibility issues.
- Friday, Aug. 2, is action-packed, with the Democracy Summit (the centerpiece of the Annual Meeting, featuring former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and former federal judge J. Michael Luttig, co-chairs of the ABA Task Force for American Democracy) from 1-4:15 p.m.; the General Assembly at 4:30 p.m. (U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco will deliver the keynote speech and Atlanta attorney Emmet Bondurant will receive the ABA Medal); and the President’s Reception at the Navy Pier at 6 p.m.
- Saturday, Aug. 3, features the Silver Gavel Awards from 3-5 p.m., which recognize work in media and the arts published or presented during the preceding year that have been exemplary in helping to foster the American public’s understanding of law and the legal system. Also, the Thurgood Marshall Award will be presented to civil rights hero Eva Paterson at 7 p.m.
- If networking and social events are your jam, there’s virtual golf (Aug. 1, 5:30-7:30 p.m.); a 5K race (Aug. 2 at 7 a.m.); and a walk along Chicago’s beautiful riverside (Aug. 3 at 7-8 a.m.). There’s also a public service event on Aug. 3 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. to assemble supplies for The Boulevard, a local medical respite center that provides critically needed services to those experiencing homelessness, and a 7 a.m. mindful meditation on Aug. 4.
- Have the time and energy to take in more? You can grab tickets during registration for iconic Chicago experiences like a Cubs game, an improv show at the Second City theatre and the amazing architecture tour down the Chicago River.
For those still on the fence about attending, Nash points to the value of the YLD events Aug. 1-3. “No matter your practice area, we have something to match your schedule, talents and appetite for bar service.”