State Bar of Michigan Annual Meeting Takes Place Sept. 14-16 in Dearborn

9/1/11

The legal community will gather Sept. 14-16 at the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn for the State Bar of Michigan Annual Meeting. The Institute of Continuing Legal Education's Solo and Small Firm Institute will take place in conjunction with the SBM gathering.

Among this year's highlights:

SBM members who have achieved the highest honors in the areas of leadership, professional integrity, and community service will be recognized at the Awards Banquet beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14. The Michigan State Bar Foundation, the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel, and the Michigan Association for Justice will also present awards during this ceremony.

The Solo and Small Firm Institute will offer national speakers:

  • Angela B. Frye, Verizon Wireless, Midwest Area counsel
  • Ann M. Guinn, G & P Associates principal
  • Barron K. Henley, Affinity Consulting Group LLC founding member
  • Karen B. Kahn, Ed.D. PCC, Threshold Advisors LLC co-managing partner
  • Kevin O'Keefe, LexBlog Inc. CEO and publisher
  • Janet K. Welch, State Bar of Michigan executive director

These speakers will share their expertise about marketing on social media, practicing effectively in the cloud, selecting useful technology, techniques for increasing productivity, strategies to reduce expenses, and approaches to enhancing quality of life.

On Thursday, Sept. 15, Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert P. Young will swear in the 77th president of the State Bar, Julie I. Fershtman, and other officers during the Inaugural Luncheon. Also on Thursday, the Hon. John M. Chmura will swear in Stephen J. Gobbo as the new State Bar Representative Assembly chair during the RA meeting. The RA's Michael Franck and Unsung Hero awards will also be presented at this meeting.

Also on Thursday, the Celebrating Diversity Reception will take place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the historic Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. The reception will include an update on the many efforts undertaken by the State Bar to increase diversity in the legal profession, information about the newly formed Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee, and remarks by Dennis Archer.

The State Bar will celebrate the 25th Anniversary of its Michigan Legal Milestones program during a dedication ceremony and luncheon from noon–2 p.m on Friday, Sept. 16. The 36th Michigan Legal Milestone, "Milliken v. Bradley—Desegregation, Busing, and Boundaries," will recall a historic 1974 United States Supreme Court case that addressed a desegregation plan for the schools in Detroit and the surrounding suburbs. A panel of experts and attorneys that were involved in the case will reflect on its significance and its continuing impact on schools in southeastern Michigan.

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