I know everyone is busy. Especially during the summer. For those of us with school-aged kids, summer is a juggling act. The routines disappear, the temperatures climb into triple digits, and it sometimes feels like you’re just trying to make it through until August. Finding a few days to attend a conference can seem like one more thing on an already full calendar. And yet, every year, one of my favorite events is the State Bar Convention.
The Bar Convention has become something of a family tradition. My husband and kids come with me, and while I spend my days attending CLEs and catching up with colleagues, they explore the vendor hall in search of the best swag, spend time by the pool, and enjoy a little vacation of their own. Their enthusiasm means I end up visiting nearly every vendor booth, and every year I discover a new product, technology, or service that ends up helping my practice. But as much as I appreciate the vendors and the education, that isn’t what keeps me coming back. It’s the people.
You’ve heard this from me before, one of the things I love most about this profession is the community. Community is so important but we often get so caught up in our own cases, deadlines, and hearings that months, and sometimes even years can pass without seeing people we’ve worked with or against. The convention gives us the chance to reconnect. This year’s convention was held in Tucson, where I began my legal career more than twenty years ago. Walking through the halls felt a little like taking a trip back in time. I saw lawyers I hadn’t seen in years and caught up with judges, former colleagues, and friends whose careers have taken them in different directions.
People notice more than we realize. The way we treat opposing counsel, the reputation we build, often last far longer than any single case.
One conversation in particular reminded me why showing up matters. I ran into a lawyer I had one of my very first jury trials against. I honestly don’t think we’d seen each other in over fifteen years. We laughed as we remembered trying that case together. At the time we were adversaries, each convinced our client should win. Years later, what either of us remembered wasn’t who won or lost. We remembered how much fun it was to try the case together.
Even more meaningful was hearing that he had followed my career over the years and was genuinely excited about the things I have been fortunate enough to accomplish. It was a reminder that people notice more than we realize. The way we treat opposing counsel, the reputation we build, and the relationships we develop often last far longer than any single case. It also reminded me how small our legal community really is.
This year’s convention theme was Moving Your Practice Forward, and one of my favorite parts was that many of the lunches and receptions intentionally encouraged us to sit with people we didn’t already know. I’ll admit, that’s not always comfortable. It’s easy to find the familiar faces and stay there. But stepping outside of that comfort zone led to conversations with lawyers from practice areas completely different from mine. We talked about our careers, why we became lawyers, the challenges we face, and what brought us to the convention. Some of those conversations may lead to future referrals. Others may simply become new friendships. Either way, they were worthwhile.
Sometimes moving your practice forward starts with something as simple as showing up.
Showing up isn’t just about earning CLE credits. It’s about investing in your career, your relationships, and your profession. One of my favorite parts of the convention each year is that my kids get to see a side of being a lawyer they don’t often experience. They see me reconnect with friends, introduce myself to new people, and laugh with lawyers who, at one time or another, may have been sitting on the other side of the courtroom. They meet judges and lawyers from every corner of our profession and get to see that, despite all the lawyer jokes, this profession is filled with thoughtful, generous people who genuinely care about helping others.
The practice of law can sometimes feel isolating. We spend so much time focused on the next deadline, the next deposition, or the next trial that it’s easy to forget we’re part of something much bigger. The Bar Convention is a wonderful reminder that we are. So, if you’ve ever thought about attending but decided you were simply too busy, I hope you’ll reconsider next year. The CLEs are excellent. The vendors are helpful. But the conversations in the hallways, over lunch, and between sessions may end up being the most valuable part of the entire conference.
Sometimes moving your practice forward starts with something as simple as showing up.
