Presenter Slides Now Available

Presenter slides from the 2024 Annual Meeting and Futures Conference are now available via the Meetings tab (above). Access is restricted to 2024 event registrants, so login is required. Contact our Administrator, Debbie O'Connell, if you need assistance. 

Conference Photos

As the cliché goes, "a good time was had by all." Click here to enjoy this year's conference photos. 

Michael Mills InnovAction Awards

Two years ago, we carefully evaluated the effectiveness of the InnovAction awards. We had become concerned about competing award programs and declining entrants. At that time, we decided to evolve the awards to be about innovation related to Access to Justice. This change struck a real chord with Michael Mills, who suggested that we combine the award with a monetary prize and offered to help with the initial funding. In 2023, we selected our first winner and this year our second. The quality of the A2J entrants has been inspiring and we look forward to continuing the program. In honor of Michael Mills contribution to the College overall and his leadership on the InnovAction awards, we proposed to name the award after Michael. The board of trustees heartily approved the change.

The College recently presented the Michael Mills InnovAction Award to Mobile Pathways (2023 winner) and Bay Area Legal Services (2024 winner); each received a $10,000 check and commemorative crystal award for their access to justice initiatives. Click the links below to view the videos they shared about their successful innovations:

• 2023 - Mobile Pathways: Democratizing Immigration Justice via Text
• 2024 - Bay Area Legal Services: FosterPower 

In Memoriam

The College Fellows In Memoriam pages capture College Fellows’ personal memories of their friends and colleagues, and remembrances of their contributions to the profession. If you would like to contribute a message or memory to the In Memoriam pages, please write the College Administrator. 

Jack Kaufman, 1932-2024

Futures Forum

Leveraging Current Trends to Strengthen Attorney Development

Join us on June 18 at 2:30 Central Time for a program that examines emerging and dominant influences on attorney development as we build the next generation of client-focused professionals. Click here to register. 

College Fellow and Snell & Wilmer Chief Talent Officer Kristen Hulse will guide a discussion with three colleagues representing the development continuum in law schools, law firms, and in-house.

Zack DeMeola, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Law School Admissions Council, oversees LSAC’s research, student-facing educational content, and initiatives to develop innovative equitable ways to educate and inform those interested in pursuing a career in law. Zack previously worked for the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, where he led the Foundations for Practice project, the most comprehensive study to date of the skills, competencies, and characteristics new lawyers need.

Robin Perkins is an Associate General Counsel at Wells Fargo, where she supports Wells Fargo’s consumer lending business and manages litigation. She was previously a Partner involved with attorney development initiatives at Snell & Wilmer.

Jessie Spressart is an executive coach and Managing Director of Optia Consulting, where she provides consulting and training to law schools, law firms, and companies on management and leadership skills, mental health, and well-being in the workplace. Jessie was formerly in professional development with Covington & Burling.

Some of the topics covered will include:

• The shift toward skill-building vs. knowledge acquisition in legal education
• Practice-readiness and client-readiness … are they one and the same?
• Gen Z and generational integration in the legal workplace
• The impact of AI on the future of client service
• Mental health and well-being in the profession

Driving Success Through Strategy: A Fireside Chat

Did you miss this session with College Fellow and TerraLex CEO Terri Pepper, Julia Hayhoe, founder of Hayhoe Consulting, and Bill Johnston, founder of W. Johnston Associates? You can click here to access the recording and here for the slides. Feel free to share with your collegues.