By Douglas Levy
BridgeTower Media Newswires
DETROIT - Call it River City, or Furniture City, or the newly earned moniker of Beer City USA.
But whatever you call Grand Rapids, be sure to make it your destination for this week's State Bar of Michigan Annual Meeting and Solo & Small Firm Institute.
Over the course of three days, lawyers can partake in section meetings, networking events, seminars on marketing and technology, and panel discussions about recent developments in law.
New SBM officers are sworn in and seasoned SBM members are honored for reaching the 50-year mark, while the Board of Commissioners and Representative Assembly get down to business.
Oh, and there's some little art show called ArtPrize happening, too.
Here's a rundown of what's happening Sept. 21-23 at DeVos Place. For a full schedule, registration and information about tickets to special events, go to michbar.org/annualmeeting.
Welcome, new officers
The new SBM officers will be sworn in at the Inaugural Lunch on Sept. 22.
This year's president is Lawrence P. Nolan. The Eaton Rapids attorney's SBM involvement includes the Executive Committee of the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee, as well as time spent on the Finance Committee and Character and Fitness Committee.
Rounding out the 2016-17 officers are: Donald G. Rockwell of Flint, president-elect; Jennifer M. Grieco of Birmingham, vice president; Dennis M. Barnes of Detroit, secretary; and Robert J. Buchanan of Grand Rapids, treasurer.
In addition, Fred K. Herrmann of Detroit will be the 2016-17 chair of the Representative Assembly, and Joseph P. McGill of Livonia will be the Representative Assembly's vice chair.
There is a cost to attend the luncheon, which runs noon-2 p.m. at DeVos Place.
Learn from the best
The Solo & Small Firm Institute, presented in conjunction with the Institute of Continuing Legal Education, has two days of seminars lined up in three categories: substantive law, marketing/law practice management and technology.
Select programs include:
"Fearless Public Speaking to Inform & Inspire"-Ari Kaplan, a New York-based legal business development consultant, will offer advice and take-away creative techniques for overcoming public speaking fears, 2 p.m. Sept. 23.
"50 Tech Tips in 50 Minutes"-Barron K. Henley's business is all about legal tech. At his annual SBM presentation, he offers a look at the newest websites, apps, gadgets and utilities to let you work smarter, faster and more efficiently, 3:55 p.m. Sept. 22.
"Anatomy of a Client Relationship"-Philadelphia-based Cynthia Sharp, a.k.a. The Sharper Lawyer, presents four keys to strong communication and techniques to handle difficult conversations, 2:50 p.m. Sept. 22.
"Everything You Need to Know About Cyber Liability Insurance but Never Knew to Ask"-JoAnn L. Hathaway of the SBM's Practice Management Resource Center breaks down the components of a cyber liability insurance policy, 4 p.m. Sept. 23.
In addition, select SBM sections will host panel discussions, including:
"Commercial Property from Start to Finish"-Insurance & Indemnity Law Section, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Sept. 22.
"The Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act in Michigan: Now That We Have It, What Can We Do?"-Elder Law & Disability Rights Section, 2-3 p.m. Sept. 22.
"Stay of Execution: Protecting the Client Pending Appeal"-Appellate Practice Section, 2-4 p.m. Sept. 22.
"Overuse of Pre-Trial Detention & Misuse of Local Jails"-Criminal Law Section, 10 a.m.-noon Sept. 23.
"Constitutional Crossfire: Is the Constitution a Living Document?"-Solo & Small Firm Section, 12:30-1 p.m. Sept. 23.
Saluting the greats in law
Each year, the State Bar recognizes those who are shining examples of legal greatness. These include attorneys and judges whose roles go beyond the court, as well as nonlawyers who make a difference in educating the public on freedom under law,
They will be saluted at the annual State Bar Awards Banquet, which is 6:30 p.m. Sept. 21 at DeVos Place. There is a cost to attend.
This year's honorees are:
- Roberts P. Hudson Award: Linda K. Rexer
- Frank J. Kelley Distinguished Public Service Award: William A. Forsyth and Wayne F. Pratt
- Champion of Justice Award: Hon. Ulysses W. Boykin, Hon. Nanci J. Grant, Roland Hwang, Marla L. Mitchell-Cichon and H. Rhett Pinsky
- John W. Reed Lawyer Legacy Award: George T. Roumell Jr.
- John W. Cummiskey Pro Bono Award: Leo P. Goddeyne
- Kimberly M. Cahill Bar Leadership Award: Macomb County Bar Foundation
- Liberty Bell Award: David Britten and Teresa Weatherall Neal
- Michigan Association for Justice Respected Advocate Award: Michael R. Janes
- Michigan Defense Trial Counsel Respected Advocate Award: Jules Olsman
- Michigan State Bar Foundation Founders Award: George A. Googasian and Jon R. Muth
- Representative Assembly Michael Franck Award: Lynn P. Chard
- Representative Assembly Unsung Hero Award: Tessa K. Hessmiller and Jerrold E. Schrotenboer
Masters in law and diversity matters
Besides the inauguration lunch and awards dinner, three other special events feting State Bar members are scheduled for during the meeting.
The SBM's efforts in diversity within the bar will be the focus of the Equal Access and Diversity & Inclusion Mixer. It takes place 11 a.m.-noon Sept. 22 at DeVos Place. The mixer is hosted by the Equal Access Committee of the Justice Initiatives and the Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Committee. There is no cost to attend but registration is requested.
Later that night is the Celebrating Diversity Reception, which happens 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Mojo's Dueling Piano Bar in Grand Rapids. The event acknowledges the work accomplished over the year in support of achieving greater diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. There is a cost to attend.
Nearly 250 State Bar members are hitting the five-decade mark this year, and the 50-Year Golden Celebration Lunch on Sept. 23 will honor them.
Among this year's class are federal Judge Arthur J. Tarnow, former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Michael F. Cavanagh and 65th State Bar President Alfred M. Butzbaugh.
There is a cost to attend the luncheon, which runs noon-2 p.m. at DeVos Place.
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Art as far as the eye can see
Many State Bar members who had traveled at least an hour to Grand Rapids for the 2010 State Bar of Michigan Annual Meeting got quite a culture shock when they arrived.
That's because the second year of ArtPrize - the international public- and juried-vote art competition that turns the entire city of Grand Rapids into a museum - was in full swing.
And with it, the downtown streets displayed such homemade attractions as oversized flower sculptures and steel robots that looked like they came straight out of "The Empire Strikes Back." A family of lions made out of nails lay in a parking lot. And a giant glass mosaic was one of many surreal creations to draw hundreds to DeVos Place.
It was enough to prompt a Metro Detroit lawyer to say to another, upon witnessing a giant, flying steampunk pig next to The B.O.B., "We're not in Grand Rapids. We're in Oz Rapids."
If this all sounds like ideal eye candy, you're in luck - because ArtPrize kicks off Sept. 21, the first day of the SBM Meeting.
According to The Art Newspaper, the competition, which awards $500,000-plus in prizes and brings more than 1,500 works to the city, is "the most-attended public art event on the planet." Recently, it was highlighted in The New York Times' "52 Places to Go in 2016."
Fifty-seven artists will have their exhibits installed at DeVos Place, with many more pieces found in nearby locations such as the Gillett Bridge, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum and along the Grand River.
As much as this sounds like a complement to the already large gathering that is the SBM Meeting, it also means crowds nearly everywhere throughout the city. So if you are able, try to arrive to the SBM Meeting as early as possible in order to secure nearby parking, as weekday ArtPrize crowds can swell.
For a list of venues and information on how to vote, visit www.artprize.org.
- Douglas Levy
Published: Mon, Sep 19, 2016
