Recent News

Do you know what time it is? Columbus Bar committees are back!

 

When my children left for their first day of school a few weeks ago, I got those same old feelings I get every year. I felt excited anticipation for them because the year is new. It’s fresh. Even though they have been to school before (10 years in the case of one of them), returning in the fall gives them the opportunity to continue learning, but, in some sense, to start with a clean slate. They have an opportunity to not only be reminded of things they already know, but to also be surprised by new ideas and concepts. Fortunately, I can also say that they have the opportunity to take the reputations they have created for themselves as students of excellence and build on them. They are off to discover new ways to work to their potential and, in that context, be successful.

 

Our committees are like kids returning to school. They have had the summer off and they are now getting back to work. Committees provide so much professional opportunity to explore. Much like the children, we have the chance to be reminded of the great things we know and have accomplished and to take it to the next level. We have the opportunity to build on the already prestigious reputation of the Columbus Bar. We are facing the exciting challenge to help the committees function to their potential and extend past successes into the future.

 

Did you know the Columbus bar hosts an astounding 39 committees? Twenty-two of these groups focus on specific substantive law topics. The truth is, if you cannot find one specific committee that suits your substantive practice, then you probably belong in all of them! No matter what your practice area (…and this is my personal plug as a committee chair), you all belong on the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee. Every lawyer, regardless of practice area, is a problem solver. And since there always seems to be more problems than ways to solve them, consider coming to an ADR committee meeting. We are all about exploring informal methods of resolution that are efficient and optimally satisfying to clients. By the very nature of what we do, we welcome every open mind and any new idea.  Even if you are not so interested in practicing in the ADR area, attending committee meetings is a great way to get to know ADR professionals who can assist you in resolving your client matters.

 

Whether ADR is your bag or something else intrigues you, I hope you will get involved and get active. The time is right. We are all starting fresh with great history to build upon. It is much easier for us to work to our potential, if we are all doing it together.