2024 Alabama State Bar Leadership Summit
January 17-18, 2024 | Montgomery, Alabama
We hope you have made plans to join us for the Bar Leadership Summit at the Alabama State Bar Building in Montgomery on January 17-18. This event will bring together leaders from local and specialty bars, practice area bars, Alabama State Bar sections, and other legal organizations in the state. There is no charge to attend; however, you will need to RSVP if you’d like us to include you in our count for lunch.
You can RSVP for the Bar Leadership Summit at this link. This also reserves your lunch.
We have reserved room blocks at two local hotels for those that will be coming from out of town. We have 30 rooms at Trilogy Hotel ($229.00 plus tax per night) and 20 rooms at Spring Hill Suites ($170.00 plus tax per night). The last day to make reservations is Wednesday, December 27.
The reservation links are below:
Trilogy Reservation Link: Book your group rate for Alabama Bar Association January Meeting
Spring Hill Suites Reservation Link: Book your group rate for Alabama Bar Association
AGENDA
In addition to the Bar Leadership Summit events, the Women’s Section of the Alabama State Bar is celebrating its 25th anniversary on Jan. 17 in Montgomery. All summit attendees are also invited to purchase tickets and attend the Women’s Section events.
Wednesday, January 17
10:30 A.M.-12 P.M. – 2024 WOMEN’S SECTION RECEPTION AND BRUNCH FOR WOMEN JUDGES AND RECOGNITION OF 50-YEAR MEMBERS
Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at Convention Center (Starlight Foyer)
201 Tallapoosa Street
Montgomery, AL 36104
Ticket price for attorneys: $60
Tickets for judges: complementary
Register here by Jan. 10.
3:00 P.M. – LEADERSHIP SUMMIT TOUR OF THE EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE’S LEGACY MUSEUM IN MONTGOMERY. (No cost for tour.)
400 N Court St.
Montgomery, AL 36104
6:00-8:00 P.M. – ALABAMA STATE BAR WOMEN’S SECTION 25th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATORY GALA
Central Restaurant
129 Coosa Street
Montgomery, AL 36104
Ticket price for Attendees: $85
Register here by Jan. 10.
Those who do not choose to attend the Gala can plan dinner on your own with other Bar Leadership Summit attendees.
Thursday, January 18
9:15 A.M. – BAR LEADERSHIP SUMMIT WELCOME
Alabama State Bar Building
415 Dexter Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36104
9:30 A.M. – INTRODUCTIONS
Alabama State Bar President Brannon Buck
9:40 A.M. – SESSION I: MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS, MESSAGING, AND BRANDING
Melissa Warnke, Director of Communications of the Alabama State Bar, will share strategies for communicating with your members, effective messaging, and creating a brand for your organization. She will also provide practical advice for using AI and social media platforms to enhance your member communications.
10:40 A.M. – SESSION II: STRATEGIC PLANNING IN A CHANGING LEGAL PROFESSION
Forrest Latta, Immediate Past-President of the Mobile Bar Association, Ann Sirmon, Executive Director of the Mobile Bar Association, and Terri Lovell, Executive Director of the Alabama State Bar, will discuss the benefits of and best practices for strategic planning in a profession with rapidly changing demographics and technologies. The make-up of the legal profession and the practice of law will look completely different in ten years. This program will help your organization plan to navigate that uncertain future.
11:45 A.M. – BREAK AND LUNCH
12:30 P.M. – SESSION III: TWENTY IN SIXTY
In this sixty-minute, fast-moving session, we will learn about twenty successful initiatives that state and local bars and other associations have undertaken in the last five years. Chad Coker, Director of Operations for the Alabama State Bar, will lead a lively discussion where you will hear from other attendees, learn from their successes, and come-away with a fresh set of ideas for your organization.
1:30 P.M. – BREAK
1:40 P.M. – SESSION IV – BREAK-OUT ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS
One of the benefits of having leaders throughout the profession all in one place is the opportunity to communicate and collaborate in person. We will break-out into smaller groups, matching leaders from organizations with common characteristics and missions, to discuss common challenges and opportunities. Alabama State Bar leadership will moderate the discussions, but this hour is our chance for informal dialogue and information sharing.
2:45 P.M. – ADJOURN TO JUDGES CONFERENCE
Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at Convention Center
201 Tallapoosa Street
Montgomery, AL 36104
3:10 P.M. – 4:15 P.M. – BENCH & BAR CIVILITY PANEL AT JUDGES CONFERENCE
Well over fifty percent of lawyers have experienced incivility or unprofessional behavior from a fellow member of the bar in the last six months. The decline in civility among lawyers exacerbates stress and mental health problems in the profession. The public’s perception of lawyers is at an all-time low. We will join the Circuit and District Judges Associations Conference at the Renaissance Hotel for a panel discussion on how to promote and (re)instill a culture of civility and professionalism—a topic that affects every lawyer and every association in the profession.
There will be opportunities to socialize with the judges attending their conference, other Bar Leadership Summit attendees, and Members of the Board of Bar Commissioners on Thursday evening. Events are still being finalized, and any updates to the agenda will be emailed to registrants.