Having served as President of the Alabama Association of Justice (formerly the Alabama Trial Lawyers) over 25 years ago, I became inactive with the Association, probably due to burn out from reading and participating in huge amounts of legislation. However, the Association has always had great continuing legal education seminars that I have had the pleasure of speaking at many times. Last week I attended the annual meeting and seminar in Destin, Florida. The seminar was so good that my toes never touched the sand on the beach and I came back as pale as I went.
While the seminar was oriented more towards Plaintiff litigation, the points made were also applicable to my representation of my business clients. Judge Carole Smitherman’s presentation regarding the do’s and don’t’s of jury trials was alone worth the trip.
All continuing education seminars, whether I am a speaker or just an attendee, give me fresh thoughts on my practice. Sometimes the speaker gives you a nugget, or just listening to the topic causes your mind to give you a nugget. Either way I come away with more and better tools in my trial bag to represent my clients, whether individuals or businesses.
Lloyd Gathings