Happy Autumn! with the Autumnal Equinox Upon Us We Are Blessed with Those Beautiful Michigan

Happy Autumn! With the Autumnal Equinox upon us we are blessed with those beautiful Michigan Fall days that can feel like summer, and also hint at what is to come. The days shorten; the wind feels a little more brisk; and the light begins to change. And like the natural world, this season finds us changing our professional and personal gears as well. The pace for workplaces picks up; schools are back in session; life becomes somehow more serious, and more hectic. For those of us who are in the courthouses regularly we expect the dockets to increase and we plan accordingly. And for those of us involved in transactional and research work, the lists get longer.

So, in the spirit of rolling up our sleeves and diving into the autumnal tasks at hand, our Bar is doing the same. For the Fall President’s Message, I am highlighting a few important events including Constitution Day on September 15th, a WCBA/WLAM Tailgate Breakfast on September 16th, the SBM NEXT Conference held September 27th through 29th, the WCBA Bias Awareness Strolling Reception and MLK, Jr. Award on October 19th, and a Fall Bike Ride invitation.

I cannot say enough about getting involved with Constitution Day. This is a one day opportunity to take some time to get out into the community -- in particular, the schools. Given the dearth of venues for learning about civics, it is more important than ever that we in the legal community fill that void. The Constitution Day program that has evolved in Washtenaw County was spearheaded by our own Lori Buiteweg as a WCBA Public Service and Pro Bono Committee project and has now grown to become a model for other counties and bar associations. In a nutshell, we have partnered with the Ann Arbor Public Schools to send Lawyer Volunteers to 6th, 7th and 8th grade classes (and now some 11th grade classes) with a developed program on the US Constitution. Each grade has a different focus (for example, the 7th grade does a unit on the 1st Amendment), and we essentially get a chance to “teach” about the importance and relevancy of the Constitution. I personally find the students eager to engage, and the teachers are very appreciative to have us in the classrooms.

Right on the heels of Constitution Day we had another great event that is fast becoming an annual tradition: The WCBA/WLAM UM Football Tailgate Party. For the past few years, Elizabeth Jolliffe has opened her home to host a UM Football Tailgate. This year’s tailgate was Saturday, September 16th. Elizabeth’s house is within a short walk of the stadium. This is a great opportunity to socialize with fellow WCBA and WLAM members, and it’s a family friendly event as well. Not only is it a fun group, but the food is fantastic too!

This year’s State Bar of Michigan Annual Meeting will be held in Detroit September 27th through September 29th. The SBM is retooling its annual meeting along with the Solo & Small Firm Institute as the SBM NEXT Conference with a focus on the future of practicing law in Michigan. In addition to the governance role of the annual meeting, the NEXT Conference offers the ability for attorneys to customize their conference experience and choose workshops most relevant to practice and individual concerns. As an added bonus for the WCBA, it is just down the road at the Cobo Center in Detroit. Check it out in more detail and consider going to all or part.

As we slide into October, football and falling leaves take over, the days get a little shorter and the air a little cooler. The WCBA turns its focus on our Bias Awareness Event. This year we have a wonderful evening planned on October 19th starting at 5:30pm. We will be hosting a Strolling Reception at Weber’s Inn. We are honored to haveKary Moss, Executive Director of the ACLU of Michigan give the keynote address, which will be followed by the presentation of this year’s MLK, Jr. “I Have a Dream” Award to Kim Moore. Given the uncertainty of the current political climate (new executive orders regarding non-citizen immigration status, continuing lethal police-citizen encounters, the recent rally in Charlottesville, VA), the work of our local bar in promoting Bias Awareness takes on greater importance, and, as lawyers we should make sure we are prepared in our sworn duty to uphold the Constitutions of both the United States and the great State of Michigan. I look forward to seeing you all at our event.

Finally, I leave you with an invitation to join me in the first of a series of informal gatherings for WCBA members and their families. In the spirit of promoting both physical and mental health, I will be leading a fall bicycle ride. Pencil Saturday, September 30th in your calendars; details on departure time will follow in an email. We will gather somewhere on the north side of downtown Ann Arbor and head west at a leisurely pace to the Dexter Cider Mill along the beautiful Huron River. UM Football will be having a bye week on that Saturday and the leaves should be in full color! Until next issue, enjoy the season.