The Massachusetts Bar Association will commemorate its
100th anniversary with two days of celebration at the
Centennial Conference this spring. A House of Delegates meeting,
the Access to Justice Luncheon and Continuing Legal Education
programs will be held May 18, while May 19 will feature the
Centennial Ball and more Continuing Legal Education programs.
"It's an opportunity for everybody to come together and celebrate
the rich history of the MBA," MBA President Denise Squillante said.
"The conference offers practitioners an opportunity to network and
sharpen their skills while at the same time honor our past 100
years."
The Centennial Conference will kick off on Wednesday, May 18, at
the Sheraton Boston with the MBA's House of Delegates meeting,
followed by the Access to Justice Awards Luncheon and a day of
continuing legal education programming. Educational programming
will continue for most of the second day of the conference, which
will culminate with the Centennial Ball, a night of dinner and
dancing.
"Whether it's for the celebration or the education, it's a really
important event. You can learn, celebrate and network all at the
same time," said MBA Secretary Marsha V. Kazarosian, who is chair
of the MBA's Education Committee. "It's really going to be the
highlight of the year."
The MBA's Access to Justice Awards Luncheon is an annual event
that recognizes the public service contributions of Massachusetts
attorneys and the pro bono efforts and achievements of MBA members.
"It's inspiring to see the work other lawyers are doing throughout
the state," Squillante said.
The educational component of the conference will include three
tracks: one for young lawyers, another focused on litigation and
the last on substantive law, according to MBA Vice President
Douglas K. Sheff, who is also chair of the Centennial Conference
and co-chair of the Centennial Ball. According to Sheff, the panels
will be diverse and include all sides of every issue.
"We really will be providing something for everyone. The
conference really has a wide net," said Sheff, who emphasized that
the conference will be especially critical because of judge
involvement. "We're going to have an unprecedented amount of judge
participation."
Look for full descriptions and faculty of the educational
programs, as well as information about the rest of the conference
events -- including costs -- in future issues of Lawyers
Journal, Lawyers e-Journal and in e-mail
communication.