Greetings to ADTA Nation from New England (where it is getting colder and
colder):
Look, I love my two boys. I love talking about them. Andrew and Michael are smart, kind, hardworking,
and creative. (And of course handsome, because of their mother.)
Michael is now 30 (I'm certain he can't really be that old because that means that I am...well...nevermind). He just moved to
Dallas, Texas. And so guess what?! I'm gonna be wearing my shiny black Luchese
cowboy boots more often!! I purchased them last March in San Antonio, Texas when Karen and
I attended the FDCC's Winter Meeting as ADTA ambassadors. I needed a
pair for the Big Dance, which was Western style. I was sure that, after the Big Dance, I'd
never wear them again. Now I'm fixin' to spend time in the Bid D and
put those boots to good use!
But Cowboy boots aren’t what I
want to talk about. I’m not gonna talk about how
proud I am that Michael is now an "official," licensed architect with
“AIA” and “LEED AP” after his name (although I sure am proud of that boy!). Here’s what I really want to tell all
of you, and why it relates to the ADTA:
Andrew and Michael have attended ADTA meetings over the years with Karen and me, and have really enjoyed them. They have made friends with many of you, and for Karen and me their participation has been an integral part of what ADTA Nation means to our family.
And here’s a really cool thing: Yesterday Michael sent Karen and me an email with a picture attached to it. Here it is:
Andrew and Michael have attended ADTA meetings over the years with Karen and me, and have really enjoyed them. They have made friends with many of you, and for Karen and me their participation has been an integral part of what ADTA Nation means to our family.
And here’s a really cool thing: Yesterday Michael sent Karen and me an email with a picture attached to it. Here it is:
The picture is of Michael and Shade O’Quinn, one of the managing partners
of Raymond Harris & Associates, Inc. the Dallas architecture firm that
Michael now works for. The picture was taken on Monday evening at a meeting of AIA Dallas, the Dallas chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Shade is a past President of AIA Dallas. He invited Michael to
attend the chapter meeting, Michael's first. Michael was excited about
attending the meeting because he knows how important it is for him to foster
meaningful, ongoing relationships with his professional colleagues. He knows it
will make a difference to his life, professionally and personally, in the
coming years.
How does he know that? Well, he is smart and he gets it, but also because for the past ten years he has heard me talk about how that same dynamic has been so important to me as an ADTA member. More importantly, he has experienced that dynamic at ADTA Annual Meetings. He knows how important our ADTA Family has become in my life and Karen's, too. He wants the same thing in his life. Karen and I are thrilled.
How does he know that? Well, he is smart and he gets it, but also because for the past ten years he has heard me talk about how that same dynamic has been so important to me as an ADTA member. More importantly, he has experienced that dynamic at ADTA Annual Meetings. He knows how important our ADTA Family has become in my life and Karen's, too. He wants the same thing in his life. Karen and I are thrilled.
At its core, ADTA is about Family, Friends and Fellowship. Yes,
ADTA directly impacts our bottom lines because our members have the opportunity
to develop strong, ongoing, meaningful
professional relationships with the best trial lawyers in the United States,
Puerto Rico, Canada and, this year for the first time, the United Kingdom. We also experience top shelf CLE at our meetings. But
underlying the professional aspect – indeed, what makes that possible – is the
strength of the personal relationships between and among our active members. Which is why if you are not coming to ADTA Annual Meetings you are missing the very best part of ADTA Nation. (Think Vancouver, April 22-26, 2014; and Ponte Vedra, April 22-26, 2015.)
So I’m making two pitches today:
(1) Please, right now (don’t wait), add an ADTA associate member from your firm. (Heck, add more if you can. There is no limit. My firm has 3 proud associate ADTA members.) And get this: The dues for the year in which the new member joins are waived! Adding associate ADTA members is a great way to get your lawyers involved in building those ongoing, meaningful professional relationships that will benefit them and your law firm in future years.
(2) We want to add members
in the two States where we have none, and we need your help to find them. That would be in the two great States of
Wyoming (think Cheyenne, Casper and Laramie) and Delaware (Wilmington, Dover
and Newark). If you know defense trial attorneys in those places who meet our
qualifications for membership, please let me or Bill Staples (wstaples@archernorris.com) know ASAP.
The Tradition of Excellence Continues!
The Tradition of Excellence Continues!
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