2021 Annual Meeting: Reunited and it Feels So Good
| Publication year | 2021 |
| Pages | 0024 |
| Citation | Vol. 27 No. 1 Pg. 0024 |
BY JENNIFER R. MASON
An impromptu dance party breaks out during the Opening Night Festival. PHOTO BY JENNIFER R. MASON
R&B vocal duo “Peaches and Herb” said it best: “Reunited and it feels so good.” And who are we to argue? For the first time since January 2020, the State Bar of Georgia held an in-person meeting, and by all accounts from those who attended, it was a huge success.
The 2021 Annual Meeting offered in a hybrid format, allowed for in-person attendance at the Wild Dunes Resort, Isle of Palms, South Carolina, for those who were comfortable with an in-person event, or virtual attendance for all Board of Governors meetings, as well as a large number of committee and section meetings, YLD functions and CLE offerings. This combination allowed for a larger number of participants than in previous years as the virtual component enhanced accessibility for those who may not have normally been able to attend due to cost or feasibility of travel based on professional or personal obligations. Whether you attended in person or virtually, the experience of being reunited with friends and colleagues resonated with all participants as the hard work, success found and lessons learned over the past Bar year were highlighted, celebrated and noted. The lessons learned by looking back and taking stock of the year completed ensure that the Bar as a whole is well-equipped to shape a path moving forward, strengthening the organization and its service to the profession and the public.
Opening Night Festival
The traditional Opening Night Festival on Thursday evening had more of a celebratory feel than ever before due to the two-year hiatus between Annual Meetings. The excitement was almost palpable as the minutes ticked away before the official opening of the weekend. Attendees and their guests gathered outside the Sweetgrass Inn pool deck eagerly awaiting the moment when they could enter the appropriately themed “Superhero Soiree” and celebrate the simple pleasure of being with other people in the same place. Music by the Live Exchange Party Band set the tone while everyone's favorite superheroes meandered amongst the guests, stopping for photo-ops in between playing out scenes from the big screen to the delight of everyone watching. Food, drink, fun and games were enjoyed by all, but the best part of the night was the time people had with each other. That, and the end-of-the-evening dance party that spontaneously broke out and closed out the night on sweet notes of joy and laughter.
Weekend Bar Business
This was a working meeting, and despite the change in location and view, for most, the business of the Bar took precedence even in the lovely resort setting. There was work to be recognized, work to do and plans to make. Attendees were able to set about doing the business of the Bar during the day as committee meetings, section meetings and Board of Governors meetings took place. And in the new dawn of hybrid meeting offerings, participation was enhanced by the virtual attendance of those who were unable to make the trip. CLE opportunities were also available for those who wished to get a jump-start on earning their CLE credit, or for those who were just interested in learning more about the topics at hand. Offerings, presented live and via livestream, included courses on institutional bias in the justice system, lawyers as legislators and the annual war stories and Georgia evidence series.
Business was also conducted in a number of less structured environments, allowing for a more personal approach to any manner of professional conversations. Beginning with the Opening Night Festival on Thursday and continuing through the weekend, Bar members were able to meet with their colleagues in more casual settings, including a number of social events, most open to all, that attendees could choose to participate in based on their level of interest. From the YLD/Pro Bono Fun Run on Friday morning to the section and law school receptions that evening, attendees were able to gather together in a relaxed atmosphere for fun, food and fellowship that enhanced the in-person networking opportunities that had been on hold for the last 18 months or so. More formal events included the YLD Dinner and Swearing-In Ceremony on Friday and the Presidential Gala on Saturday evening.
Board Meeting Highlights
The June 11 plenary session began with recognition by President Dawn M. Jones of members of the judiciary, the past presidents of the State Bar and other special guests in attendance, in addition to honoring retiring Executive Committee members and Board of Governors members.
Following the recognition of special guests and prior to the presentation of the awards, President Dawn M. Jones reported on Inactive Sections and presented the Individual Rights Law and the Law and Economics Sections for abolition per Article IX Sections, Section 5. Abolition of Sections. The Board of Governors, by majority voice and poll vote, agreed to abolish both sections. If there are members who would like to reinstate either of these sections, per the rules, they will follow the same process as if they were establishing a new section.
President Jones then took time to present a number of special awards, calling upon members of the Bar and the judiciary for assistance.
After inviting Jay Elmore, chair of the Military Legal Assistance Program to the podium, the 2019 Marshall-Tuttle Award was presented to Charles Shanor, professor of law emeritus, Emory University School of Law, Asheville, North Carolina; and the 2020 Marshall-Tuttle Award was presented to Douglas G. Andrews, partner, Andrews & Sanders Law, Savannah.
Following the presentation of the Marshall-Tuttle Award, President Jones invited JP Berlon, chair, Child Protection & Advocacy Section, and Supreme Court of Georgia Presiding Justice David Nahmias to the podium to present the Juvenile Law and Child Advocacy Awards. The 2021 Judge Willie Lovett Award for Advancing the Field of Juvenile Law was presented to Hon. LeRoy Burke III, presiding judge, Chatham County Juvenile Court, retired; and Ira Foster, general counsel/ deputy director, Georgia Legal Services Program. The 2021 Chief Justice Harris Hines Award for Outstanding Advocacy for Children in Dependency Proceedings was presented to Christy Williams, Chattooga County Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (case manager), and Richard “Rick” Jones, Jones Family Law, Canton (lawyer). President Jones then called Immediate Past President Darrell Sutton to the podium to present the 2020 Chief Justice Thomas O. Marshall...
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