Section Highlights

Message From the Chair

TIPS Members,

I hope your year is off to a fantastic start! TIPS greeted the New Year with a number of valuable CLE programs that began earlier this month. We Co-Sponsored the well-attended Ski and CLE Civil Litigation Program in Snowmass and presented the 39th Annual TIPS Midwinter Symposium on Life, Health, Disability and ERISA in beautiful Fort Lauderdale, FL. One of our largest programs of the year, the Fidelity & Surety Law Committee's Midwinter Meeting, took place last week at the timeless Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.

Looking ahead to February, A Day at Lloyd's: An Introduction to the Lloyd's Market Structure, a program originally scheduled for November, has been rescheduled for next Tuesday, February 5th! And the ABA Midyear Meeting is also taking place next week, February 7-10 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, TX. If you haven't done so already, I encourage you to register, make your hotel arrangements and purchase tickets to our events as soon as possible. In addition to various networking events, TIPS is presenting a complimentary Ethics CLE program on Thursday, February 7th entitled Value-Based Billing from the Client's Perspective: A Panel Discussion of Viewpoints from Corporate Counsel. A complimentary reception will follow the program. Please review the schedule to determine whether your general or special committee or task force is meeting and visit the TIPS Midyear Meeting website for more information.

And don't forget to listen to our latest 80th Anniversary Podcast, How E-mail Affects Civility Among Attorneys.

I look forward to seeing you at our many upcoming programs and events.

Dick Semerdjian,
Chair, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section

TIPS 80th Anniversary Podcast Series

The second podcast in our 80th Anniversary Podcast Series is now available! How E-mail Affects Civility Among Attorneys features a discussion between Gregory Brooker, Chief of the Civil Division of the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota, as well as Council member and Vice-Chair of the Government and Public Sector Lawyers Division of the ABA; and Dick Semerdjian, a partner in Schwartz, Semerdjian Ballard and Cauley, LLP, and the current Chair of TIPS, as they discuss how email has affected the way we communicate and our ability to effectively dialogue with our adversaries and colleagues. Listen Today!

TIPS was privileged to work with the ABA Amicus Curiae Committee and the ABA Executive Committee to draft and present a brief to the Georgia Supreme Court in the matter of Hunter, Maclean, Exley & Dunn v. St. Simons Waterfront, LLC. Our thanks and congratulations to TIPS member, William T. Barker, who led the drafting process and was the TIPS point person in all work with the other ABA committees. The brief focused on the issue of attorney client privilege for law firm consultations with in-house counsel and the full brief is available using this link.

Muskie Award Nominations

The Edmund S. Muskie Pro Bono Service Award recognizes TIPS members who have the attributes embodied by Senator Muskie: his dedication to justice for all citizens, his public service, and his role as a lawyer and distinguished leader of TIPS. In addition to individuals, formal or informal groups, such as corporate legal departments or persons working cooperatively on a pro bono project, may be nominated, so long as a significant number of members of the group belong to TIPS. The deadline to submit a Muskie Award nomination is February 15, 2013. Please click here to submit a nomination for the 2013 Muskie Award!

Task Force Spotlight: Task Force on Outreach to Law Students

TIPS has many exciting young lawyers empowering the Section. They have become instrumental in the Section's books, publications and CLEs and are headed for leadership positions among the many TIPS committees. They attend TIPS meetings and events while learning and networking with the best lawyers in the United States.

In addition, TIPS is one of the leading ABA Sections for the placement of young lawyers in leadership positions. TIPS leadership continues to demonstrate its commitment to the development and recruitment of young lawyers. TIPS does more than just talk about young lawyers - we act.

Learn more about this Task Force!

NEW-TIPS Audio Archive-Listen Today!

The TIPS Audio Archive features TIPS teleconferences and webinars dating back to 2010, including all teleconferences from the 2011 Initiative on Disaster Preparedness and Response Teleconference Series. For complimentary access to these programs, click here!

Best Memories

When Dick asked me to reflect on my favorite memories of TIPS, I thought it would be easy, but in fact it has been hard to put my reflections into only a few words. There are so many great memories, and as I tried to look back on each of the past 22 years, I realized that there are so many great moments. I first wanted to say how grateful I am to all of you for the opportunities, experiences and lifelong friendships that I have made! And of course for the memories, so here it goes!

I joined the ABA as a law student and memory lane begins there. Of all the events I attended, TIPSTERS, as you affectionately called yourself, were just plain nice and welcoming. Diane Dailey and Jim Carroll actually followed up with me in the early years and it was the personal touch that cemented my first love of TIPS. It also did not hurt that meetings were in places like Bermuda, Puerto Rico, Vail, and the Wine country, just to name a few. But there is one event early on that cemented my relationship with the Section and its Members. A few of my fellow colleagues on the Business Litigation Committee decided to go to dinner in Toronto. Only 3 of us signed up (Randy, Peter A. and I), but we picked up a stray (Tarpley) and proceeded to a restaurant called JUMP. If we had any inhibitions they fell away! We closed the place down. A dinner group was formed that picked up many Jumpsters (20 or so) over the years. JUMP is also the location of another great moment for me. Seldom, do you get to repeat a memory, but the year I was Chair, the ABA returned to Toronto and I will be forever grateful that we had the opportunity to return to the place it all started in August 2010 and relive our JUMP dinner with all 20 or so in tow!

In large part because of my involvement in the TIPS general committees, I continued to participate in TIPS meetings. The memories grew and here are just a very few: There was the hike up Haleakala in Hawaii; the friends in low places car ride in Maui; the first time and last time I saw Kirsten and her new baby; the day in California that I impersonated Linda Klein (with her help) so I could pick up my rental car; sunset and a pink jeep ride with Madeline and Michele in Sonoma; the House of Lords, which is just one of the many great memories I thank our great staff for; many dances at all the TIPS parties, including those where the floor was involved; my last dance with Jim Carroll; lots of champagne and wine with Janet, Bill and Loren; lots of "Sweet Home Alabama"; the Velvet Room in San Francisco; a hijacked "limo bus" ride in Chicago to be sure we made it to Dick's great party; and most recently skiing down the slopes in Snowmass with Libby and Nucci. While I will not list them here, as a Mother, one of the greatest treasures TIPS has offered me is the memories I have with all three of my children at wonderful TIPS events. You are part of their family and their memories too. For that I thank you.

Finally, the memories and experiences that TIPS has offered me professionally have been transforming. I have been mentored and had the opportunity to mentor others. I have been fortunate to both watch and work with true leaders to help form, mold and grow the Section through its diversity initiatives, name change, formation of both the Trial and Leadership Academies, Presidential Showcase programs, an awesome Spring Meeting in Amelia Island, the Diversity Video and Hot TIPS, to name just a few. TIPS in its 80 years has so much to be proud of. I am thankful and grateful for all the relationships and family friendships that have formed over the years. Dick, thank you for the opportunity to go down memory lane. The Section is in good hands and we all have many more memories to make.

Ginger Busby, TIPS 2010-2011 Chair

Upcoming Events & CLE

2013 Midyear Meeting

The 2013 ABA Midyear Meeting is taking place February 7-10 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, TX. For more information and to register, please visit the 2013 ABA-TIPS Midyear Meeting website.

On Thursday, February 7th, the TIPS Corporate Counsel Committee is presenting a complimentary ethics CLE program entitled Value-Based Billing from the Client's Perspective: A Panel Discussion of Viewpoints from Corporate Counsel. The program presents a valuable opportunity to hear from important thought leaders regarding their perspectives, practices, and insights into innovative billing arrangements with outside counsel and will be followed by a complimentary reception for program attendees.

Other events include the TIPS Young Lawyers Reception on Friday evening, Welcome Reception on Saturday evening at the famous Sixth Floor museum at Dealey Plaza and Sunday morning House of Delegates Brunch. We look forward to seeing you in Dallas!

Other Upcoming Programs

A Day At Lloyd's: An Introduction to the Lloyd's Market Structure and the Use of ADR to Manage Disputes Involving Lloyd's

21st Annual Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee Mid-Year Program: The Heat Is On: Hot Topics In A Sizzling Insurance World

TIPS Teleconference: Failed Bank Litigation

TIPS Webinar: Dangerous Dogs Update: Litigation, Legislation and Liability

View All Upcoming Programs

Membership

Don't Forget to Renew Your Membership!

TIPS would like to thank those members who have renewed their membership for the 2012-13 year. We are very excited for the year ahead and appreciate your commitment to the Section! We would also like to remind those who have not yet renewed for the 2012-13 membership year, that you may also renew online. We truly value your membership and look forward to another successful and busy year!

NEW! ABA Email Preference Center

The ABA has released the new Preference Center, giving you the opportunity to select your own individual email preferences. You now have the ability to choose to receive email from only your Sections, Divisions & Forums, or email related to your areas of interest, and you may subscribe to the ABA's weekly email digest to reduce the frequency of email you receive. To use this feature, have your ABA ID number and password handy, then click on this link.