Simply the Best CLE Available

Focus on the hottest commercial and business law issues of the day while earning an entire year's worth of CLE requirements. The Spring Meeting offers you the chance to attend a broad range of CLE programs devoted solely to the practice of business law. Your participation at any of the over 60 CLE programs will bring you up to date on the issues relevant to your practice. You'll learn the latest from the experts in business law and you are guaranteed to receive the information both you and your clients need. Simply the best and most economical CLE available.

Over 60 meeting events designated as "Programs" or "Committee Forums" scheduled Thursday through Saturday will be eligible for CLE accreditation. A Program is an educational presentation, usually in panel format, sponsored by one or more Section committees. A Committee Forum is an educational presentation by one or more speakers, which is normally sponsored by a single Section committee and is targeted to individuals with an expertise in the substantive area of that committee. Topics for both will cover up-to- the-minute issues and will run the gamut of business law.

Specialized Committee and Subcommittee Meetings

Committee and subcommittee meetings allow you the opportunity to enhance your knowledge in specific areas of the law. These specialized meetings provide updates on the latest substantive developments in virtually all areas of business law. These are excellent meetings to network with colleagues who share your interests and practice concerns. Over 200 committee and subcommittee meetings are planned and are an ideal forum to meet and network with others who practice in your specialty area.

For the most current schedule of meetings, click here.

Get to Know Us

Get to know the Section of Business Law at the Committee Roundup and First-Timers' Reception on Thursday, April 6, 2006, 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. This casual, interactive reception, complete with complimentary cocktails and refreshments, is guaranteed to provide guests, both first-timers and Section veterans, with a profile of the Section's committee structure. Representatives from over 50 Section committees will be on hand to discuss the latest developments in virtually all areas of business law. Take this time to join committees, talk with committee leaders and discuss and volunteer for upcoming projects. Learn all you need to know about Section committees in one delightful hour!

Business Card Breakfast

This complimentary, informal hot breakfast is sponsored by the Committee on Diversity and the Young Lawyer Forum. It provides an excellent opportunity for discussion and networking with colleagues. While you are getting to know others in your practice area, you will also be able to learn about our committees and how you can become involved. Meet the experts in your field in an informal setting and learn how you can take advantage of all of the resources that the Section has to offer. You will also have an opportunity to meet the leaders and committee chairs of the Section of Business Law. Did we mention the breakfast is FREE? The Business Card Breakfast will be held Friday, April 7, from 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Cosponsored by the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession, the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession, the ABA Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law, and the ABA Young Lawyers Division, this breakfast is a unique opportunity you won't want to miss.

Pro Bono Breakfast and Committee Meeting

Please join the Committee on Pro Bono on Friday, April 7, for a morning of pro bono activities. From 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m., the Committee will host a complimentary breakfast, allowing attendees to speak with the winner of the Section's 2006 National Public Service Award. This is an excellent opportunity to network with the foremost individuals in the pro bono community. Following the breakfast, the Committee will have their business meeting from 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m., which is open to all Section members.

The 2006 National Public Service Award will be given by the Committee on Pro Bono during the Section Luncheon.

Law Student Activities

Calling all Law Students! The Section of Business Law Spring Meeting offers great opportunities for law students. We believe your participation in the Section during law school will not only enhance your legal education, but will also equip you to make a smooth transition into your future career. At the Spring Meeting, you'll have the opportunity to learn more about business law through special programming for law students and by participating in networking events. And if that's not enough, Spring Meeting registration is FREE to all ABA Law Student Division members. Click here for more details on Spring Meeting activities!

Welcome Reception

The Florida Aquarium is a wonderful backdrop for the Section of Business Law Welcome Reception on Thursday, April 6, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Housed here you will find the natural wonders of Florida's wetlands and the Gulf's most beautiful reefs. Sharks, sting rays and sea dragons are just some of the sea life that children and adults alike will enjoy as they stroll through the galleries at the Florida Aquarium. Shuttle transportation will be provided from the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel. All attendees and their guests are welcome to attend.

Section Luncheon

The Section Luncheon is scheduled for Friday, April 7, 12:30 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Be sure to check the Section's Web site soon for an announcement of this year's exciting guest speaker. During the luncheon, the Section will honor the winners of the National Public Service Awards and the Jean Allard Glass Cutter Award and will honor the authors of recently published books. The section will also recognize the new Business Law fellows, ambassadors, diplomat, and CLEO scholarship recipients. To purchase tickets for this event, please refer to the Ticketed Events Form on page 20.

Section Luncheon Speaker

The Section is delighted to welcome Robert K. Goodwin, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Points of Light Foundation as the keynote speaker for the Section Luncheon. For a copy of Mr. Goodwin's bio please click here.

Section Dinner—A Taste of Tampa

Tampa has been influenced over the decades by many different cultures, creating the colorful and diverse city we see today. A celebration of culinary delights and the sights and sounds of Tampa, the Section Dinner will be held on Friday, April 7, at 7:00 p.m. in the Ballroom of the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina. Ybor City, Gasparilla, and the Latin Quarter--you and your guests will learn about and enjoy them all at this Section Dinner, not to be missed! To purchase tickets for this event, please refer to the Ticketed Events Form on page 20.

Public Service Project

What: Section of Business Law Spring Meeting Public Service Project
When: Saturday, April 8, 2006, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Cosponsored by: The Young Lawyer Forum, Committee on Pro Bono, and the Committee on Business and Corporate Litigation Subcommittee on Pro Bono and Public Service.

Join us as we host a party for the Spring of Tampa Bay, a local domestic abuse shelter. The Spring is a wonderful organization and widely supported by the local legal community. The Spring houses between 30 and 40 children at any given time, and children typically fill two out of three of the available beds at the shelter. As you might imagine, keeping the children occupied is extremely difficult. For this year's public service project, the sponsoring committees will host a party for the children of The Spring on Saturday, April 8, from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Volunteers will work directly with children instead of painting or cleaning. This will do more to focus attention on the true victims of domestic violence. Additionally, the volunteers who attend the party will not need to change clothing and can show up in business suits. All that will be required is to interact with the children, play games, give out prizes and gifts to children who have missed their birthdays by virtue of being displaced from their homes, eat food, and have fun. The party will be hosted at the shelter. We hope you will join us for this special event.

Thank You to Our Spring Meeting Sponsors:

The Section of Business Law wishes to gratefully acknowledge the contributions by the following Sponsors:

Gold Sponsorship

Carlton Fields, PA
Fowler White Boggs Banker P.A.
Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin

Silver Sponsorship

American International Group, Inc. - AIG
Buchanan Ingersoll PC
Holland & Knight LLP
Navigant Consulting, Inc.
Phelps Dunbar LLP

Bronze Sponsorship

Akerman Senterfitt
CapTrust Financial Advisors
Cobb & Cole, P.A.
The Lennox Group
Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP
Raymond James Investment Banking, Recapitalization and
   Restructuring Group
Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP
Stearns, Weaver, Miller, Weissler, Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A.
Stichter Riedel Blain & Prosser, P.A.
Zuckerman Spaeder, LLP

Other Support

Kozyak, Tropin & Throckmorton, P.A.
Akerman SenterfittTrenam, Kemker, Scharf, Barkin, Frye, O'Neill &
   Mullis, P.A.