GP|Solo Division 2007 Fall Meeting
Second Annual National Solo & Small Firm Conference
Thanks to everyone who made this year’s Fall Meeting and the National Solo & Small Firm Conference a huge success!
Over the weekend of October 4-6, 2007, more than 250 solo & small firm lawyers assembled at the Hyatt Regency Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia, PA, for the GP|Solo Division's Fall Meeting and the second annual National Solo & Small Firm Conference.
By all accounts, the event was not only productive but great fun too. Thursday night, attendees were greeted by none other than the greatest Philadelphian, Benjamin Franklin. By the time people figured out Ben was actually Past Chair John Macy, the Mummers had already struck up the music again, providing a festive atmosphere for our Welcome Reception.
Philadelphia’s Mummers insured a lively evening for the Opening Ceremony & Welcome Reception.
On Friday we enjoyed a “Night at the Museum” with an exclusive private tour of the National Constitution Center and scavenger hunt. The museum was followed by the elegant Difference Makers Awards Dinner, at which many admirable recipients were honored for their commitment to making a difference in the profession and in their communities.
Other highlights included the Division's law student program at Temple University's Beasley School of Law, where experienced GP|Solo members shared their “keys to the kingdom” for getting a law job with over 70 interested students, some of whom traveled from distant states.
The two-day National Solo & Small Firm Conference was chocked full of useful tips and valuable networking opportunities for more than 250 attendees from all over the country. Many attendees are already making plans to attend the Third Annual National Solo and Small Firm Conference next fall in Santa Fe, NM. The Division also held a series of productive administrative meetings, capped off by the Division’s Council Meeting.
Below we've included some photos from the weekend. Thanks again to everyone who came, and I look forward to seeing you at our GP|Solo meetings in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton February 7-10; New Orleans at the Royal Sonesta Hotel May 1-4 during Jazz Fest and the ABA Annual Meeting in New York City at the Westin Times Square August 7-10.
Sincerely,
Keith B. McLennan
Chair, General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division
National Solo & Small Firm Conference
CLE materials from our recent Second Annual Solo & Small Firm Conference in Philadelphia are available for download [21MB, Updated 1/16/08].
A specific date is still being worked out for next year's conference, but it is planned for fall 2008 in Santa Fe, NM.
GP|Solo Meets Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Franklin — in addition to his scientific and amorous talents — was the only patriot who signed the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and Constitution. His wit is sharp, his diplomacy unrivaled, his philosophy unbridled and his loyalty to the cause of the Colonies legendary. He invented the lightning rod, bifocals, the iron furnace stove (also known as the Franklin stove), a carriage odometer and a musical instrument known as the harmonica. He formed the first public lending library and fire department in America, as well as the Junto, a political discussion club. He was the founder of the University of Pennsylvania, Franklin and Marshall College and Pennsylvania Hospital. As the printer and publisher of Poor Richard’s Almanac (published under a pseudonym so that he could really speak his mind), Franklin coined the phrases “a penny saved is a penny earned,” “fish and visitors stink in 3 days,” and “an investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” He was elected the first president of the American Philosophical Society, the oldest learned society in the United States, and eventually he became president of the Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage. He is truly a remarkable man who will share with us some of the lessons he has learned over his 84 years during the Age of Enlightenment.
Law Student Event
How to Get a Job in a Small Firm
Thursday, October 4th, 2007, 4:00PM – 6:00PM
Temple University, Beasley School of Law
GP|Solo Members Speak at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law: Keith B. McLennan, Alan A. Fowler, William T. Hogan, III, Patricia A. Sexton, Elio F. Martinez, Jr., and Laura V. Farber.
Patricia A. Sexton speaks to law students at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law, while Laura V. Farber and William T. Hogan, III, sit on the panel of experienced solo and small firm lawyers.
»Difference Makers Awards Dinner
At our Difference Makers Awards Dinner on Friday evening, October 5th, at the National Constitution Center, we honored six lawyers who have made a difference to the Bar, the Community, Pro Bono and Breaking Barriers. In a crowded field, this year’s winners were:
- William T. Robinson III (Florence, KY) for Community Service
- C. Dale McClain (Worcester, PA) for Service to the Profession
- Wendy Demchick-Alloy and Mary Coyne Pugh (Montgomery County, PA) for their work with the Child Advocacy Project
- Harvey F. Strauss (Maple Glen, PA) as Co-Director of Legal Aid for Southeastern PA
- Judge Pamila J. Brown (Ellicott City, MD) for Breaking Barriers
The evening began at 4:30pm with our Night at the Museum including an exclusive tour of this magnificent new facility and testament to our most vital document. We then convened a reception at the Center to loosen up the awardees and the crowd for Philly's hottest blues band, Blues Anatomy. After an elegant dinner, the awardees shared their heartfelt stories and received their well-earned Difference Makers Awards.
Difference Makers Award Recipients: Wendy Demchick-Alloy and Mary Coyne Pugh (Montgomery County, PA) William T. Robinson III (Florence, KY) C. Dale McClain (Worcester, PA).
Gary L. Anderson presents the Difference Makers Award to Judge Pamila J. Brown (Ellicott City, MD) for Breaking Barriers.
Harvey F. Strauss (Maple Glen, PA), Co-Director of Legal Aid for Southeastern PA, receives a Difference Makers Award from GP|Solo Division Chair-Elect Robert A. Zupkus.
»GP|Solo Council Meeting
On Saturday, October 6, Chair McLennan convened the GP|Solo Division Council Meeting to close the administrative portion of the 2007 Fall Meeting. This year four new Council Members-at-Large were inducted.
New GP|Solo Council Members-at-Large: Jennifer J. Ator (Miami, FL), Bruce E. Hopson (St. Louis, MO), Division Chair Keith B. McLennan, David Levesque (Damariscotta, ME) and George C. Johnson (Columbia, SC).
A special thank you to our sponsors for making the meeting possible!
Thomson-West is the primary sponsor of the General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division.
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