Aspiring to Great Things
Technology brought the summer Olympic games to me in high definition.  And as I watched those defining moments for the athletes, their teams, and their countries, I was continually struck by not only the level of achievement, but also the work and commitment that got them there and the many challenges they overcame on the road to gold.  As American tennis great Althea Gibson said, “Most of us who aspire to be tops in our fields don’t really consider the amount of work required to stay tops.”

Within the Section of Science & Technology Law, you will find many who aspire to be tops in their field, whether they are “SciTech lawyers” or ABA members who recognize that it would be hard to identify any area of law, or life for that matter, that is not affected in some way by science or technology.  Every day, another scientific or technological innovation comes along that challenges and changes the way things have traditionally been viewed.

The Section continually strives to provide leadership on these emerging issues at the intersection of law, science, and technology, to promote sound policy and public understanding on such issues, and to enhance the professional development of its members.  As the 2008-2009 Section Chair, I am committed to, and will work to preserve and enhance, six things for the Section that I collectively call ASPIRE:

Ambiance – Those who become actively involved in our Section say that the people and the welcoming atmosphere keep them coming back.  It is not a bureaucratic place, where committees keep minutes and waste hours.  Instead, the Section gives wings to those with great ideas and the ability and drive to see them through.  It also is the sort of place that breathes life into the practice of law, lightens the load, and provides a sense of community.

Substance – Our Section delivers substance to help members achieve their own professional aspirations and otherwise satisfy a genuine intellectual curiosity about science and technology law issues.  Substance can be found in dozens of members-only committees and listserves that bring together practitioners from across the country and even the world to share the latest legal developments and needed perspectives on cutting-edge issues.  Substance underpins our publications, whether it’s our magazine The SciTech Lawyer, our scholarly journal Jurimetrics, our new electronic newsletter SciTech E-Merging News, or our committees’ newsletters, columns, and articles.  Substance comes in the form of groundbreaking books, on subjects as diverse as Foundations of Digital Evidence, Biotechnology and the Law, Science for Lawyers, an array of international guides to cybersecurity, privacy, and computer crime, and the next paradigm shift  – Virtual Law: Navigating the Legal Landscape of Virtual Worlds.  And substance comes year after year in the Section’s CLE programs, whether via webinars, teleconferences, or in person, including at the 2008 ABA Annual Meeting.  There, lawyers, recording industry executives, and musicians packed a hall to discuss "The Future of Music: The Collision of Today's Tunes and Tomorrow's Technology," led by 2004-2005 Section Chair and DigiDesign GC Heather Rafter.  Attendees came away with the impression that this is a Section that rocks… substantively and otherwise. 

Profile – With over 13,000 members and a 35th anniversary on the horizon, SciTech isn’t as large or old as some Sections, but size and age have little to do with what our members value.  We are committed to continuing to build SciTech’s profile within the ABA and beyond, both in the U.S. and internationally, and to play a more visible role in shaping law and public policy on science and technology law issues while broadening the base of participation in the Section.

Inclusion – Given that the subject matter of our Section crosses industries, media, legal disciplines, and jurisdictions, we fully expect our Section to be diverse by any measure.  Diversity and a culture of inclusion in both our membership and leadership bring a variety of unique and valuable skills and perspectives to the Section.  Each year, we rededicate ourselves to promoting diversity and inclusion and otherwise achieving the worthy goals set out in the Section’s Diversity Plan.

Reach – The Section needs to reach out to the communities it serves and otherwise raise awareness of the importance of science and technology law issues and the role played by the Section.  We are vigilant in identifying opportunities to reach out to both ABA and non-ABA entities, whether it be in the form of co-sponsoring, collaborating on, or otherwise supporting programs, projects, or resolutions.  Likewise, the Section has taken many steps to reach out to the next generation of leaders by founding the Committee for the Advancement of Science and Technology Law and Education (CASTLE), publishing SciTech Profiles:  Careers at the Intersection of Science & Technology Law, conducting in-person law school lunch-and-learn panels where Section leaders share their experiences, and launching CASTLE’s new publication called The SciTech Edge: Insights from ABA SciTech Section Leaders.

Edge – This Section has long been known for moving with change and identifying the next big thing when it comes to issues at the intersection of science, technology, and the law.  This edge manifests itself in new initiatives and committees, such as the Green Technology & Climate Change Committee and the eDiscovery & Digital Evidence Committee, which the Section launched in August 2008.

Centuries ago, Saint Augustine observed that if you aspire to great things, begin with little ones.  I’m focused on six little things (ASPIRE) in my year as Section Chair that I hope will help the Section and its members achieve great things…and have fun in the process.  I encourage you to share your ideas and aspirations, and join in, as Team SciTech goes for the gold.

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Bro is a partner at Baker & McKenzie LLP in Chicago, Illinois.  She can be reached at bro@bakernet.com.