8:55 Welcome and Introductions
9:00 Keynote Address*
Chief Judge Martin K. Reidinger, U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, Asheville
The Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina speaks on the importance of professionalism and civility in the practice of law in North Carolina.
10:02 Professional Identity Formation*
Jerome M. "Jerry" Organ, University of St. Thomas School of Law – Holloran Center for Ethical Leadership in the Professions, Minneapolis, MN
Professional identity formation is a lifelong endeavor as we continue to grow as people and lawyers throughout our careers. This presentation highlights that those involved with legal education and the legal profession need to be more intentional in helping students and lawyers reflect on who they want to be as lawyers and how they want to carry themselves as lawyers in their interactions with clients and others.
11:04 Break
11:14 Leadership Development for Client Success, Service and Significance*
Leah Jackson Teague, Baylor University School of Law, Waco, TX
Lawyers are viewed as leaders from a client perspective, public servant perspective, and community perspective. Because lawyers are often viewed as leaders in these types of roles, they should invest time and effort to become great leaders – difference makers. Provided in this session are leadership development tools to put in practice.
12:16 Lunch Break
12:46 Lawyers, Technology and Civility*‡
Catherine Sanders Reach, North Carolina Bar Association, Cary
Tone, intent and perception can be easily misconstrued when lawyers communicate electronically with each other, clients and subordinates. It is easy for a recipient to misinterpret electronic communications absent of the physical cues associated with human interaction. All too often lawyers are in a hurry to respond and do not realize their words may seem harsh or confrontational. Additionally, automation tools employed to help save an attorney some time may seem off-putting to a recipient. There are also other issues to consider, such as inadvertent disclosure that leads to unintended consequences, video conferencing etiquette, and social media gaffes. In this session we discuss how to leverage technology while focusing on techniques to be mindful of civil and collegial discourse.
1:47 Civility in the Practice of Law: How It Can Make You a Better Attorney*
Gill P. Beck, U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of North Carolina, Asheville (Moderator)
A. Todd Brown Sr., Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, Charlotte
Alan W. Duncan, Turning Point Litigation, Greensboro
Judge W. Carleton Metcalf, U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, Asheville
Patti W. Ramseur, Ramseur Maultsby LLP, Greensboro
Civility in the practice of law has never been more important. This panel provides insight into the state of civility in North Carolina practice from different perspectives with recommendations on how we can better incorporate civility into the practice of law, thereby enhancing the legal process, our profession's public image, and our ability to serve our clients more effectively.
3:04 Break
3:14 Calm in the Midst of Chaos: Resilience Training and Wellness†
Robynn E. Moraites, North Carolina Lawyers Assistance Program, Charlotte
Practicing law is stressful and often chaotic. Many more factors are out of our control than we care to admit. The more energy we exert trying to control the uncontrollable, the more chaotic and unmanageable our internal thoughts and feelings can become. There is hope! The good news is that resilience is a learned skill, not an innate quality. There are dozens of resilience tools, backed by scientific research, that we can practice and use to return to ourselves and a calmer state of mind and body. The resilience tools spotlighted are those the speaker(s) have actively used in life and law practice.
4:16 Adjourn
* Indicates portion providing Ethics/Professional Responsibility credit
† Indicates portion providing Professional Well-Being credit
‡ Indicates portion providing Technology Training credit
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Certificate of Completion and Archived Video: Your certificate of completion and archived video will be available approximately two weeks of the program date and can be found in your CLE account. MCLE credit is available to registrants only on the day(s) of the live event. This archived content is offered solely for review purposes and is not a substitute for live attendance.