Nearly 200 NAWJ members, interested judges, lawyers, law students and others from Atlanta and beyond joined our Board of Directors at the 2009 MidYear Meeting and Southeastern Leadership Conference. The Conference was hosted by NAWJ President La Tia W. Martin and was held at the Intercontinental Hotel Buckhead in Atlanta. Conference attendees gathered to enjoy a plethora of events, including: an informative luncheon address by the Hon. Glenda Hatchett; a recognition ceremony for the pioneering efforts of former Eleventh Circuit U.S. Appeals Court Judge Hon. Phyllis A. Kravitch which was held at the fabulous law offices of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP; and a general spread of good cheer at the reception held at the lovely home of Conference Co-Chair Georgia Supreme Court Presiding Justice Carol W. Hunstein.
The Keynote Luncheon Speaker, Hon. Glenda Hatchett, host of the syndicated show ‘Judge Hatchett’ and former Chief Presiding Judge of the Fulton County’s Juvenile Court, delivered a riveting speech on children which reminded judges in attendance to “keep their promise to care for our children while upholding the law.” This event was graciously sponsored by one of Atlanta’s leading law firms: Butler, Wooten & Fryhofer, LLP.
We applaud the outstanding efforts of the Conference Co-Chairs from the Georgia Supreme Court Presiding Justice Carol Hunstein and Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears as well as local conference planning committee members; Hon. Nina Radakovich, Hon. Cynthia Becker, Leah Givan, Terry Cobb and Sylvia Gaines. Programming included a substantive and cutting edge Family Law program which discussed emerging issues of parenthood and the courts response to family and community stability. The outstanding Panel speakers were Washington and Lee University Law School Professor Robin Fretwell Wilson and former Georgia Judge Tom Rawlings, Director of the Georgia Office of the Child Advocate. Those in attendance posed many questions to the panelists which resulted in quite interesting discussions.
Boasting an awe-inspiring view of the city, few offices in Atlanta rival those of the Law Offices of Nelson Mullins in the new Atlantic Center Tower, which hosted the Friday evening reception through the enthusiastic charm of one of its attorneys, Taylor Daly.
Hon. Carol W. Hunstein welcomed attendees and friends to her wonderful home for a delightful evening reception at which Equal Access to Justice Scholarships were awarded to Lisamarie Nellyn Bristol, a Juris Doctor candidate at Georgia State University College of Law in Atlanta, Georgia, and Amber C. Saunders, candidate for Juris Doctor at John Marshall Law School in Atlanta, Georgia. Attorneys Kevin Rubin and John Harbin, representatives from reception sponsor law firms Greenberg Traurig and King & Spalding respectively, were on hand to recognize and support efforts to advance emerging leaders in the law.
NAWJ recognizes the persistent and selfless efforts of Friends Committee Chairs Linda A. Klein, Esq., Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC; Stephanie E. Parker, Esq., Jones Day; Elizabeth A. Price, Esq., Alston & Bird LLP; Lynn M. Roberson, Esq., Swift, Currie, McGhee & Hiers LLP; Lovita T. Tandy Esq., King & Spalding LLP; and Lee Wallace, Esq., Bird Law Group, P.C. and the supportive Conference Sponsors;
Platinum Sponsors: Daily Report and Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP;
Gold Sponsors: Alston & Bird LLP, Butler, Wooten & Fryhofer, LLP, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, King & Spalding and West, a Thomson Reuters Business;
Silver Sponsors: Cook & Connelly, Jones Day, Kilpatrick Stockton LLP, and Schiff Hardin LLP;
Bronze Sponsors: Atlanta Bar Association, Darryl Wiseman Flowers, Doffermyre Shields Canfield Knowles & Devine LLP, Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Hall, Booth, Smith & Slover, PC, Peter A. Law, P.C., Malone Law, and Weinberg, Wheeler, Hudgins, Gunn & Dial, LLC; and
Supporters: Atlanta Bar Litigation Section, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, Belk Department Store at Phipps Plaza, Bodker, Ramsey, Andrews, Winograd & Wildstein, P.C., Bondurant, Mixson & Elmore, LLP, The Law Office of Michael P. Carestia, Coca Cola, Court Call, The Finley Firm, P.C., Laurie Webb Daniels, Esq., Georgia Association of Women Lawyers, Georgia Defense Lawyers Association, Georgia State Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, Insley and Race, LLC, The Junior League of Atlanta, Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP, Jim McDonald, Esq., McKenna Long Aldridge, C. Brad Marsh & Elizabeth Obenshain, Michael & Heather Papirio, Lynn Roberson, Esq., Slappey & Sadd, LLC, Stonewall Bar Association and Swift, Currie, McGhee & Hiers, LLP.
Thank you all so very much!
This year’s Midyear and Southeastern Leadership Conference will take place at the Intercontinental Buckhead in the near suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. Hotel rates are $179.00 per night, and you may reserve accommodations by calling (877) 422-8254. Identify our group name, "NAWJ", to receive the conference rate. You must make reservations by March 13, 2009. Subject to availability.
The registration fee for the entire conference includes the Keynote Luncheon, educational sessions, receptions, meals, and transportation.
Friday Keynote lunch ONLY Fee:
NAWJ Members: $65.00
Non NAWJ Members: $80.00
Friday Reception ONLY Fee:
NAWJ Members: $35.00
Non NAWJ Members: $50.00
Click here to register online and pay by MasterCard, VISA or AMEX. Or download the registration form to fax or mail to NAWJ. Send to:
Hon. Leah Ward Sears
Georgia Supreme Court
Hon. Carol W. Hunstein
Supreme Court of Georgia
Hon. Cynthia J. Becker
DeKalb Co. Superior Court
Hon. Nina M. Radakovich, Retired
City Court of Atlanta
Ms. Silvia A. Gaines
Georgia Committee on Access & Fairness in the Courts
Administrative Office of the Courts
Ms. Leah K. Givan, MSW
Coordinator of the Commission on Children, Marriage and Family Law
Supreme Court of Georgia
Friday Luncheon Noon – 1:30PM
Friday Afternoon Panels - Family Law 1:30PM - 3:30PM
1:30PM - 2:30PM
De Facto Parenthood and Child Well-Being*
Speaker: Robin Fretwell Wilson, Washington & Lee University Law School
The American Law Institute (ALI) has proposed sweeping changes in the legal conception of parenthood that would confer custody and visitation rights on de facto parents, and strip legal parents of the prerogative to decide who has contact with their child. In many ways, the ALI is engaged in an admirable undertaking: to provide children with enduring contact with the only father a child has known, but significant unintended consequences are likely to result.
2:30PM - 3:30PM
Protecting Children and Our Liberty*
Speaker: Tom Rawlings, Director, Georgia Office of the Child Advocate
What is the proper balance between aggressive action to protect children from abuse and neglect and undesirable over-reaction resulting in the erosion of civil liberties? What about the state imposition of psychological harm on children and their families? What is the law?
This session will discuss these issues in the context of the recent case involving the removal of 460 children from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) compound in Texas.
*These sessions have been approved for CLE credit through the State Bar of Georgia.
Friday Evening Reception 6:00PM - 8:00PM
Saturday Breakfast 7:00AM - 9:00PM
Saturday Board Meeting 9:00AM - 3:00PM
Saturday Afternoon
Saturday Evening Judicial Reception 6:00PM - 8:00PM
Sunday Farewell Breakfast 7:00AM - 9:00PM
Linda A. Klein, Esq.
Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC
Stephanie E. Parker, Esq.
Jones Day
Elizabeth A. Price
Alston & Bird LLP
Lynn M. Roberson, Esq.
Swift, Currie, McGhee & Hiers LLP
Lovita T. Tandy Esq.
King & Spalding LLP
Lee Wallace, Esq.
Bird Law Group, P.C.
Committee membership is currently being developed.
Daily Report
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP
Alston & Bird LLP
Butler, Wooten & Fryhofer, LLP
Coca-Cola Enterprises
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
King & Spalding
West, a Thomson Reuters Business
Cook & Connelly
Jones Day
Kilpatrick Stockton LLP
Schiff Hardin LLP
Atlanta Bar Association
Darryl Wiseman Flowers
Doffermyre Shields Canfield Knowles & Devine LLP
Georgia Trial Lawyers Association
Hall, Booth, Smith & Slover, PC
Peter A. Law, P.C.
Malone Law
Weinberg, Wheeler, Hudgins, Gunn & Dial, LLC
Atlanta Bar Litigation Section
Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Chapter of the Federal Bar Association
Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC
Bodker, Ramsey, Andrews, Winograd & Wildstein, P.C.
Bondurant, Mixson & Elmore, LLP
The Law Office of Michael P. Carestia
Coca Cola
Court Call
The Finley Firm, P.C.
Georgia Association of Women Lawyers
Georgia Defense Lawyers Association
Insley and Race, LLC
Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP
Jim McDonald
Mckenna Long Aldridge
C. Brad Marsh & Elizabeth Obenshain
Michael & Heather Papirio
Lynn Roberson, Esq.
Slappey & Sadd, LLC
Stonewall Bar Association
Swift, Currie, McGhee & Hiers, LLP
Sponsorship Levels and Benefits: Platinum Level | Gold Level | Silver Level | Bronze Level
Platinum ($10,000)
Entitled to:
We will try to accommodate requests for tickets that do not fit within one of the Sponsorship categories but cannot guarantee that we will be able to fill all special requests. We intend to organize a pool for unused tickets that will be made available to legal services attorneys and, consistent with ethical guidelines, to government attorneys.