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Everything is bigger in Texas, including this year’s DRI Annual Meeting! Home of the famous Alamo and notable for its beautiful and historic River Walk, San Antonio will host the 2023 DRI Annual Meeting this fall. Founded as a Spanish mission and colonial outpost in 1718, the city in 1731 became the first chartered civil settlement in what is present-day Texas. It is the oldest municipality in Texas, having celebrated its 300th anniversary in May 2018. All in all, San Antonio is an unforgettable city where you will never run out of things to do; it will be a fantastic host for DRI’s marquee event.
For those of you unfamiliar, or only mildly familiar, with DRI, it is an international organization of 16,000-plus defense attorneys and in-house counsel. It is the largest international membership organization of attorneys defending the interests of businesses and individuals in civil litigation. Membership in DRI provides access to resources and tools for attorneys who strive to provide high-quality, balanced and excellent service to their clients and corporations. These resources include publications offering thoughtful leadership and insight to help civil defense lawyers with pressing litigation matters, in-person seminars, webinars, podcasts, legal resources and expert databases. Most importantly, DRI helps attorneys build their brands, provides incredible business development opportunities, and helps develop and foster relationships and friendships.
I have had the pleasure of serving on DRI’s Young Lawyers Executive Committee, chairing its Litigation Skills Committee and serving as DRI’s Indiana state representative for the Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana. I can attest to the many, many benefits of DRI membership. If you are not currently a member, I would encourage you to sign up and get involved. And one of the best ways to become involved is to attend DRI’s flagship seminar, its annual meeting.
The DRI meeting will be held Oct. 25-27 at the Marriott Rivercenter. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience first-class networking opportunities in new and exciting ways, including DRI’s signature networking event on Thursday evening (An Evening at the Alamo) and an unforgettable closing celebration on Friday night (Closing Celebration and All-Star Band Bash). The programming features incredible speakers and blockbuster education addressing topics that affect the civil trial defense bar. Attendees will earn CLE credit and network with in-house counsel and fellow practitioners from around the country, all while enjoying the many sights and sounds of San Antonio. DRI’s annual meeting affords the chance to engage with leaders in the civil defense space and make career-building connections and lifelong friends while expanding your knowledge and positioning yourself as a thought leader. It is a terrific opportunity to connect with future clients and secure referrals across multiple practice areas while engaging with hundreds of civil defense attorneys and clients from across the country.
In addition to excellent education and programming, DRI’s annual meeting will feature breakout meetings of its substantive law committees. Joining any of DRI’s 29 committees is a great way to engage with the DRI community, enhance your career and grow your network. As a committee member, you will receive up-to-date legal information and interact with some of the leading defense lawyers in your areas of practice. DRI substantive law committees offer numerous opportunities to network, exchange ideas, offer and receive client referrals, collaborate with other members with similar interests, and keep informed about key issues within the practice. If you are interested in leadership opportunities, DRI committees are the place to find them.
Registration is now open, and I would encourage all my fellow defense practitioners and in-house counsel to consider attending. Additional information, including the program brochure, can be found at dri.org. I hope to see you in the San Antonio this October!•
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Kyle A. Lansberry is a partner in the Indianapolis firm of Lewis Wagner, a director of DTCI and the Indiana representative for DRI. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
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