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I am an excellent multitasker. Seriously. Point in fact, right now I am drinking coffee, checking emails, doing laundry, making sure my dogs don’t destroy my yard and writing this column. Amazing! I like performing several tasks at the same time and truly believe I do them all well (or at least most of them). My husband vehemently disagrees. He doesn’t believe in multitasking and thinks it’s a farce. One can only do one thing at a time in order to do that thing proficiently, he claims. Anything more and you are going to screw it up, he says. This is why you make a ton of mistakes, he says. Of course, in my head, I’m thinking, “You only don’t believe in it, because you CANNOT DO IT!” The grand debate of a 27-year marriage. Sigh.
However, Will has to agree with me that the Indianapolis Bar Association provides a number of amazing multitasking outlets for those of us that thrive on killing a number of birds with one stone (I am NOT advocating the killing of birds by the way). The most recent example is the 2022 Bench Bar Conference and In-House Counsel CLE Getaway in Louisville, Kentucky, where attendees could tackle CLE, networking, wellness and social activities in about 48 hours’ time AND be able to get a little recharge from life here in Indy! With the largest attendance ever, the 400 attendees experienced an enthralling and thought-provoking plenary with Werten Bellamy (thank you, Jimmie, for introducing him into our lives), an enlightening Juneteenth celebration on both Friday and Saturday, interesting breakout sessions, helpful exhibitors, remote horse bets (only downfall of the weekend was the horrible heat and its impact on the horses), DJ and dessert, affinity group meetings, a run/walk, pool yoga and FUN!
The Bar Leader Series Class XVIII graduation on Wednesday and the new Bar Leaders Series Class XIX opening session on Thursday kicked off my week, and I cannot tell you how proud I am of all of these younger lawyers who will be our future leaders. Many, many thanks to Justice Frank Sullivan and Chris Hickey for chairing Classes XVIII and XIX, respectively. Your time and dedication to the future of our profession is remarkable and I appreciate both of you immensely.
The new In-House Counsel Division held their first conference in conjunction with Bench Bar — joining us for social activities and the plenary and then holding their own breakout sessions. Our members have been asking for in-house tracks for years, and the IndyBar upped the ante and delivered their very own conference. I enjoyed meeting a number of the attendees and look forward to the increased value this division can bring to our members.
I have to take a point of privilege and thank everyone who made these two events possible this year. A number of you complimented me on the success of the conference. While I appreciate it greatly, the gratitude goes to many others over me. Our Bench Bar Conference chairs, Judge Helen Marchal, Judge Ryan Gardner and Ian Goodman, and the entire Bench Bar committee, all of our many sponsors, without whom the conference could not have taken place, all of the presenters, the exhibitors, attendees, and maybe most importantly, the IndyBar staff who worked tirelessly to pull off the event. Thank you to all of you!
In the spirit of continuing to check off multiple boxes, the IndyBar has other offerings for you. The “Indy Does Wrigley” bus trip is fast approaching on July 15, 2022. Get some CLE while being transported in a lovely air-conditioned bus and then enjoy some baseball and social time at the Cubs-Mets game at Wrigley Field. What better way to enjoy a summer afternoon/evening? Heck, if you really want to knock out more tasks, you can even do some work to and from the trip to the Windy City!
The quintessential Destination CLE is back this year and will be held Nov. 3-5, 2022, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. Multitasking at its finest. The agenda has just been released with incredible sessions and presenters, sure to promote thoughtful discussion among attendees. And because it’s Vegas, the remainder of your trip can be filled with many options — golf, spa, shopping, wellness, shows, gambling, food — the list is endless. Elisabeth Edwards has pulled together an awesome weekend and I hope you take advantage of it. Sign up for both the baseball game and Vegas at indybar.org/destinationcle.
All of us at the IndyBar are acutely aware that our members can get their continuing education online in the comfort of their yoga pants and PJs. And this is convenient and helpful for all of us. But don’t you get so much more personal and professional fulfillment by hitting your CLE requirement while also conversing and socializing with other attorneys and judges? I know I do. Sure, it might take a little more effort. Maybe a little more money. However, the returns you receive by combining business and pleasure are immeasurable. Sharing an experience with others fosters collegiality and getting away from the daily grind promotes our emotional well-being. I can’t think of two better reasons to multitask.
At the Gooden household, the debate will rage on. However, the IndyBar will continue to find innovative ways for our members to stay current on their CLE and have some fun in the process. I hope you can join us!•
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