MinnLawyer Blog

The MinnLawyer blog staff is back from Duluth. Kudos to the Minnesota State Bar Association staff (including Joni Fenner and the rest of the red-shirted MSBA staff members) for doing an excellent job on what will be the State Bar’s last traditionally formatted convention. (Next year’s annual meeting will be run as a series of one day get-togethers in judicial districts throughout the state).

The only regrettable aspect of the event was my usual complaint that only a couple of hundred of the state’s tens of thousands of lawyers take the time and make the effort to attend. This year, with the economy so far down, attendance was even less than usual. It’s unfortunate — and a networking opportunity lost. For example, I counted five state Supreme Court justices in attendance — and a fair number of judges from other courts. It’s generally a good thing for lawyers to get to know judges in a situation in which the judge can’t gavel them to be quiet …

But, for those who did show, the weather was beautiful, the events were nice and a good time was had by all. I even managed to squeeze in a little biking by Lake Superior on the last day. (I took the above photo with my iPhone during that ride.) Hopefully, next year with the new format, more of you will take the opportunity to show up and show your solidarity for the profession.

Further coverage of this year’s MSBA convention will be in next Monday’s print edition of Minnesota Lawyer.