2020 Raising the Bar Volume 16, Issue 6
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The newsletter of the Raising the Bar Young Lawyers Committee 7/1/2020 Volume 16, Issue 6 Looking for Targeted Hit the Bullseye with Contacts? Contact Laurie Mokry at [email protected] or 312.698.6259 Committee Leadership In This Issue Chair Feature Articles Shannon M. Nessier Hanson Bridgett LLP The Future Engagement Committee........................................... 2 San Francisco, CA Strange Times, Unexpected Allies Vice Chair Stephanie M. Wurdock What Young Lawyers Can Learn from the Collaboration of Sturgill Turner Barker & Moloney Plaintiffs’ and Defense Lawyers’ Organizations Dealing with Lexington, KY COVID-19 .............................................................................................. 3 Second Vice Chair Article of Note Catherine Ava Kopiec Rogers Townsend & Thomas PC Cultivating Effective Communication While Working Columbia, SC Remotely .............................................................................................. 5 Editors Leadership Note Natalie Baker The Chair’s Corner Medical Research Consultants Houston, TX The Struggle Is Real .......................................................................... 7 DRI Young Lawyers Member Spotlight Darin M. Williams Allison Griffith ..................................................................................... 8 Laner Muchin, Ltd. Chicago, IL Membership Minute Membership Remains Strong Despite Challenges .................. 9 Co Editors Ashlyn M. Capote Timeout for Wellness Goldberg Segalla LLP Tips for Staying Sane in the Pandemic .....................................10 Buffalo, NY Have Good News to Share? Carmen Weite Friedman Dazzio Zulanas & Bowling PC Have Good News to Share? ..........................................................11 Birmingham, AL Click here to view entire Leadership Back to Contents Feature Articles The Future Engagement Committee By Baxter Drennon “All good things must come to an end.” –Geof- Engagement Committee helps connect young lawyers with frey Chaucer other substantive committees and provides support along As you probably know, membership in the the way. These opportunities range from an immediate Young Lawyers Committee (YLC) is limited spot on a steering committee to helping out with marketing to those with less than 10 years of experience and membership efforts. There are also a number of practicing law. If you are like me and on the cusp of opportunities to be published or to give a presentation. experiencing out of the YLC, you may be wondering about If you have been practicing for 7–10 years and are on the future of your DRI involvement. I assure you that your the verge of “experiencing” out of the Young Lawyers time of networking events, professional development, and Committee, the Future Engagement Committee would love great CLE is not over. In fact, it is just beginning. If you are to help you get involved in another of DRI’s substantive law wondering what that looks like or how to continue your committees. Feel free to reach out to me. involvement in DRI, the Future Engagement Committee is here to help young lawyers transition into active engage- ment in another substantive law committee. Baxter Drennon is an experienced litigation attorney having served as lead counsel in hundreds of cases and as trial How does the Future Engagement Committee help counsel in over a dozen cases. Since 2010, Baxter has been young lawyers get involved in another substantive law actively involved with DRI, serving as the Chair of the Young committee? Each substantive law committee—e.g., Lawyers Committee in 2018–2019 and was elected to the Products Liability, Construction, Medical Liability—has DRI Board of Directors in 2019. Since 2013, Baxter has been its own subcommittee or person that is responsible for annually named a “Rising Star” in litigation by Mid-South young lawyer engagement. This subcommittee or person Super Lawyers. Baxter can be reached at bdrennon@wlj. is charged with identifying engagement opportunities in com or (501) 212-1299. the committee and helping young lawyers become actively engaged in the committee. On the YLC side, the Future DRI Members get a .25% rate discount on student loan ree. See Your Rates Raising the Bar | Volume 16, Issue 6 2 Young Lawyers Committee Back to Contents Strange Times, Unexpected Allies What Young Lawyers Can Learn from the Collaboration of Plaintiffs’ and Defense Lawyers’ Organizations Dealing with COVID-19 By Olivia Amlung In the uncertain and everchanging times we • Pick and choose your battles. Of course, no one ever currently face, it is important now more than wants to be disrespected, ignored, or taken advantage ever to find innovative ways to expedite and of. This does not mean, however, that you have to take simplify the practice of law. COVID-19 has issue every time something relatively minor comes up. forced legal professionals from their old (and If opposing counsel needs an extra week to respond to mostly outdated) ways, revolutionizing the way we take your motion, consider agreeing to it. If opposing counsel depositions, have hearings, and litigate in general. Many chooses to engage in unprofessional commentary, take have implemented virtual platforms into their daily prac- the high road. If it does not materially affect your repre- tice, using Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and similar products for sentation of your client, think twice before choosing to videoconferencing and mass file sharing software. Others fight with opposing counsel. have gone so far as to transition entirely to online file stor- • Try to resolve issues on your own. Following along the age via the Cloud, minimizing the need for physical files. theme of picking and choosing your battles, be sure to And yet, each of these technological advances are first try and resolve those battles you do pick on your useless without the mutual use of patience, collaboration, own. With courts backlogged from months of COVID-19 and civility amongst all parties involved in a case. related closures, think twice before filing a Motion to Compel or Motion for Sanctions. Even if you ultimately Showing Civility in an Adverse Environment cannot resolve it on your own, the court will at least appreciate your efforts. As trial attorneys, we are all bred with a competitive spirit and are not shy to the adverse nature of our profession. But • Be mindful of others’ experience and proficiency (or this does not mean we are incapable of being patient with lack thereof) with new technology. Just because you one another and working together to effectively litigate a were able to pick up on Zoom with ease does not mean case. everyone else is in the same boat. As frustrating as it may be, understand that everyone is doing the best Rude and uncivil behavior is, unfortunately, sometimes they can. Be polite and sympathetic to the newness of employed as strategy by attorneys who feel it is necessary everything and offer to help when you can (and when to zealously represent their clients. These tactics are appropriate). often used even if it means creating unwarranted delays, undermining or frustrating opposing counsel, or exhibiting • Be flexible. Surely, most of us would prefer an in-person insulting or threatening behavior. Sometimes, quite frankly, deposition or mediation to one conducted via videocon- these strategies work. These types of behaviors are, how- ferencing. However, we need to be open to alternatives ever, certainly not necessary for effective advocacy. And, in the interest of health and safety, and to cooperate more importantly, these tactics are incredibly unhelpful in with opposing counsel while working through the the era of COVID-19 law practice. logistics of virtually litigating a case. Be open to trying new methods of practice and platforms—you may even With courts across the nation closed or recently opened be surprised at your experience! in a limited capacity, many are desperately trying to play catch-up. Already over-burdened court dockets are jam- Attorneys who treat one another with respect and in packed with both civil and criminal parties trying to have good faith often better represent their clients. Research their motions heard and/or cases tried. Tensions across shows that, most of the time, businesspeople who work the board are high. So, during these difficult and changing amicably with others, even without the expectation of times, we encourage you to practice these common ways receiving the same treatment in return, often get the best to show civility: results. Adam Grant, In the Company of Givers and Takers, Harvard Business Review (April 2013), So, we encourage Raising the Bar | Volume 16, Issue 6 3 Young Lawyers Committee Back to Contents you to be mindful of these practices in trying to work with The Big Picture opposing counsel to effectively litigate your case. Times Now, this is not to say we should help our opponents are hard, and there is no need for our actions to make litigate their cases, or that we should refrain from things even harder. aggressively defending our clients. We will all still be filing In short, it is important to remember that getting along motions to dismiss and/or for summary judgment when with opposing counsel does not mean you are providing a appropriate. Instead, we are simply hoping to accomplish disservice to your client. Even in an adverse environment, our objectives in a civil manner. There is no reason we we can treat one another with respect. By working cannot satisfy our duties to our clients while making the together, and in the continued