Get the Scoop! The ABA LEL Section Annual Conference, Nov. 12-15

Episode Notes

Transcript

Matt Greer:

Hello and welcome to the A B Labor and Employment Law Podcast. I’m your host, Matt Greer. We have something a little different for you. On today’s episode, we are going to spend some time getting a preview of the A BA Labor and Employment Loss section conference that is coming up on November 12th through 15th in Denver. As part of that conversation, we are honored to be joined by section chair Jason Marsili planning committee co-chair Jeremy Glenn and host committee co-chair Ann Shaver. Thank you so much for joining us, Ann, Jeremy and Jason, welcome to the show. Thanks for having us, Matt.

Ann Shaver:

Thanks Matt. Good to be here. Indeed.

Matt Greer:

Since we have section chair, Jason here, for listeners who aren’t familiar with the conference, Jason, do you want to give us a 30,000 foot overview of what it is and why it’s kind of a big deal?

Jason Marsili:

Yeah, so the conference is the section’s signature event and this is the 19th annual. I have actually attended every conference to date. Not a lot of people know that Denver was actually the second location that we ever tried the conference. So the second annual conference was in Denver and we’re really, really excited to be back there. The first time we did it was in September, so we’re rolling the dice with the weather in November, but I have it on good authority that the weather is going to cooperate. So we’re very much looking forward to the opportunity of spending some time in the city of Denver. The great thing about the conference is it’s an opportunity for section members to receive a year’s worth of CLE credit and one stop shopping and then it’s really an opportunity for us to get together and see one another and do what we do with this section that makes it so great.

And that’s spend time not just within our practice but in our personal lives with so many people that we have made friends with over the years on this call, Ann and Jeremy, I’ve known ’em both for over 10 years and I would say that they’re friends of mine, so it’s going to be nice to see them in Denver and others, not just with respect to the program but also with the networking events, being able to have dinners together and just spend those three, four days together at a time when it’s really important that we have an opportunity to talk about the current state of our country, the current state of our profession and the current state of the substantive area in which we practice. So I think it’s a good time for us to come together, break bread, talk about the state of current, state of affairs and move forward.

Matt Greer:

Yeah. Excellent. Jason, thanks for that overview, Denver in November. Can I ask a nice read to it? I don’t know if it was intentional, but it almost rhymes, but it looks like it should be the lyric to a Neil Diamond song or something, or maybe Guns N Roses maybe is the better one. Anyway, yeah, looking forward to it. And yeah, I wanted to touch base on a couple of those big themes that you raised there. One was on the substantive programming and how this is a lot of CLE credits for those who are interested in CLE. And we have Jeremy who’s the co-chair of the programming committee. So I dunno you want to give us a heads up, are there anything that should be on our radar for highlights for the program? On the substantive side of things,

Jeremy Glenn:

Matt, that list is long and illustrative. Downloading the conference brochure will give everyone just a glance at the depth and the breadth of programming and folks may not know, but the planning committee for which I co-chair the employer constituency has been meeting for over a year to plan the topics, recruit the speakers to try and deliver what for my money is one of the greatest return on investment programs that you can find. So for the practitioner who really wants to hone in on a wage and hour session or OSHA or employee benefits, there are substantive programs that address each of those topics in multiple ways. We’re also fortunate to offer some fundamentals programming. So for example, a traditional labor lawyer who’s not had an opportunity to keep up with developments in equal employment opportunity law can sit in for 75 to 90 minutes and really feel like they are updated on what’s been happening in that area of litigation.

So it’s a combination of deep dive for the experienced practitioner along with a sprinkling of fundamentals. And then I can’t stress enough how excited I am about the plenary sessions where the entire conference gets together in the ballroom and the plenary topics this year are outstanding. Small things that might be top of mind like the Supreme Court review, the seismic shift in the way federal government regulations come out and impact us and are reviewed by courts. And then of course there’s an immigration 2025 spotlight, so I highly recommend the plenary sessions and then it becomes a choose your own adventure. Whether you’ve been practicing for two years or 32 years, this conference has something for everyone.

Matt Greer:

Yeah, that’s great. I will say as an attendee of the conference, I really appreciate the opportunity to have that organized that way in the program and get an eyeball of that. I am in a very niche practice and I’m guessing a lot of listeners are. I really enjoy expanding my horizons and kind of seeing what’s out there. And the fundamentals piece I think really gives me an opportunity to get a little bit of a bite-size kind, overview or introduction to some of the practice areas I’m not familiar with and I really enjoy that.

Jeremy Glenn:

Good, good. I think you’ll enjoy the artificial intelligence programming as well. It won’t surprise you or anyone else that it impacts almost every aspect of our practice, of our work-life balance of our ethical conundrums and AI is sprinkled throughout the conference programs this year.

Matt Greer:

Definitely a hot topic out there, isn’t it? Ai? Yeah. Thanks Jeremy. Yeah, so I think that’s kind of the substantive piece. I don’t know, Jason, want to check back to you. I know one the things that I really enjoy about the conference is that opportunity in a more informal social aspect get to know folks from around the country around the world who practice various aspects of labor employment law. Do you give us a heads up about some of the social and networking opportunities that are going to be in at the conference?

Jason Marsili:

Yeah, so every evening the comfort starts on Wednesday, it concludes on Saturday. So for Wednesday night, Thursday night and Friday night, there’s always events dedicated to give individuals an opportunity to network with one another and see old friends and make new friends. It starts on Wednesday from six to eight with the welcome reception and committee exposition and that’s an opportunity for all of the standing committees to display their programming and what they do for the midwinter meeting season. It takes place in one of the larger ballrooms and everyone has an opportunity to visit with friends. So that’s from six to eight on Wednesday and then Thursday I’m very, very excited about one of the things that we used to do historically that we moved away from but that we’re going back to is having a offsite event for the DEI reception. And this year in Denver we’re doing that, we’re going back to an offsite reception and we’ll be at the History Colorado Center from five 30 to seven for what we’re calling together in history, which is the DEI reception.

We’re going to be continuing the conversation that starts with the DEI lunch earlier that day and extending it to the reception and it’s a wonderful location. The history Colorado Center is very unique in the sense of it tells Colorado’s history, which is very diverse with its indigenous people. And so that will give individuals an opportunity to walk through the center, see what’s particular to California, and doing so in an environment where you’re with your friends and we’re celebrating our own diversity and where we’ve come through in the first 19 years and where we’re headed moving forward. And then to Friday, which is the signature closing event that will take place at the Denver Art Museum. And it’s a wonderful location for those who’ve never been to Denver or never been to the art museum. I strongly recommend it. This year we’ll be having two musical acts.

A lot of conference attendees like to get loose and dance a little bit, so there will be a brass funk band that will be playing there. And then in addition to that, we’re also going to have off to the side adjacent to one of the exhibits, a string quartet. So you can sit there and sit down and have a cocktail among the exhibits and take a break if you’re not really into the dancing to a funk band. So a little bit for everyone on the Friday night reception. We’re very much looking forward to it and I think it’s going to give all the conference attendees an opportunity to get together and see their friends and make new ones.

Matt Greer:

So speaking of Denver, and it sounds like we have two kind of highlights on the agenda for the receptions, but Denver is an interesting city. I’ll be honest, I don’t know much about Denver. I grew up in the southwest and one of the four corner states, Arizona, but don’t know much about Denver. So Anne, I understand that you are an expert on perhaps Denver and might have some tips as a host co-chair for things people might be interested in seeing in Denver. Do you want to give us a heads up about anything that’s on your radar there?

Ann Shaver:

Absolutely. I am so excited to welcome people to my hometown of Denver. We are thrilled to be hosting the conference here this year. Denver is very, has invested a lot in setting up infrastructure to host large conferences and events like this one, and it really shows in the downtown area. So things will be very convenient for folks to get to from the hotel where the event is taking place. So I’ll say a couple things just about the venues where we’re having the conference events and then also talk a little bit about some other things that folks might want to look into while they’re here. So first, just to echo what Jason said, I am really excited that we are having a reception at the History Colorado Center. This is an institution that has been around for many decades but has really undergone extensive renovations and updates in recent years and has a number of exhibits that are special that are unique to this area that you can’t see anywhere else.

And I’ll just call out two of those that I think folks might want to visit when we’re there for the reception. One is an exhibit on the Sand Creek massacre. The Sand Creek massacre was a tragic day in Colorado in US history on November 29th, 1864 when the US Army attacked a camp of peaceful Cheyenne and Arapaho people. And it is one of the most infamous days in the history of genocide against native peoples in this country. This exhibit is special in that it was put together by the descendants of the folks in that camp by the Cheyenne and a Arapaho people. And it is a nationally renowned one of a kind sort of memorial and testimony both of what happened then and how the state has grappled with its since and has attempted restitution. So I highly recommend checking that out. The other exhibit is less serious, much more fun, which is an exhibit on the 1990s and he takes you through each year of the nineties and the events that went on with displays of things like what computers used to look like the inside of a blockbuster.

For example, back when we went to the movie store and rented movies. I’ve taken my kids there and while it is strange to see my childhood on the walls of a museum, it is an absolute blast and really, really fun exhibit to check out. And then yes, as Jason mentioned, we’ve got another event at the Art Museum, which is one of our top institutions here in Denver. The building itself is fascinating, I can’t wait for folks to see it. It’s an architectural marvel and we have got a terrific collection of art, including in particular, I want to call out our collection of indigenous art from all over the country as well as specializing. Of course in this region. We’re going to have, as Jason said, a fantastic band play, the wash park bands. They are friends of the family, so to speak. They played at my sister’s wedding and I can’t wait for folks to get a chance to rock out.

And then just briefly, I will call out a couple of things that people might want to check out if they’re taking a break from the conference and are inclined to head out. The first one I would recommend is called Meow Wolf. Strange name, I’ll say it again, Meow Wolf. This is an enormous art installation, but to say art installation is a bit misleading. It’s really, it’s an enormous building where each room, each unit of space is sort of its own installation and they interact and they tell a story. And for anybody who enjoys the visual arts, it should not be missed. It’s an immersive experience. It’s very cool. It’s appropriate for families. It’s a lot of fun. And the other thing I would recommend would be if you’re into the arts, would be checking out our arts district down on the historic Santa Fe Boulevard where we’ve got a little bit of flavor of sort of Santa Fe with its galleries and cafes and so forth going on down on Santa Fe Boulevard in Denver.

Matt Greer:

Yeah, excellent. Sounds great. I’m looking forward to exploring a new city when I’m there. So Meow Wolf, I think we’ll try and include some of the links to those in the show notes for those who are interested in seeing that and make sure we grab that.

Ann Shaver:

Terrific. Oh, I’m sorry. I would be remiss if I didn’t add one more thing. For the truly adventurous and the lovers of the odd, I have to recommend a trip to Casa Bonita. So Casa Bonita is a Mexican restaurant slash theme park that existed when I was a kid growing up the but was dilapidated and falling apart and the food was so bad you couldn’t eat it. It was purchased by the creators of the South Park Show about five years ago, and they have since renovated it, hired a new chef, completely redone the entire thing, and they just reopened about a year ago. And it is especially great for families, but really for anybody into things fun and different, it’s a restaurant. There are cliff divers, there is an arcade, there are magic shows. It is an experience unto itself is just such a local landmark and a just sort of piece of Denver history that I would be remiss if I didn’t at least give it a shout out.

Matt Greer:

Very cool. I think maybe tying into the whole nineties nostalgia, I remember a South Park episode, I don’t think it was in the nineties, but for those of that generation probably stood out in some people’s memories that they watched South Park. So looking forward to that. Thanks Anne. Really appreciate those heads up.

Jeremy Glenn:

The city of Denver for those who might want to explore the sports scene is also fortunate to have a home NFL game on Sunday and the Colorado Avalanche have a home game that weekend. So I hope folks will think about staying over a couple of extra days in Denver and really take advantage of what Anne has pointed out and of course, be ready for the mile high altitude. Right. Stay hydrated every day.

Matt Greer:

Thanks for those tips. I wanted to move on. I think probably some people who are listening to this are going to be go to the conference for the first time, or maybe they’re even on the fence about whether they want to go to the conference. I don’t know. Do you have any tips or anything that you might say to those folks who are going to be the going be there for the first time or thinking about going for the first time? Anything you want to share on that front?

Jason Marsili:

Yeah, I’ll start. I mean, I was a first time attendee at the first conference, but I still remember that experience. The conference can be intimidating. There’s no doubt about that because so many people who’ve gone to multiple conferences, it can feel like you are an outsider looking in. What I would say to people who are there for the first time is find a friend, just one other person that you can experience the conference with because it’s a lot to take in if you’ve never been a part of it. So finding someone to share the experience that you connect with is a great opportunity for you to explore it together. And it doesn’t mean that you would go to the same track, the same substantive programming, but then you would have someone to attend the social networking events with. So that would be my biggest recommendation. I know that the section has for a long time done a first time attendee mentorship program, which I think is very important, but if you’re not a part of that, I think the major takeaway from that is finding someone to connect with and having your first experience together.

Jeremy Glenn:

So true. Jason, if I could add on the mentorship program for first time attendees is tremendous. Last year we saw it evolve in a really meaningful way where a group of six or eight first time attendees had one or two mentors experienced attendees. So it created the vibe of both hearing from someone who’s been around the block a few times, but also doing what you just recommended, which is five or six other people who are there for the first time. So be sure to take that in on Wednesday night when the first time attendee reception is there because it’s filled with section leaders and experienced attendees of the conference. The other tip that I would share is really plan ahead with your schedule so you can minimize the number of work emergencies. You’re going to want to be a part of this conference from 8:00 AM until 8:00 PM So the more you can plan your schedule to have cover or backup, I think the more you’ll enjoy the experience.

Jason Marsili:

Jeremy turns into a pumpkin at 8:00 PM for everybody listening out there,

Jeremy Glenn:

Bringing together four different time zones really means our early risers and late night owls.

Matt Greer:

Even more than that, we have a lot of international folks who I end up connecting with who are coming from all over the world. Yeah. And what about you? Any tips for folks?

Ann Shaver:

Well, I think if any first time attendees need a mentor, Jason is available. He won’t have anything else going on, so I’ll sign him up. No, I think I am trying to remember my first section conference. I think it might’ve been in Atlanta maybe 15 years ago or so. I’ve been coming back ever since because the programming is so strong and because of the ability, I focus mostly in employment discrimination and a little bit of wage and hour. But from time to time I get behind on my wage and hour law if I don’t have a case going currently. And so this section conference has been invaluable for me in terms of being able to catch up in other areas where I’m not day to day, up to date on the case law, everything from wage and hour to ERISA to health and safety. And so it’s just a great opportunity even for those of us who do practice full-time as employment lawyers or as labor lawyers to keep our chops up, keep our skills up across the areas where we might have cases less frequently. Of course, I love connecting with the people that I see at this conference from year to year. It really is special. You do as an attendee start to build those relationships, including across the aisle for folks who are on the other side of the V. And I think that’s invaluable in our profession and our world needs more of that.

Matt Greer:

Yeah, yeah, that’s a great point. I think that is one of the big advantages of the conference is the opportunity to get that balance and meet folks in a different context than you usually do. So I really appreciate that. So thanks for all of your thoughts. I know we’re close to the end of our time here. I wanted to, is there anything else anybody wanted to share just as we close out here, any closing announcements, logistics, anything people should know about before the conference?

Jason Marsili:

Yeah, one of the things that we decided to add to the conference a couple of years ago, and I think is a good addition to it is focusing on wellness for attorneys. There’s a wellness track that has a program regarding supporting lawyers with mental health disabilities, which is one of the areas that we don’t talk enough about. So to the extent you can find some time in your schedule to do that, I would implore people to consider that. And then also on Saturday morning, there’s a wellness activity. This year we’re going to have a sound bath. So for those who maybe didn’t dance too hard on Friday evening or up early and want to participate in a sound bath, that’s another wellness activity. So we’ve really tried to be considerate regarding the holistic way that we need to approach the profession because we do spend so much time, time with our work that this wellness aspect of it’s important as well. So to the extent you want to be a part of that, find the time in your schedule during your days endeavor.

Matt Greer:

Great. Thanks Jason. And thanks Jeremy and Anne too for joining us. I also want to thank our listeners for taking the time to listen in. We hope to see you in Denver. Check out, we’ll include the links to the conference program. You can get all the details and see how much there is out there. I think just a little taste of it for this conversation, but there is really a tremendous wealth of programming and opportunities at the conference. So hope to see you in Denver if you’re there. And be sure if you’re listening to the podcast, give us a follow on your favorite podcast player like us, give us five stars, and I will be at the expo on that Wednesday night. So feel free to stop by and say hi to me. If you have any ideas for the podcast or any thoughts about it, feel free. If you want to share it with me in person, I’ll be there and maybe some other folks will be hanging out that table as well. So anyway, thanks again and talk to you next time.