The CBA will hold its 2020 Connecticut Legal Conference virtually, for the first time, on September 14, 15, and 16. Forty-five sessions, in more than 10 tracks—including case law, ethics, family law, legal technology, and hot topics—are scheduled and will feature Connecticut legal practice leaders as well as national speakers.
“The CBA is excited to present our first-ever virtual Connecticut Legal Conference giving us the opportunity to come together as a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community to exchange ideas and information, and to showcase our strength as the preeminent leader in the legal profession in Connecticut and beyond,” said CBA President Amy Lin Meyerson. “Whether you are looking forward to attending the CLEs to equip yourself with the knowledge and resources to need to serve your clients or to connecting with others to stay resilient and motivated, you can customize your virtual conference schedule to match your goals all without leaving the comfort of your remote location.”
Each day of the conference will begin with an Opening Plenary featuring notable local and national legal leaders. Chief Justice Richard A. Robinson of the Connecticut Supreme Court and American Bar Association President Patricia Lee Refo will open the conference on Monday. On Tuesday, Chief Judge Stefan R. Underhill from the United States District Court District of Connecticut and Attorney General William Tong will provide remarks. Connecticut Appellate Court Chief Judge William H. Bright, Jr. and Probate Court Administrator Beverly K. Streit-Kefalas will serve as the final Opening Plenary speakers on Wednesday.
This year’s conference featured speakers, sponsored by Kronholm Insurance Services, are from SAB Negotiation Group, an organization that delivers highly interactive negotiation workshops and whose presenters have taught at Harvard School of Law's Program on Negotiation. Shahzad Bhatti, Celia Chase, and Haroon Kalam will teach attendees of their “Effective Negotiating: Dynamic Negotiation Training” session how to negotiate better deals, develop an effective negotiation strategy, and maximize your persuasiveness on Monday, September 14 and Wednesday, September 16 at 2:00 p.m.
Additional notable sessions that will be offered at the Connecticut Legal Conference are the “Connecticut’s Eviction Crisis and the Right to Counsel Movement (PT02)” on Tuesday, September 15 at 10 a.m., “Women and the Legal Profession over the Decades (DI01)” on Wednesday, September 16 at 2 p.m., and “The Ethical Duty of Technology Competence: What Every Lawyer Needs to Know (PE03)” on Wednesday, September 16 at 10 a.m.
Before the conference officially begins with Monday’s Opening Plenary, UConn School of Law Alumni Association will host a virtual networking breakfast for alumni attending the conference to meet Dean Eboni S. Nelson, who started at the law school on July 31.
The Connecticut Legal Conference will be held in an interactive virtual conference environment. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with others in the networking lounges, meet with exhibitors in the exhibit halls, and access all conference sessions in one centralized place.
The conference is sponsored by Featured and Plenary Speakers Sponsor, Kronholm Insurance Services; Featured and Plenary Speakers Sponsor, Liberty Bank; On-Demand Seminar Materials and Real Property/Environmental Law Track Sponsor, CATIC; Seminar Materials Sponsor, MPI (Management Planning Inc.); and Break Sponsors, Aware Recovery Care and CRC Services LLC.
Legal professionals can purchase a three-day full conference access or a one-day ticket at ctlegalconference.com. Registration will be open throughout the conference, but it is recommended that interested attendees register by Tuesday, September 8 to have the opportunity to test drive the virtual environment before the conference begins on Monday, September 14.