Annual Meeting Hotel Room Block Closing Soon, Free Ethical Mediation Webinar, Young Lawyers Boot Camp Registration Opens, and more... |
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VADA Defense Line
September 2023
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PRESIDENT’S WELCOME
I begin my last President’s Message with a heartfelt thank you for the incredible opportunity and privilege of serving as your President this year. It has truly been an honor and a year marked with many special memories that I will cherish. At our Annual Meeting next month, I will step aside for our new President, my friend, Jim Cales. I expect great things from his tenure!
September was another banner month for the VADA. On September 14, we hosted two events. First, our Lunch & Learn panel discussion from “Lawyer Moms.” Presented by our Women’s Section, we had an excellent turnout and even better discussion. I was honored to serve on the panel and to hear from so many of our strong female members. Thank you to Rachel Horvath and Taylor Brewer, Chairs of our Women’s Section, for putting the program together. Thank you, too, to Darlene Bradberry, Phylicia Preston, and Noelle Quam, for serving as panelists.
September 14 was also the date of our Tidewater Region Happy Hour in Norfolk. Thank you to our sponsors, Planet Depos and InQuis, for a fun evening of fellowship, and to Darlene Bradberry, our Tidewater Regional Director, for organizing the event.
September 20 was the Tenth Annual VADA/VTLA Frank N. Cowan Civility Golf Tournament! It was a sunny and beautiful day at Independence Golf Club for the event. Although Team VADA wasn’t able to pull off a victory, fun and camaraderie were had by all. Thank you to John Owen for organizing this event, along with his counterpart at the VTLA, Tom Curcio, and a huge thank you to our sponsor, The McCammon Group.
For those of you in need of ethics credits, mark your calendars for a free Webinar on October 10, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. The program will address Ethical and Civil Advocacy in Mediation and will be presented by Hon. Michael C. Allen (Ret.) of The McCammon Group, John Owen, and Tom Curcio. This event is free for VADA members, but registration is required. Register here. Next month, I hope to see all of you at our 2023 Annual Meeting on October 25-27 at The Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Matt Kelley and the Annual Meeting Committee have put together a terrific program. If you have not yet registered for our Annual Meeting, please do so today! Visit the Annual Meeting page of our website for registration and complete details.
Lastly, I want to take a moment to thank Sherma, Amy, the Executive Committee, and the Board for their support and hard work this year. Working with and getting to know each of you better has been the highlight of my time as President. I think the world of all of you, our members, and this fine organization.
Julie Palmer
VADA President 2022-23 |
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Don't miss out on three days of learning and networking at the beach. Topics include:
- Decoding the Gen-Z Jury
- Appeals as a Matter of Right
- Daubert
- Direct Negotiation Strategies
- Common Trial Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Preventing Nuclear Verdicts
- Maintaining Data Security, Ethics and Your Wellbeing in the New Era of Practicing Law
We'll also have our popular Breakfast with the Judiciary, Networking Receptions, Late Nights, Wellness Activities, Women's Section Dinner, Litigation Sections Breakouts, and more. |
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Hotel Room Block Almost Full Our discounted hotel room block is almost full and will close the earlier of Tuesday, October 3rd, or when it fills. Be sure to book your room soon from the meeting website. If there is no more availability at the Marriott, there are many other hotels withing walking distance to hotel, including the Embassy Suites right next door.
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Wednesday Dine Arounds
SignUp Genius Now Open Pick your favorite restaurant on the SignUp Genius and enjoy dinner with your VADA friends. |
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Ethical and Civil Advocacy in
Mediation Webinar
October 10
12:00 to 1:00
1 Hour Ethics CLE pending
Presenters:
The Hon. Michael C. Allen (Ret.)
The McCammon Group
Tom Curcio
Curcio Law
John Owen
Harman Claytor Corrigan & Wellman
The mediation process starts well before you and your client meet with the mediator, beginning with how well you treat your client and opposing counsel, developing throughout the on-going process until hopefully reaching an amenable solution to both parties. How to make that journey less stressful for all, with more successful results, starts with a foundation of civility displayed by counsel, mediator, and client. This webinar will explore the role of civility during the mediation process while abiding by ethical principles to achieve the best results for your client.
By using the techniques provided, you will become more effective in communicating your client’s position in a collegial, civil manner, and avoid adversarial roadblocks. Join plaintiff attorney Tom Curcio, defense attorney John Owen, and Judge Michael Allen for an interactive discussion to help you achieve a successful, and quicker, resolution in your next mediation. |
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Sponsored by InQuis Global
Betsy Keesler, BSN, RN, CLCP
InQuis Global
Michael Fryar, M.S., CRC, RN, CCM, QRP, CLCP
InQuis Global
November 8
Zoom This presentation will examine the core foundations for building both an evidence-based pediatric life care plan and an earning capacity analysis.
A review of the necessary standards, guidelines, and/or consensus statements for these evaluations will be outlined. |
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December 1
Drive Shack, Richmond This is a must-attend event for newer attorneys, who will learn the practical information needed to practice civil defense law. Sessions are taught by experienced members of the civil defense bar and the judiciary.
We are offering a different agenda than 2022, so attend again and don't miss the networking reception and golf fun at the end of our program. |
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On September 14, 2023, the Women’s Section hosted a virtual Lunch & Learn featuring panelists Darlene P. Bradberry, Phylicia A. Preston, Noelle Quam, and VADA President Julie Palmer, and moderated by Rachel Horvath and Taylor Brewer. Panelists and participants shared advice on how to embrace the “beautiful chaos” that is life as a lawyer mom, from in-office exercise bikes and grocery delivery services to finding jobs with supportive mentors. We traded insider tips on how to be our best in court and on the playground and agreed it all comes down to grace.
As always, if you have any suggestions or comments, please contact Rachel Horvath at rhorvath@pltrust.org or Taylor Brewer at tbrewer@moranreevesconn.com.
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What do Dallas, Gustav Klimt, and Richmond Battery GAA have in common?
They're all clues to this month's VADA Spotlighted Member! For this, and much
more, on this month's Spotlighted Member, click here. |
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Missed A Webinar
or Meeting? Did you know that many VADA Lunch & Learn webinars and online programs are available to watch on-demand? Click here to see the library of available content, which can be found in the members-only area of our website. |
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Frank N. Cowan VADA-VTLA
Annual Golf Tournament |
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Congratulations to the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, winners of the 2023 VADA/VTLA Frank N. Cowan Civility Golf Tournament! A tip of the hat to Team VADA, Team VTLA, and all involved in the planning of this year’s tournament! A well-deserved thank you, too, to The McCammon Group for sponsoring this year's event and to Independence Golf Club for being the perfect host! We're already looking forward to 2024!
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The VADA is
pleased to salute our members who have been selected to the class of 2023
Leaders in the Law!
Congratulations
to: Donna R. Banks
Office of the Fairfax County Attorney Amanda Tapscott Belliveau
McCandlish Holton, Richmond
Heather M. Fields
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, Richmond
Daniel C. Summerlin
Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black, Roanoke
We would also like to congratulate our members as 2023 Up & Coming Lawyers!
P. Thomas DiStanislao
Butler Snow, Richmond
Eva C. Roffis
McCandlish Holton, Richmond
Congratulations to all those being honored!
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Please welcome
our newest VADA members!
Melisa Azak
O’Hagan Meyer
Dan Deacon
Conn Maciel Carey Katerina Fuchs
Goodman Allen Donnelly
Bobbi Graves
Kiernan Trebach
Leah Han
Hanover County Attorney’s Office
Leanna Minix
Harman Claytor Corrigan & Wellman Katherine Pollard
Gentry Locke
Amanda Short
Moran Reeves Conn Teresa Steinhilber
The Brault Firm
Brian Touna
Harman Claytor Corrigan Wellman
Henry Urban
Kiernan Trebach |
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WELLNESS CHALLENGE 2023
Prioritizing Wellbeing in the Busy Fall Season
The 2023 Wellness Challenge is off to a strong start. This four-week challenge sponsored by the Wellness Committee started on September 2023 and leads to the 2023 Annual Meeting in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Even if you have not officially joined the challenge via the MoveSpring application, the Wellness Committee encourages all members to take these next few weeks to make wellness a priority as we move into this busy fall season. As well, the Wellness Committee invites members to join us for a walk/run and yoga class during the Annual Meeting to round out the challenge and build our VADA community.
For many, fall can be a hectic and stressful time of the year. As summer vacation winds down, school starts back up along with more meetings and commitments. Fall also marks the start of the last quarter of the year, and the last push to bill hours and accomplish goals for the year. During this season, it can be easy to allow wellness practices to fall to the wayside. However, doing so can be counterproductive. Making a habit of engaging in wellness practices regularly helps the body stay healthy and energized, and the mind stay strong and focused, which in turn makes you a more effective and productive attorney.
Although the Wellness Challenge includes some friendly competition, the main purpose is to spend several weeks intentionally incorporating “wellness” into our day-to-day lives with the hope that some of these practices might carry forward and improve our long-term wellbeing. Each week of the challenge focuses on a different aspect of wellness with prompts each day inviting members to learn about the benefits of various wellness practices, and then try out those practices on their own (or even better, with another VADA member!)
Week 1 – Fitness
Make that extra effort to get moving. Just thirty minutes of movement a day can drastically improve one’s overall health and wellbeing. Keep in mind that movement need not be strenuous to be effective. Gentler practices such as walking, yoga, or pilates all still get the body moving, activate the nervous and lymphatic systems, and strengthen the mind-body connection. Don’t forget to stretch regularly throughout the week, especially if you are trying out movement that your body is not used to!
Week 2 – Nutrition
Eating nourishing food is not only good for the body, but it can be great for the mind as well. It is no secret that a well-rounded and balanced diet can help prevent disease and manage weight. However, it also helps fight against burnout, fatigue, distraction, and depression. Making informed and thoughtful choices about what goes into our bodies helps ensure we stay healthy and perform our best in all aspects of our lives.
Week 3 – Mental Health
Mental health is equally if not more important than our physical health when thinking about our overall wellbeing. The great news is that many practices that improve physical health also have positive effects on mental health. Even if you consider yourself a mentally healthy person, it can be helpful to check in with yourself every few months to assess how you are feeling, managing stress, and coping with difficult emotions that may come up in your life. In the same manner you take steps to maintain and improve your physical health, it is also necessary to take an active role in maintaining and improving mental health whether it be through therapy, cutting down on extraneous commitments, or taking a mental health day away from the office. Also remember to check in with family, friends, and colleagues during especially busy times when those relationships often go neglected. Having a strong support system and community is vital, especially for those with high-stress careers.
Week 4 – Mindfulness
In recent years, mindfulness has become a hot topic in the wellness world. Having a strong mindfulness practice can improve one’s focus and creativity while reducing anxiety and burnout. Mindfulness also has physical effects on the body, such as a calmer nervous system and stronger immune system. Although meditation is often thought of as the main form of mindfulness, it is only one of many modalities to become more mindful. Simple activities such as journaling and walking are also wonderful ways to practice mindfulness. |
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Join our social media sites where we post current court updates, relevant legal developments, and much, much more!
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VADA’S Mission
The
mission of the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys is to develop and
support Virginia attorneys engaged in a civil defense practice in the
professional and ethical representation of their clients through education,
communication and fellowship. |
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Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys
11533 Busy Street, #327
N. Chesterfield, VA 23236
804-649-1002 | www.vada.org Executive Director: Sherma Mather
Director of Meetings: Amy Gilbody
Journal of Civil Litigation Managing Editor: Molly Terry |
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