The Savannah Trial Lawyers Association began its August to June business year by welcoming GTLA President Geoff Pope to the coast for cocktails at Bonna Bella Yacht Club, an ironically named flip-flop-and-t-shirt style bar that sits along a tidal creek and overlooks an expanse of marsh.  Geoff's appearance, along with the unusually cool August evening and vendor-sponsored beer, lured in about 40 local trial lawyers to the 2011-2012 year kickoff event.  

The group then settled into its normal routine of meeting for lunch on the last Tuesday of every month, but with a few new twists.  The venue changed to a private room at the Savannah Golf Club and the meetings were slightly reorganized.  In addition to the usual guest speaker, portions of the meetings were designated for sharing local verdicts, orders, defense tactics, etc.  Parliamentarian Brad Stephens also began giving a monthly report on recent significant appellate court cases of interest.  The highlights of the fall lunch meetings were the presentations by guest speakers Buck Rogers, Rob Kelly and -- in one of his first speaking engagements after taking the bench -- Chatham County State Court Judge Greg Sapp.  

STLA ended the year with its 2nd Annual Holiday Party at bar at The Marshall House.  In the casual event hosted by Casemetrix, local trial lawyers and local members of the legislature celebrated together; thus, capping off a 2011 full of achievement and setting the stage for more success in 2012.