| Archive | Printer-Friendly | Send to a Friend | www.gtla.org | Advertise | January 2012 |
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear GTLA Members, I want to encourage you to take advantage of a great opportunity and sign up as a Lawyer of the Day during the 2012 legislative session. Witness firsthand your GTLA lobbying team working hard to protect Civil Justice, and provide them with the benefit of your expertise and hometown connections. Being a GTLA Lawyer of the Day gives you an opportunity to experience the legislative process from an insider's perspective. Plus, you will make a lasting impression on your legislator by showing up at the capitol. It is a terrific program. The 2011 legislative session was the inaugural year of GTLA's Lawyer of the Day program. Members from across the state attended committee meetings, legislative luncheons, strategy meetings with the GTLA lobbying team, and sat in on live debate from both the Senate and House galleries. They were welcomed by members of the General Assembly who were thrilled to meet and greet with constituents from their districts back home. Often Lawyer of the Day participants were invited to join their legislator for lunch to talk about issues and discuss legislation. Take a moment and visit our Lawyer of the Day photo album from the 2011 session. Of note, you’ll see that many of our members met personally with Governor Nathan Deal. GTLA is the only association at the capitol with an ongoing advocacy program during the entire legislative session. It is a great opportunity to build new relationships and to strengthen old ones. We need to keep this vital program strong. The success of the program is directly related to the willingness of our members to actively engage in the legislative process. I strongly encourage you to sign up for Lawyer of the Day today. Geoff Pope
FEATURE
 The GTLA New Lawyers Division has a lot of great things taking place during the 2012 calendar year and we would like to get everyone more involved. Our first meeting of the New Year is TODAY from 5:30pm-7:30pm and will be held at Aja Restaurant & Bar in Buckhead. It will be a great time and place to meet more of your fellow NLD members and catch up with others you already know. We also have other monthly meetings and happy hours set for March 22 and April 19, so go ahead and put these dates on your calendars.
In addition and back by popular demand, the New Lawyers Division is excited to announce that it has organized the 2nd Annual GTLA New Lawyers Division Ski-LE in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. This fun-time-on-the-slopes CLE event and networking seminar will take place on March 14 - March 17 at the Harrah’s Lake Tahoe Casino. We already have a lot of interest and commitments to attend, so please act now to reserve your seat as space is limited. Based on the success of last year’s event, it is sure to be a great experience. Check out some of the GTLA members who participated last year in the above photo.
In closing, the GTLA New Lawyers Division is always looking for new and exciting ways to promote awareness of our organization, provide resources new lawyers need for success, and make a meaningful impact on the people and communities around us. If you have good ideas or ways for the New Lawyers Division, please let us know.
I hope you can join us today or at another upcoming event and hope you all are having a Happy New Year.
M. Brandon Smith
GTLA New Lawyers Division Chair
Childers, Schlueter & Smith, LLC
COMMUNICATIONS
In our continuing effort to inform you of what is happening at the state capitol during the legislative session, we have started weekly video blogs. Check out the first edition, featuring Director of Political Affairs Bill Clark here.
GRASSROOTS REPORT
 Although it is one of the newer local trial lawyers associations, the Atlanta TLA has drawn tremendous interest from attorneys wanting to become more involved in the local trial lawyer community. To the side, you will see Atlanta TLA members Mike Watson, Robin Clark, Mike Neff and me when we participated in last year's Lawyer of the Day program.
We recently hosted a luncheon with Court of Appeals Judge Steven Dillard who discussed his judicial philosophy and background and answered many questions from the audience on litigation and appellate practice.
We will kick off this year with a luncheon on February 1 at the State Bar with Court of Appeals Judge Yvette Miller, and plan to hold similar events featuring other members of the judiciary and legislature over the coming year.
We invite anyone in the area with an interest in getting involved to attend the February 1 meeting and email Micah Gravley, GTLA Grassroots Director, to make sure you receive future updates.
John D. Hadden
Atlanta TLA Co-Chair
Hadden & Turkheimer, LLC
CIVIL JUSTICE PAC
 Thank you to the GTLA Civil Justice PAC Board, PAC Champions, PAC-Supported legislators and Staff for a great reception last night. It was the perfect way to kick into high fundraising mode as the 2012 election draws near.
Check back next month for photos from the event!
Dawn Lasusky Painter
Executive Director
Civil Justice PAC, Inc. of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Thank You to Our Newest GTLA Champion Members!
Michael Braun, H.L. Cromartie, III & Michael Werner
Welcome New GTLA Members!
Ashley Agurto, Brandy Alexander, Cerita Bunyasaranand, David G. Carter, Philip Catalano, Jennifer Coalson, J. Lousie Dietzren, Jay L Drew, Myrlin D. Earle, J. Domenic Greco, III, Chadwick Hill Greer, Shane Hudson, Charles E. Johnson, III, Vanessa Kim, Cheryl Barnes Legare, L. David McCollum, James L. Roberts, IV, Sara Root, Tequiero Smith, Jason M Tate, Sara J. Wardlow, Nicholas West, Steven Eric Wolfe, Courtney Yarbrough, Robert Stanley Lane & Thomas Charles Sinowski, II
UPCOMING GTLA EVENTS
We hope to see you at an upcoming CLE or social event!
To RSVP or register for an event, please visit www.gtla.org. |
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Founded in 1956, the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (GTLA) is dedicated to strengthening and upholding Georgia’s civil justice system and protecting the rights of Georgia citizens and consumers. GTLA works in the legislative, political and media arenas to ensure that Georgians know and understand the importance of their rights to justice and to make certain that these rights, which are at the very core of what it means to be American, are safeguarded and protected. |
| Georgia Trial Lawyers Association 101 Marietta Street, NW Suite 3350, Atlanta, GA 30303 Phone (404) 522-8487 | Fax (404) 522-3705 |
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