The ABA-YLD 2006 Spring Conference Comes to Portland, Oregon May 18-20

 by Julia A. Bahner

The ABA Young Lawyers Division (“YLD”) annual Spring Conference will take place close to home this year in Portland, Oregon. The conference will commence on Thursday, May 18, with a welcome reception, and will continue with two days of programming from May 19-20, 2006. The conference will be a great chance to network with young lawyers from across the country and to gain free CLE credits. In fact, the conference is a great deal because registration is absolutely free. The conference hotel is the Hilton Portland and Executive Tower, 921 S.W. Sixth Ave., Portland, www.portland.hilton.com. Accommodations for conference attendees ranges from $119 single/double to $139 per night.

Free CLEs to be offered at the conference include the following: Basic Transactional Law, Effective Internal Investigations, Family Law Mediation, Issues Involving Sexual Orientation in the Workplace, and the Heath of Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers in the Child Welfare System. Additionally, a panel for those interested in becoming Law Professors will be presented, as well as panels addressing productivity in the workplace and maintaining a better law practice. A diversity training panel will address practical issues for navigating the politics of race, gender and other protected classes. Additionally, financial planners will be on hand to meet with young lawyers to discuss their financial goals. This is just a sampling of what will be offered at the conference. There will also be plenty of workshops addressing public service projects and programs that have been successful across the country and can be replicated here in Washington. There will also be plenty of bar leadership workshops addressing fundraising and public service issues.

Other highlights include a great social event/dinner on Friday, May 19, and a wine tasting showcasing wines from Oregon. The Portland host committee promises that the dress code will be “Portland Casual,” so there will be no need to be worry about wearing suits each day.

This conference will also be a joint conference with the ABA AIDS Coordination Project's Third HIV/AIDS Law and Practice Conference. YLD conference attendees can attend programs offered as part of this conference, bringing together both new and seasoned practitioners of HIV/AIDS related law and advocacy to explore complex legal issues, exchange practice strategies, and strengthen bonds as a community of advocates.

For more information go to www.abanet.org/yld for detailed program and social event information, and to register online. Register for the conference and social events and reserve your hotel rooms by no later than April 21, 2006 to take advantage of the early-bird discounts. Next year, the fall and spring ABA YLD conferences will be in Baltimore and Montreal, so I hope that young lawyers from across Washington will attend this event while it is so close to home. Rides to the conference may be available to people interested in carpooling. If interested in this option, please email Mark O'Halloran at markohalloran@earthlink.net with your name and contact information.

Julia A. Bahner is a WYLD King Country Trustee and a member of the ABA YLD CLE Team. She is an Associate at Lane Powell PC. She can be reached at 206-223-7436 or bahnerj@lanepowell.com