2020 Annual Meeting

Welcome!

As we set out to plan the 2020 Annual Meeting, we identified several goals for the conference, CLA’s largest in-person event.  These goals included: attracting new, more diverse and younger attendees; improving accessibility to lawyers and law students across California; and offering more health and wellness, networking and social activities – all while continuing to offer top-notch substantive educational programming.  Then, the weight of COVID-19 hit California, and we transitioned to a fully virtual event in compliance with health directives and common sense.  

We are disappointed to miss the opportunity to be together in San Diego this year, and some of our goals had to be adjusted.  But there are some benefits of meeting virtually, like reducing costs and increasing accessibility by eliminating travel.  We are also trying new virtual meeting tools and techniques that may create more remote participation opportunities in the future and increase accessibility and participation in CLA activities.  

In all, our planning committee, speakers and dedicated CLA staff have all adapted at lightning speed to bring you this year’s conference, fully infused with information and ideas relevant to the practice of law today in California, including 2020’s unique challenges.  We hope you enjoy what CLA has to offer, here at the Annual Meeting, and in the rest of our work to be The Bar Association of California.

Sincerely,

Osha Meserve, Co-chair CLA Programs Committee/Annual Meeting
Heather Benton, Annual Meeting Co-Chair