Message From Christopher Hughes and Soyeun Choi, Co-chairs of the Business Law Section

We build community brick by brick. The nod from a fellow runner. Cookies in the breakroom. Friendly faces on screen during a Zoom meeting. Everyday exchanges build goodwill and strengthen our networks. For attorneys, these informal encounters often lead to education about new legal developments and conclude with friendly banter (a huge sigh of relief). We also meet practitioners to whom we would happily refer thorny legal issues outside our scope of practice. We learn, we commiserate, we bond. As the California Lawyers Association’s Business Law Section moves into its 2025-2026 term, we continue to build community by supporting the active engagement of our members.

Active engagement fosters growth. As everyone knows, it is not enough to watch a workout video. You must rise up out of your chair and and start moving to gain the most benefit. Shift out of the mindset of a passive consumer and, as BLS posts updates and sends messages full of information and opportunity, take the time to share the information and consider how to transform the content. Of course, the best application of effort should be organic, intuitive, and comfortable. Fortunately, BLS offers an array of platforms for engagement so that members may settle into their comfort zones or find an interesting challenge to test. This issue of the Business Law News serves as a prime example of multiple opportunities for engagement. You could forward an article that may be of interest to a colleague or use the topic as an ice breaker to approach a new contact. If the topic piqued your interest, you should feel free to contact the author. If further understanding of the subject matter benefits your practice area, consider organizing a committee discussion or draft your own article. If the lure of CLE credits helps ease your reporting anxiety, organize a presentation or write a self-study article.  You should also consider becoming a BLS officer, or even run to be the next BLS Chair!

 You can also get engaged with BLS standing committees which concentrate on discreet areas of business law. BLS currently maintains fifteen standing committees which are described here: BLS Standing Committees – California Lawyers Association.  Our programming includes in person and remote networking opportunities, educational sessions, wellness events, and study halls. These committees and programs represent robust opportunities to meet active, practicing attorneys who also suffer time crunches and long to-do lists. Please consider each invitation to engage and, by doing what is enjoyable and educational, contribute your brick to this dynamic community. On behalf of BLS, welcome to the new term! We can tell you from past experience, it will pass quickly so be sure to connect soon!

Christopher Hughes
Co-Chair of the Business Law Section

Soyeun Choi
Co-Chair of the Business Law Section