Although I say it to Calhoun all the time, I'm not sure I've said it here because I like the blog to be a positive place. But, to put it mildly, being a new attorney here isolating. There just aren't many attorneys around and there aren't any other new attorneys to grab a happy hour with. Like I've said before, I loved going to school and working in Minneapolis - there were always people around to talk shop over a cocktail.
Sometimes it's salt in a wound when event emails arrive in my inbox inviting me to the New Lawyer's Section Happy Hour on a Thursday afternoon or a Minnesota Women Lawyer's lunch on a Wednesday. I have attended a few Continuing Legal Education ("CLE") sessions remotely, but you just don't get the same experience or conversation when sitting alone in your office after hours.
So, I was thrilled when I heard about "Nine Days in June," the Minnesota State Bar Association's traveling statewide convention. It's actually kinda cool - they bring a full day of CLE sessions to each district, ending with a statewide day in St. Paul. I think it's great that they travel to the districts, even though I still had to drive for an hour and a half to get to Mankato, the location made it possible to attend a CLE I might otherwise have had to miss. And I will say that one incredible thing about my job is that not only am I encouraged to attend CLEs and given time to do so.
I was pumped to go (I kinda love CLEs and terrible lawyer jokes) and was even more happy that once I arrived I saw a bunch of people I knew! Yay for social interaction! Yay for peers who do what I do! YAY!!!
If Nine Days in June has yet to come to your district you really should try your best to attend.
I had a great time. I enjoyed every cheesy lawyer joke and I learned some great stuff. It is undoubtedly isolating to be a new attorney in outstate Minnesota but I'm coping and attending every CLE I can! Is it wrong that I'm already excited about the next one?
p.s. I met Chief Justice Gildea today. She's pretty awesome.
No comments:
Post a Comment