Can a bunch of young lawyers talking about advanced litigation techniques in Miami Beach really yield any solid business leads for the firm? With the myriad of other substantive seminars and programs hosted by the DRI each year, it's easy to see why many young defense lawyers run into this question during their quest for CLE funding. Unlike these other seminars, the June 17-18, 2010 YL program extends across all substantive fields and is focused instead on one criteria: years in practice.
While they might not be there yet, the attendees at this conference will someday lead their firms and many will eventually move in-house with major corporations. While it's easy to make these kind of bold statements, I have recently observed this exact phenomenon in the political sphere where many of my student government friends from high school and college now hold significant positions at all levels of government. The same folks who hosted debates and designed campaign posters with me are now "running the show" and I have no doubt that the dedicated continent of young defense lawyers in Miami Beach will someday (perhaps not too far down the road) hold similar positions in their respective spheres of influence.
If you are a young lawyer (10 years or less in practice), you should seriously consider the long term benefits of attending this June seminar. If you're a senior partner, think about sending a couple of your "rising stars" who have shown a real interest in business development.