Dean’s Message

Jeremy Stevens – Attorney at Law – Bird, Stevens & Borgen, P.C.

Dear ACTLM Members,

As we move into the final months of the year, I have found myself reflecting on what a remarkable year it has been for the Academy of Certified Trial Lawyers of Minnesota. Serving as President has given me an even greater appreciation for this organization, the lawyers who make it what it is, and the importance of maintaining a community devoted to excellence in trial advocacy and the administration of justice.

One of the highlights of the year was our Spring Meeting in May. We had an outstanding program, but what struck me just as much as the quality of the presentations was the opportunity to simply be together. ACTLM brings together lawyers with tremendous experience in courtrooms throughout Minnesota, and there is something uniquely valuable about having the opportunity to exchange ideas, talk about our practices, learn from one another, and strengthen relationships across the profession.

Those relationships matter, particularly at a time when jury trials are becoming less frequent. The jury trial remains an essential part of our system of justice. It is where advocacy, preparation, judgment, credibility, and the ability to communicate with ordinary people all come together. As trial lawyers, we have both the privilege and the responsibility of preserving those skills and passing them along to the next generation of advocates. The Academy plays an important role in that work by bringing together lawyers who understand the value of the courtroom and who are committed to the highest standards of our profession.

That commitment extends well beyond formal programming. One of ACTLM’s greatest strengths is the connection among its members. Our meetings provide an opportunity to reconnect with colleagues we have known for years, meet lawyers we may otherwise know only from across a courtroom, and develop relationships that make our profession stronger. Some of the most valuable conversations at an ACTLM event happen outside the formal program, over lunch, between sessions, or while catching up with someone we have not seen in far too long.

We will have another wonderful opportunity to do exactly that at our Annual Meeting on November 12 at Town & Country Club. I am especially pleased that our keynote speaker will be Minnesota’s newest Chief Justice, Theodora Gaïtas. Having the Chief Justice join us is a fitting way to conclude an exceptional year and an opportunity for our Fellows to hear directly from the leader of Minnesota’s judicial branch about the courts, our profession, and the administration of justice.

I hope you will join us on November 12. Whether you come for the program, the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, or simply the chance to spend time with people who share a commitment to trial advocacy and our justice system, I think you will be reminded of why the Academy continues to be such a valuable professional community.

It has been a privilege to lead ACTLM this year, and I am grateful to all of you who have participated, contributed, and helped make it such a rewarding one. I look forward to seeing you at Town & Country in November.

Warmly,

Jeremy Stevens
President
Academy of Certified Trial Lawyers of Minnesota