USF LAW SYMPOSIUM -- HOW TO NAVIGATE THE CHANGING LEGAL LANDSCAPE -- KICKS OFF

The symposium on changes in the law post- economic collapse has kicked off. I offered introductory remarks that explain our hopes for the gathering. We're also on Twitter detailing some of what is going at this tremendously useful colloquium. The place is packed which is gratifying and also a statement about how complicated the times.

Introductory Remarks

MY NAME IS JEFFREY BRAND AND I AM THE DEAN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOL OF LAW. WE ARE HONORED TO PRESENT TODAY’S SEMINAR: “HOW TO NAVIGATE THE CHANGING LEGAL LANDSCAPE FROM THE GROUND”.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS GATHERING CANNOT BE OVERSTATED: A YEAR AGO ALMOST TO THE DAY, THE COUNTRY SUFFERED ITS BIGGEST ECONOMIC COLLAPSE SINCE THE GREAT DEPRESSION – A COLLAPSE THAT AFFECTED THE ENTIRE COUNTRY AND DRAMATICALLY CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION AS WE KNOW IT. VENERABLE, RESPECTED FIRMS DISAPPEARED IN DAYS. OFFERS OF EMPLOYMENT WERE DEFERRED OR SIMPLY WITHDRAWN. THE PUBLIC SECTOR (WHAT WAS LEFT OF IT AT THE TIME THE CRISIS) FROZE JOBS AND ENGAGED IN LAYOFFS. LAW STUDENT CHATTER FOCUSED ON OPPORTUNITIES LOST AND DEBT INCURRED. LAW SCHOOLS REVISED BUDGETS AND CONSIDERED THE IMPACT OF THE CRISIS.

NO INSTITUTION, AND NONE OF US HERE, CAN CLAIM IMMUNITY FROM THE DRAMATIC TURN OF EVENTS. EVEN TODAY, AS THE MARKET REBOUNDS, THE CRISIS REMAINS, AND THE ULTIMATE IMPACT ON THE PRACTICE OF LAW REMAINS UNCERTAIN.

TODAY’S SYMPOSIUM IS AN EFFORT TO SURVEY THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE POST-LEHMAN BROTHERS. WE ENGAGE TODAY NOT SOLELY OUT OF HISTORICAL INTEREST – ALTHOUGH CERTAINLY IT IS OF INTEREST. THIS SYMPOSIUM IS ABOUT PRACTICAL WAYS TO NAVIGATE THESE UNCHARTED WATERS WHETHER IN BUSINESS LAW PRACTICE, SOLO PRACTICE, SMALL FIRMS, ALTERNATIVE CAREER PATHS OR IMAGING LEGAL CAREERS OF THE FUTURE. TODAY 15 OF THE TOP LEGAL PROFESSIONALS IN CALIFORNIA GATHER TO DISCUSS THESE TOPICS IN THE CONTEXT OF THESE MOMENTOUS EVENTS. TIME IS SHORT SO MY REMARKS WILL BE TOO.

FIRST HEARTFELT THANK YOUS:

· TO OUR USF COMMUNITY:

o THE OFFICES OF DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER PLANNING AND A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO GO-TO, DO-IT-ALL ANITA AYERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.

o OUR BOARD OF GOVERNORS, ONE OF THE LAW SCHOOL’S GREATEST ASSETS THAT CREATES AN ALUMNI SUPPORT NETWORK WITHOUT EQUAL. THEY “GOT IT” AND DID EXTRAORDINARY WORK AND EXHIBITED GREAT SPIRIT CONCEIVING THIS DAY AND UNDERSTANDING ITS IMPORTANCE FOR THE LEGAL COMMUNITY AND OUR STUDENTS. I WOULD BE REMISS TO NOT SINGLE OUT ALUMS AND BOARD MEMBERS STACEY MILLER, TOM TROMBADORE AND OUR PROFESSOR HENRY BROWN WHO TOOK THE LABORING OARS.

· THANK YOU TO OUR LEAD SPONSOR WHOSE SUPPORT MAKES THIS DAY POSSIBLE. FOR THOSE OF US AT USF IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT IT IS STACEY MILLER WHO FOUNDED MILLER, SABINO AND LEE INC. LEGAL PLACEMENT SERVICES WHO DEAL DAILY WITH THE FALLOUT FROM THE CRISIS.

· THANK YOU OF COURSE TO OUR PANELISTS.

· AND THANK YOU TO THE MEDIA WHO ARE HERE TODAY. THE MESSAGE MUST BE SENT THAT LAWYERS AND LEGAL EDUCATORS RECOGNIZE THAT BUSINESS AS USUAL IS NO LONGER POSSIBLE; THAT THE CRISIS, AS PAINFUL AS IT IS, HAS US THINKING AMBOUT MORE THAN MAINTAINING – WE KNOW WE MUST LEARN FROM IT AND SEEK TO RETILL THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE IN WAYS THAT BETTER SERVE THE LEGAL COMMUNITY AND THOSE WE ARE SWORN TO SERVE.

AND, PERHAPS, IT IS THIS LAST POINT THAT BEARS THE MOST EMPHASIS. SURELY ECONOMIC POLICIES OF THE PAST ADMINISTRATION AND GREED ON WALL STREET CONTRIBUTED MIGHTILY TO THE NIGHTMARISH MOMENTS OF THIS PAST YEAR AND THE SUFFERING OF THE NEARLY 13% UNEMPUNEMPLOYED IN THIS STATE. BUT WITHIN OUR OWN PROFESSION, WE ALSO BEAR RESPONSIBILITY AS FIRMS OVER EXPANDED AND CREATED ECONOMIC STRUCTURES THAT ULTIMATELY WERE UNSUSTAINABLE -- WHILE, AT THE SAME TIME, THE PUBLIC SECTOR WAS DECIMATED, DENYING LEGAL SERVICES TO THOSE WHO DESPERATELY NEED ACCESS TO JUSTICE.

SO MY HOPE IS THAT AS THE DAY PROGRESSES, WE WILL THINK NOT ONLY ABOUT THE BEST PATHS FOR OURSELVES AND OUR LOVED ONES – A PURSUIT OF THE HIGHEST ORDER – BUT THAT WE WILL ALSO CONSIDER OUR PROFESSION AND THE LESSONS WE HAVE LEARNED.

YOUR PRESENCE AND PARTICIPATION IN THIS SYMPOSIUM, AND THE INCREDIBLE SUPPORT OF OUR STUDENTS BY OUR BOARD OF GOVERNORS IN PRESENTING THIS SEMINAR TODAY, GIVES ME HOPE THAT THE LEGAL PROFESSION, THOUGH BUFFETED BY THE CROSSWINDS OF A STRUGGLING ECONOMY AND FACING AN UNKNOWABLE FUTURE, WILL EMERGE MORE EXCITING, DIVERSE AND IN TUNE WITH THE LIVES OF THOSE OF US WHO CHOOSE TO PRACTICE AND TO PURSUE JUSTICE INTO THE FUTURE.

WELCOME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO. IN THE SPIRIT OF OUR MISSION OF EDUCATING MINDS AND HEARTS TO CHANGE THE WORLD, I WISH US WELL ON OUR VOYAGE TODAY. WE ALL HAVE A LOT RIDING ON ITS SUCCESS.