The 2024 American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Spring Conference was in Omaha, Nebraska.  It was held in conjunction with the GP Solo and Law Practice Divisions.  I had the opportunity to go through the State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyers Section.  Omaha has a population of fewer than 500,000 people, so it is likely also the smallest city I have had the privilege of visiting during an ABA event.  The conference included a welcome reception at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium as well as a dinner/dance reception at Omaha’s Durham Museum.  The networking was great, and I had the pleasure of learning new things from new faces ranging from the intricacies of California’s climate to the history of the ABA Tech Show.  

In terms of the educational sessions, two stood out for me.  The first was one focused on using Microsoft’s Copilot feature (lowercase “p” there) presented by Microsoft’s Ben Schorr.  The second was How the Practice of Gratitude Bolsters Your Duty of Competence presented by attorney Melanie Bragg.  In the latter session, we engaged in a few verbal and thinking exercises.  Three of the exercises involved finding partners, sitting across from them, and taking turns going through the verbal prompts for about a minute or so each.  The first was meant to figure out points of anxiety and overthinking (at least that was my interpretation).  The second was focused on personal gratitude.  The third was by far the most insightful.  The prompt was to tell this person you do not know who was sitting across from you what it is that you appreciated about them.  Wait, what?

What I appreciated about somebody who I did not know?  I was thinking too logically about the whole thing.  All I had to go on were visual and verbal clues—I had no history of working together or communicating with this woman across from me.  If you want to know how the exercise went for the both of us, please come and ask me at the next SBM YLS event. 

As I sit here waiting for the plane back home and thinking about that experience, it makes me wonder why is it that we as humans are so quick to negatively judge people we barely know, but we cannot easily give those same people easy appreciation?  Narrowing in on the legal profession, the negative criticisms of opposing counsel and any other players are too easy and numerous.  It is not often that one hears gratitude and appreciation spoken about opponents and other litigation participants. So how about the next time opposing counsel or other litigation participant does not see things our way, instead of letting the negative verbal imagination flow, pause, take a minute, and think about what is it that you appreciate about that individual instead.[1]  Perhaps, you appreciate the extension that they gave you a month or so back.  Alternatively, it could be that they remembered that you kids play hockey and asked you how their season was going before the start of your last deposition; that is appreciation worthy.  Perhaps, you appreciate that they have a client to advocate for—just like you do.  With the appreciation in mind, the ensuing conversation could even be more efficient and beneficial to all.  I, for one, will be actively working to appreciate more in situations where it would not otherwise come as easily.  I hope you can join me in this endeavor. 

Wait, you say, what is an Okapi though?  Well, dear reader, check out the cuteness below:

[1] Relatedly, see the 12 Principles of Professionalism that the Michigan Supreme Court adopted in 2020.

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Silvia A. Mansoor is the current SBM YLS Chair-Elect and a health care provider advocate at Foley, Baron, Metzger & Juip, PLLC.