On the first weekend in February, attorneys from all over the United States gathered for the mid-year meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. On Saturday morning, members of the Young Lawyers Division from Michigan gathered for a meeting to vote on resolutions being considered by the House of Delegates. Following the meeting, YLS members packed up and headed on a road trip to see the Grand Canyon. We arrived at El Tovar, an old hotel that overlooks the Grand Canyon, just in time to see the sunset. YLS members then enjoyed a community dinner at the historic hotel. Following dinner, we went to take advantage of the dark sky park and explore the stars. YLS is lucky to have some amateur astronomers among its members, and I was fascinated to learn the stories and tales as we observed the sky together. 

The next morning, members of the YLS woke up early to see the sunrise above the Grand Canyon. It was truly magical to watch the sun light up the canyon. After we watched the sunrise, we went for a run along the Grand Canyon back to the hotel. We then packed up and headed out to lightly hike along the Grand Canyon. After a day of exploration, the YLS delegation returned back to Phoenix.  

On Monday morning, I had the privilege of representing the Young Lawyers for the State of Michigan at the ABA House of Delegates meeting. My morning started with breakfast with the other Michigan ABA delegate members. It was inspiring to sit next to members who are leaders in the legal field across Michigan and have had such impactful careers. Following breakfast, we headed into assembly, where members debated the merits of billable credit for vacation time and passed a proposal to urge bar associations to focus inquiries into a bar applicants’ convictions to those that reflect on their propensity to engage in fraud, deceit, and dishonesty. Overall, it was interesting to be a part of the voting process and listen to the arguments against and in support of proposals throughout the day. As always, the trip provided community, camaraderie, and friendship among the YLS and the many people and places we encountered. 

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Emma Green is an of counsel attorney at Miller Johnson where she practices family law in Grand Rapids, MI.