[wowslider id=”13″]
September 12, 2012, New Orleans, LA
This year’s annual conference of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary (NAALJ) was jointly held, for the first time, with the Federal Administrative Law Judges Conference (FALJC) at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel beginning Sunday, September 9, 2012 through Thursday, September 13, 2012.
It was kicked-off with a lively cocktail reception in the hotel’s outdoor patio garden to the music of a New Orleans Jazz ensemble.
Monday opened with a breakfast presentation from CaseLoad Software on their case management system for administrative appeals. After breakfast, the conference started with program overview presentations by the NAALJ/FALJC (Co-Chairs Hon. Mary-Margaret Anderson, Hon. James G. Gilbert, and Hon. Valerie Meiners), the Central Panel Directors Conference Chair, Hon. Ann Wise, and a Key Note address by Louisiana’s Lt. Governor, Jay Dardenne.
The other opening day morning speakers presented on Recent Developments in Federal Administrative Law. The afternoon sessions broke out into programs covering topics including workers compensation, High Volume Case Management (including NYSALJA member, Judge John Farrell, who was one of the presenters) and special education. Judge Ray Kramer, the Director of OATH in New York City, (and also NYSALJA member), was part of a panel presenting on “Courtroom Skills: Aikido, Mindfulness, and the Art of Judicial Conflict Management,” a brilliant presentation on the incorporation of conflict deescalation techniques that can be applied in the courtroom.
Tuesday began as Monday, with a breakfast presenter. InfoCom Systems Services, Inc. spoke about their case management, calendaring, and automated scheduling solutions. The day’s program started with a discussion of application of evidence rules in administrative hearings. The next presentation covered social media and ethics after which there was a lunch break. For the FALJC members, lunch was provided at their annual membership meeting and NAALJ members were treated to a NAALJ Foundation Challenge Grant Luncheon where each affiliate’s Challenge Grant winners were honored. New York’s winner was Hon. Eric Zaidins. Hon. Ruth Kraft and Hon. David Lenihan were also honored when they each were presented with NYSALJA’s scholarship grant. Following lunch, the professional development programing continued with presentation on Options For Reorganizing The Federal Administrative Judiciary, Legal Updates/Issues In Discovery, presentation of a report to Congress on Improving The Special Education System, Driver’s License Reinstatement Hearings, and a technology series that included case management, e-filing, paperless files, remote audio-visual testimony, and capturing the record.
The last full day of the conference covered “Diversity in the Courtroom,” which extended into a discussion about the office place– it was a thoughtful reminder to be sensitive of others’ feelings, to be inclusive, and to avoid creating or continuing anything that might be construed as clickish behavior. The rest of the afternoon’s offerings included a lecture on comparative law involving civil and common law, Judicial Review As A Check On Democracy, the BP Oil Spill Compensation Process, and a panel discussion on Final Decision Authority Among Central Panel States.
For most members, the conference ended on Wednesday night with the NAALJ Silent Auction and Reception, followed by the NAALJ banquet dinner. John Farrell was presented with a plaque to honor him for his service to NAALJ as immediate past president and the winners of the silent auction were announced. The conference officially ended Thursday morning after the NAALJ Board meeting.
Out of the approximately 230 attendees, NYSALJA was well represented with 16 members in attendance! For NYSALJA members not present, please consider attending future conferences. You’ll not only benefit from the continuing legal education programming, but also the opportunity to meet and make new friends with your colleagues from around New York State and from around the country.