Hello from Pipe Creek! The year has gone by quickly, and it will soon be May when I will turn over the Presidency of the college to my worthy successor K.T Talieh. To recap the year, we have had a successful symposium, and soon the first edition of the College’s Journal will appear. Membership is over 400 members, the highest it has ever been. This is good; but we must all remember that to keep the College going, we need younger members. This is why the Silver Tsunami Task Force was formed, which has developed a solid plan to lead us into the future.

I hope every member attends the Annual Meeting on May 6-8 in Chicago. Under the able leadership of Karen Dixon and Mike Levine, the event is really shaping up. As always, the Meeting will mix rigorous professional development with receptions and dinners that will allow the Fellows to connect or re-connect with other members. On Thursday, join us for our Annual Business Meeting during lunch sponsored by Stout. That evening, BDO will sponsor a General Reception featuring the return of local favorites "The Barrister's Big Band," followed by a celebratory dinner sponsored by Jeff Kichaven Commercial Mediation. This elegant evening will serve as the backdrop for the presentation of the Thomas F. Segalla Service Award and Edward Currie Founder's Award, alongside the formal induction of our newest class of Fellows. Judicate West will sponsor coffee breaks on both days. Friday morning's breakfast, sponsored by Alvarez & Marsal Complex Claims Advisory, LLC will also provide time for each of our committees to meet and plan for their year ahead.

It goes without saying that the Program will be outstanding. Such topics as “Lessons learned from Covid”; “Self-Care, AI and Next-Gen Coverage Problems”, and “Coverage for Pixel Litigation and other Emerging Privacy Claims” will be presented along with many others. If there is a theme to this year’s programs, it is that all the topics are “Cutting Edge.”  You will not want to miss this Meeting!

Now for a personal note. It has been the honor of my life to serve as President of this organization. Beyond the professional development, I have formed many deep friendships with other Fellows. Turning over the gavel to K.T. will not be the end for me. I will continue to be active for many years to come. Thank you and see you in Chicago.

Stephen Pate