One of the best kept secrets in the Pacific Union is the annual meeting of the Adventist Attorneys Association. Most recently, the attorneys met for their 14th conference in Sedona, Ariz. The keynote speaker was Cari Dominguez, who served a five-year term as chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The group of about 30 attorneys abandoned the meeting room, choosing instead to pull chairs around the outdoor fire pit to listen to Dominguez discuss her experiences in politics and working on some of the highest profile discrimination issues of the past few years.
The continuing legal education included highlights such as Doug Welebir’s presentations on effective trial presentation; law professor Keith Blair’s stimulating discussion of the Patriot Act and issues involving presidential power; and the hot topic of whether churches ought to be able to speak more freely about candidates and politics. Lawyers from the General Conference included Lisa Burrow, who gave an update on immigration law, and Todd McFarland, who discussed religious liberty cases the church is involved in. Jennifer Yu Sacro presented a cutting edge topic of legal practice — electronic discovery.
At the luncheon Friday, outgoing association officers, led by Jon Daggett, presented plaques expressing appreciation to Alan Reinach and Loritha McDuffie for their years of faithful service in making the annual conferences possible. Friday afternoon, the group took a break from the meeting room to hit the pink jeep trail and get a taste of off-road Sedona.
On Sabbath, Duane McKey, former Arizona Conference president, spoke twice, encouraging the attorneys to participate in overseas evangelism. Enthusiasm was high as the group voted to plan an evangelistic event for a future meeting.
This year’s meeting will be in Berkeley, Calif., at the Claremont Resort and Spa from Oct. 16 to 19. All who work in the legal field are welcome to participate. Students are also invited, and sponsorships are available. For more information, contact Loritha McDuffie at parl@puconline.org or call 805-413-7396.
