Page 9 - FDCC Flyer Spring 2022

more juice than that. (Lauren?)
At 6:50am, I declared to my co- presenters (Caroline Berdzik, Jody Briandi, and Frank Ramos) that
the over/under on attendance should be fourteen. Wrong again. Fifty people (I counted) came to discuss the Great Resignation and the impact it was having on our firms and our clients. I am always impressed by our members’ talent, abilities, and commitment. I should not have doubted them. Even at 7:00am. (To be fair, I am on East Coast time!)
What a Total Blast. I probably should not have buried the lead, but Desert Springs was a blast. Walking through the Air Museum and around a B-17, a spitfire, a stealth bomber. Bicycling down a box canyon. Dancing at the Supper Club with Justin and The Swing Beats and all of our friends. Those
We ensure that we admit the best lawyers and the best people.
were just our highlights. Talking with others, it was clear everyone thoroughly enjoyed their time together.
The Key Takeaway. In person meetings are the “secret sauce” of the FDCC. We vet our members with great care. We ensure that we admit the best lawyers and the best people. Then, we bring these tremendous people together and the magic happens. The quality of our members builds respect. Respect builds trust and deep friendships.
I am often asked how to succeed in the FDCC? My advice? Come to
the meetings. Consistently. Meet your peers, build relationships, and success will follow. Many members will do whatever it takes to not miss a meeting. (Just ask Dan Kohane and John Woodard.)
We don’t come for the cosmos. They are easier to get elsewhere. We come because the FDCC adds so much to our profession and our lives. Which makes the long trek to get that drink so much more worthwhile.
FDCC President-Elect and Defense Counsel Member Howard Merten is Managing Partner at Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP in Providence, RI. Contact him at: hmerten@psh.com.
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