The Desert Bar Association also organizes frequent social events, which are much more than simple cocktail parties or dinners. Bringing practicing and retired attorneys and judges together with law students and other professionals involved with the practice of law strengthens our community in several key ways. Obviously, stronger personal connections within our community create more opportunities over the course of your career. Building relationships with law students offers a connection to the future leaders of our community and a chance to help shape the future they will build. In the immediate picture, establishing better relations with your colleagues can help you in many aspects of your practice, like when you need a consultation on a point outside your expertise, when you have a case where you need to collaborate, or when you need to sit across the negotiating table from each other. Most importantly, we are a fun legal community, evidenced by one of the most unique annual events in the country – our Bird Awards and Distinguished Judges Night, which gives the legal community an opportunity to roast itself and create parodies that raise important issues within the local legal community in a way that is entertaining and thought-provoking, showcasing some of the best talent within our legal community, along with those who just have a passion for having fun.

We’ve all had to sit through some educational events that were painfully boring, which is why the Desert Bar Association strives to plan events that our members will actually enjoy.  From luncheons with keynote speakers like the Chief Justice of California or a U.S. Supreme Court Update luncheon presented by Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, to judicial panels and critical ethics updates, DBA members get to enjoy an interactive experience, often over a nice meal, and take part in lively discussions covering topics about which we’re all passionate.