5 minute read
Couch Bar 2020
What Do You Get When Bench Bar Meets a Global Pandemic?
One of the Austin Bar Association’s longtime annual events is its Bench Bar Conference, a day-long CLE program with opportunities for interaction between lawyers and judges. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the traditional Bench Bar was tentatively rescheduled for Aug. 28, 2020 at the Austin Country Club.
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However, because we all miss interactions with our Austin Bar family, Austin Bar Treasurer Amanda Arriaga and board member Justice Chari Kelly hosted what will hopefully be a once-ina-lifetime event: Couch Bar. The successful virtual event with new and innovative programming provided by Austin Bar leaders was held on May 1, 2020—the date originally planned for Bench Bar. The Austin Bar’s Zoom account allows for a maximum of 500 participants. With 450 registered and more than 400 in attendance, the account was utilized to the fullest. Some of the 400 stayed for the whole day, while others came and went as their schedules allowed.
Couch Bar began at 8:30 a.m. with “Coffee with the Judiciary.” Close to 20 judges were split into seven breakout rooms to share stories and coffee with small groups of attendees. Next, Kim Miers of Littler Mendelson gave a presentation about compliance, challenges, and strategies for addressing COVID-19 in the workplace.
Kelley Dwyer, chair of the Austin Bar’s Animal Law Section, spoke about the importance of animal law. Dwyer invited all attendees to have their pet(s) join them on screen and share their tales (tails) of rescue and adoption. Even for those without pets, this was a highlight of the event!
Members of the Entertainment Law Section, including Rachel Luna (Luna Law); Buck McKinney (McKinney Firm); Amy E. Mitchell (Amy E. Mitchell PLLC); Gwendolyn Seale (Mike Tolleson and Associates); and Alyce Zawacki (Alyce Zawacki Law), participated in a panel discussion about entertainment industry disputes happening due to COVID-19.
During the Couch Bar lunch break, a Law Day CLE sponsored by the Texas metro bars (Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Tarrant County bar associations) was hosted by the San Antonio Bar. “The Cure for Divisiveness: Mindfulness and the Pursuit of Happiness in the Era of COVID-19” was presented virtually by Dallas lawyer Lisa Blue, 2020 president of the National Trial Lawyers Association.
The Couch Bar afternoon session began with a panel consisting of UT School of Law Professor Tracy W. McCormack, Hon. Lora Livingston, Karl Bayer and Sherrie Wirth of The Exhibit Co. The panel discussed how to continue a courtroom practice from your living room.
Then, Austin Bar Foundation Chair Adam Schramek provided an overview of the new “Open Texas” guidelines as well as two important legal doctrines—force majeure and material adverse effect clauses—about which many clients are asking as a result of COVID-19.
Melissa Lorber, Chair of the Austin Bar Civil Appellate Section, moderated a discussion with Third Court of Appeals Chief Justice Jeff Rose and Supreme Court Clerk Blake Hawthorne on how the appellate courts and the Supreme Court are handling their business during COVID-19.
The attendees were treated to a live session of the weekly podcast, “The National Security Law Podcast,” hosted by Professors Bobby Chesney and Steve Vladeck from the UT School of Law.
Marking the transition from CLE to happy hour was the world premiere of a Bar & Grill music video, “Part of the World.” If you haven’t had a chance to see it yet, click here. It will make you smile.
Finally, Couch Bar ended with “Cocktails and Conversation.” Attendees received demonstrations from guest mixologists, including Justices Melissa Goodwin and Chari Kelly, and Judges Jan Soifer, Maya Guerra Gamble, and Dustin Howell. The judges kindly shared their recipes, found on page 7.
A big thank you to the Couch Bar presenters, to the members of the judiciary who participated in coffee and cocktails, and to those who attended.
Several of the Couch Bar CLE sessions were recorded with their presenters’ permission and can be viewed, along with a library of other CLE provided on topics pertaining to COVID-19, on the COVID-19 Resources page at austinbar.org. As a service to the community, this library is free and available to all, regardless of Austin Bar membership.
For Austin Bar members wishing to receive CLE credit, the CLE videos related to COVID-19 are also found in the Austin Bar’s Online CLE Library, along with more than 80 additional hours of free CLE. Austin Bar members should use the password ABarCLE2020 to view this library, which is available to members only. AL
Can I get you something from the Bar?
Justice Goodwin’s Gin & Tonic
1 part gin; 3 parts tonic water; Splash of grapefruit juice; Slice of jalapeño; Twist of lime
Add a slice or two of jalapeño over ice. Pour one part gin and three parts tonic water over the ice and jalapeño. Add a splash of grapefruit juice and top it off with a twist of lime. Stir and enjoy!
Justice Kelly’s “I Wish I Were in Manhattan” Manhattan
2 ounces rye whiskey; 1 ounce sweet vermouth (Antica Formula); 2 dashes Angostura bitters 1 brandied Amarena cherry
Fill a coupe or martini glass with ice and water to chill your glass and set aside. Pour the whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters into a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir until outside of shaker is very cold to touch. Empty the water from your chilled glass and place the Amarena cherry in the glass. Strain the contents of the shaker over cherry and serve immediately.
Judge Guerra Gamble’s Moscow Mule
2 ounces Tito’s vodka; 1/2 ounce (1 tbsp) fresh-squeezed lime juice, plus a wedge to decorate; 1/2 cup spiciest ginger beer; Mint leaves; Lots of ice
Put the ice in your glass first, then the remaining ingredients in order. Stir and enjoy!
Judge Howell’s Piña Colada
1 and 1/2 ounces light rum; 2 ounces pineapple juice; 2 ounces coconut milk
Combine ingredients with ice in shaker and shake well. Strain into a glass with fresh ice and garnish with a maraschino cherry and pineapple wedge. Or, blend for a frozen drink. For a lighter version, combine equal parts rum and pineapple juice in glass with ice and top with coconut-flavored La Croix (aka, a piña Croix-lada). Best served in a hurricane glass while wearing a Hawaiian shirt.
Judge Soifer’s Dirty Martini
2 ounces chilled vodka; Dash of dry vermouth; 1/4–1/2 ounce olive juice (to taste); Garnish: 1 or 3 olives
In a mixing glass filled with ice, pour the vodka, dry vermouth, and olive juice and shake sharply. Strain into a chilled martini glass with olives.
Justice Chari Kelly stirring up the perfect Manhattan.
Judge Jan Soifer mixing a dirty martini.
Judge Dustin Howell sharing his piña colada recipe.
