There aren’t many times during the year when plaintiff’s attorneys, defense attorneys, and judges all end up in the same place with no hearings, no argument to make, and no immediate pressure to get something filed—and, for once, no response necessary from the “other side.” Last week’s CLE at Center Hill Lake gave us a break from the usual routine and a chance to just be around each other without the roles.
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We heard from great speakers, sat in the sun and ate Tex-Mex, and a few of us drank cold beer. Some shared a few cigars. Our colleagues of many talents brought guitars and banjos and started pickin’ as the evening went on. We talked about work a little, but most of the conversations were about everyday life and catching up. A few of us recognized each other’s voices before we matched them to a face. That’s how it goes sometimes. We’ve spent years talking, but never actually met in person. It was relaxed. Easy. And for a while, none of us were on opposite sides.
You don’t always realize how much you need a moment like that until you’re in it. And then it stays with you a little longer than you expected.
It’s not just a change of scenery. It’s a great way to spend the day.
Come Monday morning, things shift back. The pace picks up. The inbox is still full. Communication gets a little shorter. Sometimes, we forget the tone we used on Friday and start writing with more edge. It happens.
But this was a good reminder: the people we go up against every week are still people. The job’s hard enough without making it harder on each other.
So maybe next time, before firing off that email, it’s worth reading it one more time. Tone matters. Perspective does too.
That’s the kind of thing you remember after a CLE like this one, when the setting is quieter, the pace is slower, and the reminder sticks with you a little longer.
That’s what you learn at a lakeside CLE.
Tommy Santel is a co-founding partner of Santel | Garner. Tommy is a former government prosecutor. He is a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 General Civil Mediator and his practice areas include criminal defense and civil litigation.
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