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Find Success at ADTAThe Tradition of Excellence Continues
An ADTA prime membership is, in essence, a statement of the high regard in which that defense trial attorney is held by his or her peers in the defense trial bar of their city and state or province.
Reputation.
Respect. Results.
ADTA invites only one defense trial attorney to be its prime member per one million in population from various jurisdictions who have a trial practice and devote a substantial portion of their professional time to defending businesses, insurance companies or their insureds, associations, or governmental entities in civil litigation. An ADTA prime membership is, in essence, a statement of the high regard in which that defense trial attorney is held by his or her peers in the defense trial bar of their city and state or province.
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We Prefer to ReferOfficers & Executive Council Members
Amanda Cialkowski
A. Johnston Cox
Bruce Barze, Jr.
Ronald Austin, Jr.
Jeanne Loftis
Dyan Ebert
Peggy L. Schultz
Class of 2027
Laura K. Beasley
Steven A. Dix
Natalie M. Leon
Class of 2028
Eileen Buholtz
Rose Marie Joly
Christopher Morris
Class of 2026
Kelly Brilleaux
David Lauritzen
Bharat Varadachari
From the President
I am so delighted to serve as President of the ADTA this year.
ADTA is unique in that our size lends itself to the development of deep relationships. Because we have so many terrific trial lawyers, ADTA is your go-to resource when you need counsel in other states with a variety of expertise. It is also a fantastic source of advice for law firm leadership. Our Fireside Chats serve as opportunities to share ideas and help our members build the firms of the future.
We have launched two new committees this year – Pura Vida: Attorney Wellness and AI in Practice. We hope both these committees will support our attorneys’ growth and evolution. If you are interested in joining one of those or any other committee, please let me know. Committees are a great way to get to know your fellow ADTA members, in addition to attending the Annual Meeting.
We have some special trips coming up: the Women of the ADTA’s Adventure Trip will take us to Zion for hiking and bonding September 19-21, 2025. And our Annual Meeting will be held at the Marriott Los Suenos in beautiful Costa Rica. Block your calendar now for April 21-26, 2026. This trip is not to be missed, and will include amazing off-site events, including crocodile tours, zip lining and chocolate tasting, among others. Friday afternoon we’ll sail on a catamaran and enjoy local treats and beverages. We’ll also have early morning walks to see the local wildlife. Get your creative juices flowing and plan your outfit for our Zodiac party at the lovely Villa Caletas. You do not want to miss it as we will continue the Tradition of Excellence at the Annual Meeting!
AMANDA
Latest News
2024 Strubinger Award Recipient
During the 2024 Santa Fe Annual Meeting Amanda Cialkowski was presented The Strubinger Award. She was selected from a field of twenty-three nominees. The field is then narrowed down to five finalists from which the winner is selected. Quite an accomplishment! Congratulations Amanda!
The other four finalists were:
- Dyan Ebert
- Chelsey Golightly
- James "Jamie" B. Hood
- Dan Kohane
At the 2009 Annual Meeting in Scottsdale Arizona, the Marketing Committee of ADTA introduced a new client referral network initiative, "We Prefer to Refer." As part of this program, the Marketing Committee created an award that will be given annually to the ADTA member who has best exemplified our commitment to refer business to other ADTA members. The first "We Prefer to Refer" Award was presented to Bobby Hood of Charleston, S.C. at the 2010 Annual Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts.
The participation of the members in the nominating process is vital and ensures that all of those who deserve recognition will have the opportunity to be duly considered for this prestigious award.
The field of 2024 Nominees are listed below. The number in parenthesis details how many nominations they received.
You can submit referral reporting forms year-round! Did someone recently refer a case to you? Fill out a “referral reporting form” (previously a “nomination”) today!
The ADTA encourages self-nominations for the Strubinger Award! If you refer a case to another ADTA member, fill out a referral reporting form for yourself ASAP.
You might be wondering: what does it take for a referral to be considered as a “nomination” for the Strubinger Award?
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- What if someone referred their client to another attorney at my office because I don’t handle that type of litigation?
- What if I referred a case to an ADTA member and they were conflicted out?
Yep, you guessed it, those should ALL be submitted via referral reporting forms as Strubinger Award nominations!
Happy referring!!