Jessica Burgasser

Karen Herzog

James Nieset

Message from the President

I am honored to lead the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys this year. The ADTA has been an integral part of my personal and professional life over the last 19 years. Not only has membership in the ADTA been great for my business, it has given me the opportunity to meet some of the finest people from across the United States and Canada who have become some of my best friends.

As I said when I took over the reins from Amanda in Costa Rica, I want more defense trial attorneys to experience what the ADTA has to offer – professional and individual growth through development of close  personal relationships. If you know an excellent trial attorney who would be an active and engaged member of the ADTA, please contact our Membership Chair, Megan Coluccio, and nominate them for membership.

Our profession is becoming increasingly demanding on our time. The divisive rhetoric in public discourse is finding its way into the practice of law. We can feel as if we are fighting a hundred battles at once and wondering from which direction the next one will come. Attending an ADTA meeting is about learning to address these issues from a legal and business standpoint, but it is not all business. Attending an ADTA meeting provides the opportunity to talk through these challenges on a personal level with others who are facing the exact same pressures. It also provides an opportunity to wind down, recharge and bring some balance back to our lives. If we learned anything from President Chinchilla in Costa Rica, it is that we need to continue to embrace the pura vida concepts we learned there. And we will do that through our Pura Vida committee that will provide wellness opportunities at future Annual Meetings.

This year, we will also focus on ways to promote and grow the ADTA membership experience. Our Member Engagement Committee will organize several virtual social events throughout the year for members to interact between annual meetings. We will also have several fire side chats in the months and weeks before the 2027 Annual Meeting so that your meeting experience will be the best it can be.   

Speaking of annual meetings, the 2027 Annual Meeting will be held April 21-25, 2027, at the beautiful Vinoy Resort and Golf Club in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Executive Committee has also decided that the 2028 Annual Meeting will be held May 3-7, 2028, at the Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock in Sedona, Arizona. In addition, our Site Selection Committee is currently working on recommendations for presentation to the EC for the 2029 and 2030 annual meetings.

If you have not attended an annual meeting, you truly are missing out on a wonderful and beneficial experience. You will not regret making time in your life for the people you will meet through the ADTA. I hope to see you in St. Petersburg in Aril 2027!

Johnston Cox
President

2026 Annual Meeting - Costa Rica

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