• A rain delay inside of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Torrents of rain deluged Chicago on Thursday morning August 2 in the midst of the Annual Meeting resulting in soggy carpets, leaking light fixtures and all-round water adventure. To make repairs, the Hyatt shut down the power in NABE’s meeting space, causing a program delay of over an hour. Attendees were good sports–rolling with the waves.

• John Norwine, executive director of the Cinncinnati Bar Association, receiving the President’s Award for Outstanding Service to NABE in recognition his leadership, commitment and dedication as chair of the Sponsorship Committee.

• The opportunity to learn about the connection between buttermilk and leadership from Dr. Jerry Brightman. (You’ll get another chance at the Midyear Meeting in Philadelphia.)

• LRIS and business plans. Bar Buildings. Communication skills. Grass roots lobbying. Future building.

• The architectural wonders of Chicago by boat (see photo).

NABE presents Bolton Award

NABE has bestowed its highest professional honor, the Bolton Award for Professional Excellence, on Beth Keigher, former executive director of the Monroe County Bar Association. The award was presented to Keigher by NABE President Betty Braden on August 3 at the Joint Luncheon of the National Conference of Bar Presidents, National Association of Bar Executives and National Conference of Bar Foundations (see photo).

For more than 25 years, Keigher has set a standard of excellence for her fellow bar executives. She served her colleagues, the legal profession and her community with dedication and creativity. "Beth’s service to the legal profession has been hourly, daily, yearly, always," according to Liz Price, executive director of the Delaware County Bar Association and the 2000 Bolton Award recipient.

The Bolton Award recognizes the "four c’s"–congeniality, character, camaraderie and cooperation. Those honored epitomize the highest standards of professionalism. The award is named for Fred Bolton, former executive director of the Pennsylvania Bar Association who exemplified the traits that this award recognizes.

Public service efforts noted

The NABE LexisNexis™ Community & Educational Outreach Awards honoring state and local bar associations and bar foundations for outstanding projects that made a substantial commitment of time and/or effort to public service and the community were presented at the NABE Annual Meeting Luncheon on August 2.

The awards are presented under the auspices of the NABE Community & Educational Outreach Forum with the generous support of LexisNexis.

Recipients of the award receive a distinctive marble obelisk and free LexisNexis time worth $25,000 each, courtesy of the awards sponsor, LexisNexis.

The following bar associations were honored at the Annual Meeting:

State Bar — more than 18,000 members:

State Bar of Wisconsin

"Life Planning 2000"

State Bar — 18,000 or fewer members:

Oklahoma Bar Association

Law Related Education Program

Local Bar — more than 5,000 members

Philadelphia Bar Association

"LegalLine"

Local Bar — 5,000 or fewer members

Tarrant County Bar Association

"Elder Law Handbook"

Bar association with fewer than 2,000 members

Akron Bar Association

"Street Law"