Every few years, another buzzword or catch-phrase enters the self-help/business lexicon such as “a win/win situation,” “lean in” or “quiet quitting.”

One of the newer terms is “authenticity.”

I’ve been thinking about how easy it is to tell someone to be authentic – to be yourself, which is not the same as trying to achieve authenticity.

Merriam-Webster.com defines the root word, authentic, this way. “Not false or imitation” and “true to one’s own personality, spirit or character.”

Mindtools.com describes authenticity this way. “True to your own personality, values, and spirit, regardless of the pressure that you're under to act otherwise.”

So how does this relate to trial lawyers?

It means that we have to accept and embrace that there is always more to learn.

It means recognizing  that as good as we are at helping the clients we represent, we can always be better and do better for them.

That is why one of the tenets of NJAJ’s Statement of Mission and Values is “to train, educate and guide our ranks to the greatest expressions of the art and science of jurisprudence.”

One way NJAJ accomplishes this is through continuing legal education. We come together to learn from each other about trial techniques and methods, innovative approaches to questioning witnesses, better ways to tell our clients’ stories so that judges and juries understand – and are persuaded by – what has happened to them.

Learning from one another and then putting that knowledge into use is how each of us remains true to our personality and values. All of us benefit when we come together to help each other be better at the work we do; to help each other become our authentic selves.

And as you can see elsewhere in this issue, NJAJ offers tremendous education programs in multiple ways.

The upcoming Meadowlands Seminar 2023 is a prime example of how we help lawyers better represent clients.

This spectacular three-day event, Wednesday—Friday, November 15 – 17, offers 20 programs on a wide variety of topics and includes a top-notch roster of speakers. Keep checking the NJAJ website for the latest details but make sure you register for the seminar. Do not forget to make your hotel reservation.

The Meadowlands Seminar is one of the three main large-scale CLE events put on by the NJAJ Educational Foundation. Mark your calendars now for the Winter Seminar 2024 on Thursday, February 22, 2024 and the Boardwalk Seminar^® 2024 taking place Wednesday – Friday, April 17 – 19, 2024.

We also have theCLEstore^® where you can browse the ever-growing catalog of online programs and webinars and learn from the comfort of your home or office.

Another way that NJAJ helps trial attorneys and the clients we represent is through our ongoing amicus curiae work.

For decades, NJAJ has appeared regularly before the Appellate Division and the New Jersey Supreme Court to help the courts make good law in a wide variety of cases.

I am grateful to the stellar work that our Amicus Curiae Committee puts in to review and recommend cases for NJAJ to enter, and to the volunteer Amicus Advocates who argue cases and write briefs on our behalf.

You can find lists of cases NJAJ has been involved with on the website.

I hope all of you had some time to relax this summer and are gearing up for the fall.

Until next month...