President's Page by Emily Ellison

With Thanksgiving and the holidays approaching, it’s a good time to reflect on the year and practice gratitude. Merriam-Webster defines gratitude as “the state of being grateful: thankfulness." [1] In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. [2]

On behalf of the BCBA, I’d like to express our gratitude to those who support us. First, we are grateful to you, dear members. Without you, this organization would not exist. We appreciate your support of the bar by paying dues with your hard-earned money, attending events, CLEs, sharing your knowledge, mentoring, supporting other members, and furthering the BCBA’s mission of ensuring that “the Boulder County legal community is connected and thriving.”

I’m grateful to the BCBA staff and Board of Directors who devote their time to ensure the bar is offering opportunities and resources that support our members and the legal community. BCBA Executive Director Laura Ruth and Executive Assistant Kyle Mares put in the day-to-day work to make certain the BCBA runs successfully. The BCBA Board of Directors generously give their time and ideas to help the BCBA stay relevant and an important resource to our members. Most recently, the BCBA Board members cooked chili at the 2nd Annual Chili Cook Off. Congratulations to Rachel Mentz for winning the most votes at the chili cook-off. I’m grateful to ex officio BCBA Board members, Judge Dea Lindsey and Marci Fulton. Judge Lindsey serves as the current 20th Judicial District liaison and ensures the BCBA is updated on new practices and procedures in the 20th Judicial District so that our members are informed.

Marci Fulton, JD, who works in the Career Development Office at CU Law, keeps the BCBA up-to-date on the latest developments at CU Law.

The BCBA is grateful to all of the judges who support the local legal community by giving their time to present CLEs that further the BCBA’s mission of ensuring “we make a positive impact on individuals, the legal community, and Boulder County as a whole.” To express our gratitude to the judges in the 20th Judicial District, we are holding our Annual Judge’s Dinner on November 2nd from 5:30pm to 8:30pm at the St. Julien. This is a great opportunity to get to know your fellow BCBA members and judges while sharing a meal together.

There are other upcoming events in November with opportunities for CLEs and socializing. The BCBA is hosting a screening of “This is [Not] Who We Are” followed by a discussion panel at the Dairy Arts Center on November 28th at 5:00pm. This documentary “explores the gap between Boulder’s self-image and the more complex lived experiences—both historical and contemporary—of its Black citizens." [3] BCBA member John Tweedy worked as an editor and videographer on this documentary. Attendees will receive 2 EDI CLE credits. Please click here to register.

We are grateful for you and hope that you can join us at some of these events in November!

[1] Citation here

[2] Citation here

[3] Citation here