It’s fall, and you know what that means.  Football!  Oops, I mean, The Annual NCBA Appellate Section CLE!

There are lots of ways to get plugged in to the appellate community this week:

Appellate Social.  Bench and bar alike are invited to mingle at Raleigh Times from 5pm to 7pm tomorrow, Thursday, September 27.   Share your favorite functus officio story over a cold beverage; make new friends and reconnect with old; and generally have a lovely time.  We especially love having law clerks join us.  You can RSVP if you want to be kind, or you can just show up.  I hope to see you there either way.

Bottom line:  Daphne Edwards planned the social.  It’s going to be fabulous.

Appellate CLE.  Angela Farag Craddock and Kenzie Rakes have put together a dazzling lineup of dynamic and knowledgeable speakers to deliver, as the title suggests, “Expert Advice to Improve Your Appellate Practice.”  Even for those of us who practice appellate law on the regular, the annual CLE always provides crucial insights.  I’ll definitely be taking notes on the strategic insights my fellow panel members give during the 1:15 pm session, for example.  And you’ll want to stay ’til the end, when Justice Jackson, Judge Dietz, Solicitor General Sawchak, and former Judge Geer share the stage.  Please check out the brochure and RSVP.

Bottom line:  This is the Section’s premier annual event, and the single best opportunity to build a base of appellate knowledge and a network of appellate friends.

–Matt Leerberg