Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
Between the two of us, we have more than 70 years of experience in the civil legal aid profession. Over that time, we have seen the law evolve, the system change and the challenges facing our clients grow more complex. But one thing remains constant: The most valuable lessons in this profession are often the simplest ones.
They come from experience.
From a judge explaining what matters in their courtroom. From a seasoned attorney sharing what works and, often more importantly, what does not. From the kind of practical insight that rarely finds its way into a brief or a written opinion but shapes the real outcomes of cases every day.
It is a kind of knowledge that cannot be downloaded, summarized or easily replicated. It is learned over time, refined through practice and most effectively passed from one lawyer to another.
And it is increasingly at risk of being lost.
As legal education and professional development continue to shift toward efficiency and scale, much of what makes a lawyer effective in practice —judgment, timing, credibility and the ability to solve problems in real time — can be harder to teach. These are not abstract concepts. They are the difference between escalation and resolution, between confusion and clarity and often between stability and crisis for the clients we serve.
That’s the idea behind this year’s “Timeless Tips from the Bench and Bar” CLE event hosted by the Indianapolis Legal Aid Society.
Our CLE is built around a simple premise: Some of the most meaningful professional developments come not from theory, but from hearing directly from those who have spent their careers doing the work. Judges and practitioners offer concise, focused observations drawn from decades of experience on what matters, what does not and what they wish more attorneys understood.
The format reflects that purpose. Short presentations. Clear takeaways. Practical guidance. The kind of insights that can be carried into a courtroom the very next day.
But the CLE is also a reminder of something broader about the profession.
As we have said before and will continue to declare: “A lawyer’s time and advice are his stock in trade.” When President Abraham Lincoln said this, he was describing the core value of what lawyers provide: thoughtful guidance, grounded in experience, offered when it matters most.
That stock in trade has never been successfully developed in isolation.
It is shaped through conversation, through observation and through experiences attorneys have over time. It is strengthened by being in the room hearing directly from the bench, exchanging ideas with colleagues and learning not just what to do but how and when to do it.
In-person gatherings remain one of the few spaces where that kind of learning can happen. They allow for the kind of dialogue, mentorship and shared understanding that cannot be replicated elsewhere.
And in a profession where credibility and judgment define outcomes, professional rapport and trust matter.
Because in the end, the strength of our profession is not just what we know. It’s how and alongside whom we continue to learn, grow and serve.•
__________
Floreancig is general counsel and CEO of Indianapolis Legal Aid Society and Stewart is senior litigation partner.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.