The past couple of months, I have been quite busy attending various industry events. On May 24, InsideCounsel–along with several sponsors–hosted its first annual Transformative Leadership Awards dinner in Chicago. At the dinner, InsideCounsel honored successful women in the corporate legal profession. I co-chaired the event with Michele Coleman Mayes, chief legal officer at Allstate Insurance Co., and it was well-attended and well-received.

Piggybacking the Transformative Leadership Awards dinner was InsideCounsel's 10th Annual SuperConference on May 25 and 26. Like the nine previous SuperConferences, this year's event was full of networking opportunities, as well as sessions boasting valuable information–from the legal department's role in managing social media to the continued challenges with diversity. See our coverage of the 2010 SuperConference in this issue.

In early June, I traveled to Houston to attend a general counsel panel discussion, “Generals of the Revolution,” where several high-profile legal professionals–along with Richard Susskind, legal writer and legal IT specialist–discussed the future of a lawyer's role within an organization and how technology will be shaping the profession as a whole. Like InsideCounsel, this event was forward-thinking, and I was happy to be involved.

But, I admit, what I enjoy most about all these events I attend throughout the year is the opportunity I have to meet InsideCounsel readers. Getting to know you helps me keep this magazine focused on achieving its mission: to provide business insights for law department leaders. While I have gotten a lot of compliments from so many of you on our publication, it's always nice to hear specifically what you like and where you think we can improve. Several of you have mentioned that you enjoy our annual InsideCounsel 10 story (featured in every September issue) as well as our new section Paying It Forward, which profiles law department pro bono programs.

While meeting our readers is most enjoyable for me, what's most surprising has been how many of you take the time to read my column. “Your column is the first thing I read in the magazine; it's right up front,” one in-house counsel said when the look of confusion on my face after he asked about my son forced him to explain how he knew I had a son. Another reader recently asked if I was still maintaining my weekly running routine, claiming it has given her motivation to do the same. (Surprisingly, I have.)

Whether you read InsideCounsel word-for-word or simply skim through the articles, I'm thankful to all of you who read this magazine. And I look forward to meeting each of you at an event in the future.

The past couple of months, I have been quite busy attending various industry events. On May 24, InsideCounsel–along with several sponsors–hosted its first annual Transformative Leadership Awards dinner in Chicago. At the dinner, InsideCounsel honored successful women in the corporate legal profession. I co-chaired the event with Michele Coleman Mayes, chief legal officer at Allstate Insurance Co., and it was well-attended and well-received.

Piggybacking the Transformative Leadership Awards dinner was InsideCounsel's 10th Annual SuperConference on May 25 and 26. Like the nine previous SuperConferences, this year's event was full of networking opportunities, as well as sessions boasting valuable information–from the legal department's role in managing social media to the continued challenges with diversity. See our coverage of the 2010 SuperConference in this issue.

In early June, I traveled to Houston to attend a general counsel panel discussion, “Generals of the Revolution,” where several high-profile legal professionals–along with Richard Susskind, legal writer and legal IT specialist–discussed the future of a lawyer's role within an organization and how technology will be shaping the profession as a whole. Like InsideCounsel, this event was forward-thinking, and I was happy to be involved.

But, I admit, what I enjoy most about all these events I attend throughout the year is the opportunity I have to meet InsideCounsel readers. Getting to know you helps me keep this magazine focused on achieving its mission: to provide business insights for law department leaders. While I have gotten a lot of compliments from so many of you on our publication, it's always nice to hear specifically what you like and where you think we can improve. Several of you have mentioned that you enjoy our annual InsideCounsel 10 story (featured in every September issue) as well as our new section Paying It Forward, which profiles law department pro bono programs.

While meeting our readers is most enjoyable for me, what's most surprising has been how many of you take the time to read my column. “Your column is the first thing I read in the magazine; it's right up front,” one in-house counsel said when the look of confusion on my face after he asked about my son forced him to explain how he knew I had a son. Another reader recently asked if I was still maintaining my weekly running routine, claiming it has given her motivation to do the same. (Surprisingly, I have.)

Whether you read InsideCounsel word-for-word or simply skim through the articles, I'm thankful to all of you who read this magazine. And I look forward to meeting each of you at an event in the future.