Henry M. Greenberg, President, New York State Bar Association

When thousands of lawyers converge on Manhattan later this month for the New York State Bar Association's (NYSBA) Annual Meeting, it will be the largest gathering of the best legal minds in the country. The week-long conference is a tradition that dates back nearly 150 years.

This Annual Meeting comes at a challenging time for our society. Attacks on the rule of law and our constitutional norms and traditions are commonplace. The public is more polarized and divided than at any time since the Vietnam War.

In such times, the voice of the legal profession is desperately needed. Our expertise, wisdom and capacity to work through tough issues can be a model for society at large. The Annual Meeting affords a unique opportunity for members of the Bar to come together, to learn and to grow as lawyers and citizens, alike.

Cutting-edge legal and policy developments will be addressed at meetings of NYSBA's 26 sections and numerous committees, touching on everything from climate change and cybersecurity to marijuana reform and emerging technologies. At the Presidential Summit, a renowned and unprecedented panel of experts will address the growing threat of mass violence perpetrated in this country by white nationalists and other extremist groups, and the legal implications of combatting it.

As part of our response to intolerance, the Annual Meeting will celebrate the beautiful mosaic of people and experiences that is New York state.

From its inception, NYSBA has performed a quasi-public function, serving as a resource for all three branches of government. That history and legacy will be put on full display when the House of Delegates convenes during the meeting. The House will consider policy proposals on thorny issues like the legalization of marijuana for recreational use, gun violence, the justice crisis in rural communities, the regulation of autonomous vehicles and the future of local journalism.

The Annual Meeting's crowning moment will be the gala dinner on January 30 at the American Museum of Natural History. In an incomparable setting, as many as 1,000 lawyers and judges will experience to the fullest the fellowship of the legal profession. Attendees will also honor the judges of the New York Court of Appeals and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, who will receive NYSBA's highest award—the Gold Medal for distinguished service.

Every segment of the legal profession will be represented at the Annual Meeting—lawyers from firms large and small, rural and urban, young and old, in private practice and public service. Some come to learn about the state-of-the-art in legal practice. Others attend to meet old friends or make new ones. Still others find inspiration in being a part of the most influential, impactful and consequential profession in American life.

There is something for everyone at the annual meeting. Please join us.

Henry M. Greenberg is a shareholder at Greenberg Traurig.