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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15
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Welcome Reception
Hilton – 6th Floor Foyer
5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
The Welcome Reception is our first social gathering. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and conversation in a relaxed atmosphere. Take this opportunity to connect with old friends, make new ones and hear The Doug Moreland Band – one of Austin’s best acoustic Texas swing bands. Complimentary for attendees and their guests.
Newcomers’ Networking Night
Warehouse District
6:45 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Start your evenings in Austin off right by joining us at two premier nightlife destinations. This is a “Don’t Miss It” tradition for young lawyers (those under the age of 36 or who have been admitted to practice for less than 5 years) and first and second time attendees of the Forum. We’ll head to the modern and eclectic Belmont for cocktails and a buffet dinner. Then, it’s off to the Speakeasy, one of Austin’s most famous spots, for drinks and entertainment. Additional fee for attendees and guests.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16
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Women’s Caucus Breakfast
7:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Work/Life Balance - how does she do it? This year the Women's Caucus Breakfast welcomes a special guest to share her thoughts about what inspires her. Justice Harriet O'Neill of the Texas Supreme Court is an award-winning author and speaker. Twice named as Justice of the Year by the Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists, she serves on the National Advisory Council on Violence Against Women, is the Texas Supreme Court's liaison to the Task Force on Foster Care, and is an active member of the Texas Access to Justice Commission. She also participates in the sports and school activities of her three children. Please join us to explore how you can create a work/life balance that works for you. Additional fee for attendees.
Spouse/Guest Cooking Class Central Market Cooking School
9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Transportation provided Under the guidance of Central Market Cooking School's expert chefs, guests will create an eclectic menu of Austin favorites, then relax and enjoy their masterpieces. Recipes will include: Beef Enchiladas with Spanish Rice and Marinated Grilled Chicken with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Additional fee for guests.
Litigation And Dispute Resolution (LADR) Reception
5:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.
LADR, the Forum’s committee for issues concerning litigation and ADR, is pleased to invite all Forum members to its annual reception on Thursday afternoon to enjoy cocktails and appetizers while mingling with your colleagues. Complimentary for attendees.
Corporate Counsel Reception
5:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.
The Corporate Counsel Committee will host a cocktail party for this year’s member event. This will be a great chance to visit with colleagues in a relaxed environment and share ideas about the in-house practice of franchise law over cocktails and light hors d’oeuvres. This event is exclusively for in-house counsel, so bring your ticket for entry. Additional fee for attendees.
Annual Reception/Dinner –
The Bob Bullock Texas History Museum
6:45 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Transportation provided Come and learn the “Story of Texas” at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in downtown Austin. A 35-foot-tall bronze Lone Star sculpture will greet you in front of the Museum, and a colorful terrazzo floor in the Museum’s award-winning rotunda featuring enduring themes from Texas’s past will amaze you. With three floors of interactive exhibits, a special effects show, and two of Austin’s best artists, LZ Love and Carolyn Wonderland performing, you won’t want this evening to end! Additional fee for guests only.
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17
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International Franchise and Distribution Division (IFDI) Breakfast
7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
The Forum’s International Division provides a forum for education, networking, and the exchange of ideas concerning international franchising. At this first ever International Division breakfast, meet with franchise lawyers from the U.S. and around the world who have an interest in international franchising. Also joining us this year will be a panel of speakers who will bring valuable insight on the practice of franchise law across borders. Additional fee for attendees.
Solo and Small Firm Breakfast
7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
The Solo and Small Firm Network is open to attorneys who are members of or employed by law firms of ten or fewer attorneys. This dynamic group will meet over breakfast to network and exchange ideas. We will focus on how to leverage knowledge, technology and networking to level the playing field—in litigation, in transactional work, in client development and in Forum leadership. Learn what your peers are doing in roundtable discussions designed to help you build a more successful and efficient practice. Additional fee for attendees.
Spouse/Guest Shopping Excursion
9:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Transportation provided For some, it’s all about the shopping! Guests will visit unique specialty shops in the quaint downtown district of Gruene, Texas. Shoppers will then stop for lunch at the historic Grist Mill Restaurant. Once refueled, it’s off to the San Marcos Prime Outlet Mall. With over 100 shops and restaurants, it is the place to shop in Central Texas. Stores include Neiman Marcus Last Call Clearance Center, Michael Kors, Restoration Hardware, Tommy Bahama, and many more. Comfortable walking shoes are a must! Additional fee for guests.
Diversity Committee Wine and Cheese Networking Reception
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
All attendees of the Forum are invited to a networking reception hosted by the ABA Forum on Franchising Diversity Committee. The Diversity Committee is devoted to increasing the involvement of members of diverse ethnic and racial groups in Forum activities and leadership roles. Please join the Diversity Committee at the reception to network and consider how we all can help to further the goal of making the Forum a more diverse and inclusive organization. Complimentary for all attendees.
Dinner and Concert at Antone’s Nightclub
7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Clifford Antone’s blues club has brought the best musicians from around the country to Austin. The club has regularly featured such legends as Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Buddy Guy and the patron saint of Austin blues, Stevie Ray Vaughan. It is regarded as one of the premier places on the Third Coast to see live music. We invite you to join us at Antone’s for a casual dinner and a private performance by nationally renowned singer/pianist Marcia Ball, with her infectious, intelligent and emotional brand of southern boogie, rollicking roadhouse blues and heartfelt ballads. This is an evening you will remember for years to come. Additional fee for attendees.
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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18
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Community Service Event
8:00a.m. – 1:00p.m.
Transportation provided This year we will support LifeWorks, a non- profit organization whose mission is to transition youth and families from crisis to safety and success. Lifeworks provides a comprehensive safety net of support to more than 10,000 youth and families each year in the Austin area. Forum members can participate in a fall clean-up project consisting of gardening, landscaping and general yard work at one or two LifeWorks sites, with an option to do indoor work in the event of rain. Our work will help make the LifeWorks site more welcoming and inviting to the community it serves. No experience is necessary, just a desire to donate a few hours to help a worthy organization. If you would like to make a monetary donation, please see if your company or firm will match your gift. Checks can be made out to LifeWorks and mailed to the attention of Abigail Nersesian, Volunteer Coordinator, LifeWorks, 3700 S. 1st Street, Austin, TX 78704 (with the notation “ABA Forum-Community Service Event”) or dropped off at the ABA Registration Desk during the Forum.
Texas Hill Country Tour
9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Transportation provided Leave the city for the rolling hills of Texas. Our first stop will be a tour and wine tasting at the Mandola Estate Winery located in scenic Driftwood, Texas, followed by lunch at Trattoria Lisinia, a Tuscan restaurant overlooking the Winery’s vineyards and picturesque gardens. Then we’ll visit Wimberley, Texas, voted one of America’s Best Small Towns, with its cool, shady pools beneath towering cypress trees, frothy cascades on the Blanco River and sparkling Cypress Creek. You’ll be on your own to visit the specialty shops, town square, art galleries, and cafes or just sit and enjoy the atmosphere. For those who like to walk and see the sites, Wimberley is full of beautiful views and rich history. A pause at the bridge over Cypress Creek or, for the more vigorous, a walk up the steps to the top of Old Baldy is well worth the effort. Additional fee for all.
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