Located in Harbor East, Baltimore's premier neighborhood, the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront sits on the water's edge. Baltimore's Inner Harbor is one of the most photographed and visited areas of the city. It has been one of the major seaports in the United States since the 1700s and started blossoming into the cultural center of Baltimore in the 1970s. Distinct in function and form, you’ll enjoy Baltimore's Inner Harbor and the surrounding neighborhoods that offer a variety of fine dining, cultural experiences and exciting nightlife. Embrace the spectacular views of the Baltimore Harbor, as you gather with colleagues and friends for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres to celebrate the beginning of the 34^th Annual Forum!  Complimentary for all attendees and their guests.


Newcomers’ Networking Night
Mustang Alley's
6:45 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
(Transportation Provided)

Come join us for a night on the town in Fell’s Point, Baltimore’s eclectic waterfront neighborhood! Young lawyers (that is, those lawyers under the age of 36 or who have been admitted to practice for less than 5 years) and first and second time attendees to the Forum always enjoy meeting and socializing after a long day at the intensive programs! This year we are off to Mustang Alley’s for cocktails, dinner and bowling. With 12 lanes of bowling, chef-inspired menus and almost 1,000 inches of HDTV, Mustang Alley’s is a premier upscale club unique to the Baltimore area. Come for the entertainment and networking and enjoy a little competitive fun! Don’t get left behind!   Additional fee for attendees and guests.

Attorneys, particularly women, are not judged solely on their intelligence and legal acumen.  Attire, social graces, and the use of social media can impact one’s perception of a lawyer's skills and judgment.  This year, the Women's Caucus Breakfast will discuss professionalism and the perception of women lawyers.  Mary Legg, President and General Counsel of Firm Advice, Inc., will provide tips and insight on how to present yourself professionally, across-the-board.  Time permitting, we will divide the audience into roundtable groups and promote interactive discussions of this essential topic.  Additional fee for attendees.


Diversity Lunch
11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

The Diversity Caucus invites all diverse members of the Forum to join us for a lunch discussion about how to get involved in Forum related activities such as writing, speaking and much more. Come with your suggestions about how we can support our diverse members and reach more diverse members to get them involved.

Join us as we explore a town of narrow rowhouses, cobbled streets, and fantastic local cuisine, encapsulating three centuries worth of charm. The Fells Point Food Tour explores parts of Baltimore's best preserved historic district that was founded nearly 280 years ago. On this guided, narrated walking tour, you will experience and learn about the significance of the small town once separated from Baltimore. During the tour, you will stop to sample specially made dishes and beverages at unique family owned restaurants. See what makes this port town so unique and delicious! Wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes!.  Additional fee for guests.

All attendees of the 34th Annual Forum on Franchising are cordially invited to a networking reception on Thursday afternoon hosted by LADR. LADR is the Forum’s committee for issues concerning litigation and ADR. Renew old acquaintances and make new ones at this Reception while unwinding from the day's seminars before heading out to the Annual Dinner.  Complimentary for all attendees.

The Corporate Counsel Committee will once again host a cocktail party for this year’s member event. You will not want to miss out on the only event at the Forum intended specifically for, and restricted to, in-house counsel. The goal of the event is to create a networking opportunity for in-house counsel and to share the unique challenges, perspectives and experiences that in-house counsel face in their daily work routines. This will be a relaxed casual atmosphere complete with cocktails and light hors d’oeuvres. Do not miss this very special opportunity to spend some quality time with your in-house peers. Only attendees with tickets will be admitted.  Additional fee for attendees.


Annual Reception/Dinner
B&O Railroad Museum
6:45 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
(Transportation Provided)

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum is where Americans pioneered a new transportation technology that carried people west and linked the Nation economically, politically and socially. Located among Baltimore City's historic southwest neighborhoods, at the original site of the historic Mt. Clare Shops, the B&O Railroad Museum is recognized universally as the birthplace of American railroading. It was here within the Museum's 40-acre campus that Baltimore businessmen, surveyors, and engineers set about building the B&O Railroad in 1829, laying the first commercial long-distance track, building the first passenger station, and inventing America's unique railroad. Railroad work has been conducted at Mt. Clare for over 130 years. And it continues today. Share this amazing piece of history with friends over dinner!  Additional fee for guests.

The Forum's International Division provides an opportunity for education, networking and the exchange of ideas among franchise lawyers from around the world. This year's Division breakfast program will focus on how to deal with a foreign master franchisee or developer who is not performing – the issues to be analyzed will concentrate on alternatives to litigation that franchisors should take into account before instructing their lawyers to start proceedings. A panel of speakers with a wealth of international franchising experience will discuss both the successful and the not-so-successful strategies they have pursued in the course of their international franchise activities across various jurisdictions.  Additional fee for attendees.

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. Our focus is to provide a sounding board for the current issues of the group—in litigation, transactional work, client development and Forum leadership. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to share knowledge and get face to face input from your peers in roundtable and open meeting discussions. Participants can expect to gain ideas and information that will help them build more successful and efficient practices. Registrants will be asked to bring “hot topics” and “burning issues” to the group.  Additional fee for attendees.

PBR is where cowboy cool meets urban chic! PBR is located in Power Plant Live, Baltimore's premier dining, entertainment and retail destination and just a short walk from the Marriott Waterfront. Join us for a cool country night that will include country western music, cold beers, southern cooking and a little bull riding!  Additional fee for attendees and guests.

Baltimore’s Moveable Feast is giving ABA Forum members the opportunity to hone those amateur kitchen skills (or learn some!) by preparing nutritious, free meals for people in need. In its ninth year, the Forum on Franchising presents a community service event that everyone can enjoy, right in the heart of Baltimore.

For over 20 years, Moveable Feast has been providing healthy meals to people suffering from HIV/AIDS, cancer, or other life-threatening illnesses. Moveable Feast relies on volunteers like us to prep and pack meals for the upcoming week. The event promises to be a meaningful, rewarding, and fun experience for everyone, from those who “can’t boil water” to the master chefs!

Although the time commitment is a wonderful opportunity to socialize and work side-by-side with other Forum members and to spend some time giving back to the community we are visiting, Moveable Feast will benefit from our monetary donations as well. Please consider making a donation to this worthwhile cause, on behalf of your firm, yourself, or on behalf of someone you know who has suffered from a similar life-threatening illness.

You may make your donation by dropping off a check (made payable to Moveable Feast) or cash at the ABA Registration Desk.

You will depart the busy port city of Baltimore for a 45-minute ride to the capital of Maryland, nestled on the Severn River, at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. When you arrive in Annapolis, you will begin your stroll of this alive colonial town at the Maryland State House, the oldest in continuous use, where you will see the Old Senate Chamber where George Washington resigned his commission as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Armies, and where the Treaty of Paris, ending the Revolutionary War was signed. The stroll will continue on to the Hammond-Harwood House, and the Chase-Lloyd House where guests will learn of each homes architectural history while viewing them from the outside. The next stop will be the William Paca House, one of Annapolis’s—and America’s—most impressive restored 18th-century mansions. When built by Paca in 1763–65, it was one of the first five-part Georgian homes in Annapolis. Continuing the walking tour, the next stop will be the United States Naval Academy and the Academy Chapel (pending availability based on events). Beneath the chapel is a crypt with the sarcophagus of John Paul Jones, the father of the U.S. Navy.

You will enjoy lunch at one of the restaurants that line the Annapolis Waterfront and time will be saved for browsing the shops and boutiques that line the cobblestone streets!  Additional fee for attendees and guests.