POSTPONED: Beyond the Bar: Rethinking Retirement in the Legal Profession

POSTPONED: Beyond the Bar: Rethinking Retirement in the Legal Profession Learn more at https://www.meckbar.org/?pg=MCBCalendar&evAction=showDetail&eid=355290 Description: This CLE has been postponed. Please email Michelle Lee (mlee@meckbar.org) with questions.    This program has been submitted for 1.0 Ethics and 1.0 PWB credit hours in North Carolina and South Carolina (in-person credit) This CLE is hosted by the MBA Sole Practitioner/Small Firm Section. SPSF Section Members can register for a discounted rate of $60. Location Robinson Bradshaw 600 S Tryon St #2300, Charlotte, NC 28202 Lunch will be provided. Program Overview Retirement doesn’t have to mean the end of your professional life – it can be the beginning of something different. This program invites lawyers to take a fresh look at retirement and explore the personal, professional, ethical, and practical considerations that come with stepping away from full-time practice. Through film, discussion, and real-world perspectives from the bench and bar, attendees will consider how to prepare for a successful transition and a fulfilling next chapter. 11:00 – 12:00 Screening of Retirement on Trial Retirement on Trial is an engaging documentary created by lawyer and filmmaker Stephen Herman and producer Evelyn Neaman that explores one of the most significant transitions in a lawyer’s life: retirement from legal practice. Through interviews with lawyers, judges, and professionals who have navigated this transition, the film examines issues of identity, purpose, wellness, professional relevance, and life beyond the practice of law. 12:00 – 1:00 Panel and audience discussion Panelists will discuss the film’s themes and their own experiences related to retirement, including questions of professional identity, competency, ethics, succession planning, and personal well-being. Panelists Hon. Louis A. Trosch, Jr. Superior Court Judge, 26th Judicial District Anne Tompkins, Retired Partner, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft; former United States Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Rick McDermott, McDermott IP Law  Stephen Herman, Civil Litigator and Amateur Documentary Filmmaker Moderated by Evelyn Neaman, Documentary Producer and Wellness Practitioner Learning Objectives: Create a safe and engaging environment to explore the emotional, psychological, ethical, and professional aspects of retirement in the legal field. Provide practical insights and shared experiences from the filmmaker and local members of the bench and bar. Encourage proactive and intentional retirement planning as an important part of lawyer well-being. Empower senior attorneys and judges to envision personal and professional reinvention beyond full-time practice. Examine ethical obligations related to retirement, succession planning, client communication, file transfers, and trust account management. Explore professional responsibility considerations that arise during late-career transitions. Identify risk management strategies associated with winding down or restructuring a legal practice. Analyze how retirement planning impacts lawyer well-being, competence, and professionalism. Engage in moderated discussions with experienced practitioners and judges, applying the film’s themes to real-world legal scenarios. The views and opinions of MBA CLEs are not necessarily those of the Mecklenburg Bar Association/26th Judicial District Bar. Schedule: Thursday, November 5, 2026 Location: Robinson Bradshaw Robinson Bradshaw 600 S Tryon St #2300, Charlotte, NC 28202