The Association for Continuing Legal Education (ACLEA) sure knows how to throw a party.
No, that’s not Venice, it’s the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando, home to the ACLEA’s 46th Mid-Year Conference in Orlando, Florida. This sprawling compound is magnificent. It’s as though you’ve stepped into Italy’s Venice, replete with gondolas and piazzas (below). There’s even the quaint Gelateria Caffé Espresso with gelatos and grande lattes. Familiar? Yep, it’s a well disguised Starbucks.
Although I’ve been a member of ACLEA for many years, this is only my second (consecutive) conference. Last year, I wrote a review of my experience and questioned the choice of venue, registration fees and additional fees on top of that as too costly.
Though I acknowledge that my observation and recommendations may have been somewhat naive, I’m not quite convinced that costs can’t be curtailed. However, that’s not a unique ACLEA issue, it’s a matter relevant to all professional associations.
So, though not embracing these costly meetings, I have accepted and will certainly enjoy attending. Major props to the hard working folks who chose this venue and planned the exciting agenda.
Many professional associations are defined by these annual and semi-annual conferences and ACLEA is no exception. The education, networking, building and maintaining of relationships make these events a truly meaningful experience.
Instead of struggling to recall particulars of the conference in a review days or weeks later, I will attempt to chronicle my day to day experience here.
This first installment is due to a decision to “shift” my office to Orlando for a week. So I came early, procrastinating to the very end and booking a flight and hotel package at lastminute.com the day before.
The cost of the last minute package including airfare and a week-long stay in a hotel suite down the block cost less than the 3-night stay at the host hotel.
For additional updates, information and insight, check out
- Gina’s CLE Blog authored by Gina Roers
- Twitter updates set up by Alli Gerkman at http://www.eventvue.com/ACLEA
Next up, The Agenda
