46th Gertrude E. Rush Conference and Awards Gala
San Diego, CA | March 26-29, 2026
The Gertrude Rush Conference & Awards is one of the National Bar Association’s most inspiring traditions. It honors the legacy of Gertrude Elzora Durden Rush, the first African American woman admitted to the Iowa bar and the only woman among the NBA’s founders.
Each year, this signature event gathers visionaries, legal pioneers, and community leaders to celebrate those who carry forward Rush’s spirit of excellence, resilience, and unyielding commitment to justice. Through thought-provoking sessions, powerful keynotes, and the prestigious Gertrude Rush Awards Gala, the conference uplifts today’s champions of civil rights while preparing tomorrow’s leaders of the profession.
Set against the backdrop of San Diego, the 2025 Gertrude Rush Conference will not only honor history, it will make history. Join us as we celebrate trailblazers, confront today’s challenges, and chart a bold course for the future.
Full Board Meeting: Thursday, March 26, 2025, from 12:00 – 3:00 PM PST.
Spring General Counsel Invitational
Beyond the Law: The GC as Enterprise Leader
San Diego, CA | March 27, 2026
Held alongside the NBA Mid-Year Meeting
Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina
Convening the nation’s leading senior in-house counsel and Chief Legal Officers, this year’s Invitational is dedicated to candid dialogue on the pillars of modern leadership: institutional risk, capital strategy, and enduring legacy. This exclusive, curated forum and distinguished guest voices, explore how today’s General Counsel protects value, shapes narrative, and drives long-term impact.
The program agenda will be announced soon.
Agenda
46th Gertrude E. Rush Conference and Awards Gala
Thursday, March 26, 2026
| 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Registration + Membership Lounge |
| 12:00 PM – 3:30 PM | NBA Board of Governors Meeting |
| See San Diego! | |
| 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM | Poolside Welcome Reception |
| 10:00 PM – Until | Sisterhood & Brotherhood Hospitality Suites |
Friday, March 27, 2026
| 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM | Breakfast |
| 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM | Reframing the Narrative: Law, Race, and Who Gets to Tell the Story with Dr. Ekow Yankah |
| 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM | Closing the Gap: Legislative Strategies and Solutions for Black Maternal Health |
| 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM | The Lynching of Affirmative Action in America: A 360° Legal and Practical Analysis |
| 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Mastering our Trials: Pathways, Mentorship, Wellness & Staying in the Profession |
| 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Artificial Intelligence and the Law: Who Owns it, Who Controls It, Who Pays For It – AI’s expanding role in sports and entertainment |
| 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | GC Invitational — Closed Door |
| 12:00 PM – 1:45 PM | Holding the Line: Law, Media, and the Responsibility to Tell the Truth |
| 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM | From Pleadings to Proofs: Effective Settlement and Trial Preparation & Strategy in Family Law |
| 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM | Pillars of Hope: Why Every Lawyer Should Care About Expungement |
| 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM | Women in Mass Torts & Personal Branding |
| 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM | GC Invitational — Closed Door |
| 3:15 PM – 3:30 PM | Midday Mocktails & Mimosas |
| 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM | AI Ethics for the Solo Practitioner: Supervision, Sanctions, and Disclosures |
| 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM | Leadership Development Institute |
| 5:00 PM – 6:15 PM | Joint Reception sponsored by San Diego County Bar Association |
| 6:40 PM – Until | Take Me Out to the Ballgame: San Diego Padres v. Detroit Tigers Season Opener |
Saturday, March 28, 2026
| 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM | Breakfast |
| 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM | Leadership Development Institute |
| 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM | National Association of Women and Minority-Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) Expo |
| 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM | Presidential Showcase: Where Are the 300,000? Black Women, Work, Power & the Disappearance That Rewrote America |
| 10:10 AM – 11:10 AM | Keynote: Patricia Russell-McCloud — We Heal Forward: Sisterhood, Mentorship, Preparation & Unforgiveness |
| 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM | Lunch on Your Own |
| 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM | Live from the Writer’s Room: From Reasonable Doubt to Cultural Truth |
| 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM | Community Clinic: Powers of Attorney and Estate Planning Education |
| 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM | Expungement Clinic |
| 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM | Justice in Action: A Youth Extravaganza of Courage, Change and Legal Careers |
| 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | President-Elect James Carter’s Planning Meeting |
| 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM | VIP Red Carpet + Reception |
| 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM | The 46th Gertrude E. Rush Awards Gala, location: Eve at Radd |
| 10:30 PM – Late | Afterglow Scholarship Fundraiser Party |
Agenda
Spring General Counsel Invitational
Thursday, March 26, 2026
| 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM | Poolside Welcome Reception |
Friday, March 27, 2026
| 8:00 AM – 8:15 AM | Breakfast |
| 8:15AM – 8:30 AM | Welcome & Opening Remarks |
| 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM | Rapid Fire GCI Hot Topics |
| 9:00 AM – 9:50 AM | Reframing the Narrative: Law, Race, and Who Gets to Tell the Story with Dr. Ekow Yankah |
| 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM | The GC as Enterprise Risk Architect: From Legal Guardian to Strategic Co-Pilot |
| 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Law, Values, and Corporate Voice: The GC in a Polarized World |
| 12:00 PM – 1:45 PM | Heman Sweat Luncheon (Sunny Hostin Moderated fireside Chat) “Holding the Line: Law, Media, and the Responsibility to Tell the Truth” |
| 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | AI, Automation, and Accountability: Who Owns the Algorithm When It Fails? |
| 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Ownership, Control, and Creative Capital |
| 3:15 PM – 3:30 PM | Mocktails & Mimosas |
| 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM | The Legal Department of the Future: Talent, Structure, and Succession |
| 5: 15 PM – 5:30 PM | The Quiet Power of the General Counsel |
| 5:00 PM – 6:15 PM | Joint Reception sponsored by San Diego County Bar Association |
| 6:40 PM – Until | Take Me Out to the Ballgame: San Diego Padres v. Detroit Tigers Season Opener |
Don’t miss the NBA’s 101st Annual Convention!
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