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History
On May 11, 1990, the first meeting of the group that later became the Professional Development Consortium (PDC) was held at the offices of the American Law Institute-American Bar Association Committee on Continuing Professional Education (ALI-ABA) in Philadelphia.
Titled “Training for Lawyers in the 90’s: A Meeting of In-House Training Professionals,” this first invitational event was organized by ALI-ABA and attended by 28 professionals from law firms, corporations, and government agencies across the United States and Canada.
Independent from the start, participants at the meeting decided to organize a self-determining association of in-house training professionals that would meet annually or semi-annually at host law firms to discuss shared topics of interest and to support the skills building of its members. Also as part of that discussion, the group explored the then novel possibility of developing an electronic listserv for its members (later dubbed PDC-Link), hosted by the American Bar Association, and named its first Steering Committee.* At its second meeting, held at ABA Headquarters in Chicago in August 1990, the group formally adopted the name “Professional Development Consortium” and outlined the new organization’s mission, membership criteria, and leadership structure.
Over the next 10 years, the PDC grew in size and purpose, meeting regularly on a semi-annual basis at members’ law firms across the U.S. and Canada, then in larger venues as membership increased. Between meetings, the listserv thrived as a constant source of information and communication among members, as it still does today.
Over the years, the PDC grew in size and purpose, meeting regularly on a semi-annual basis at members’ law firms across the U.S. and Canada, then in larger venues as membership increased. Between meetings, the listserv thrived as a constant source of information and communication among members, as it still does today.
In the early 2010’s, the PDC hit a major milestone when it shifted from an all-volunteer effort to an organization co-led by both volunteer members and professional staff. By 2015, the PDC had grown to include several hundred members across the United States and Canada and celebrated its 25th anniversary. Click here to see commemorative videos submitted to help celebrate the occasion. From 2020 – 2021, the PDC continued to offer its services throughout the Covid-10 pandemic on a mostly virtual basis, providing ways for PDCers to connect with each other, learning and teaching about remote and hybrid work environments, and offering support to members who were helping lawyers and law students navigate new ways of doing business.
Today, the PDC serves 700+ members and continues to grow in size and influence, serving as a thought leader within the legal professional development world and a community of support and resources for its members. Hosting a large summer conference each year, a robust schedule of learning webinars, a certificate program, local chapters, active committees, social media presence, a cohort of Trusted Advisors, a VIBES program to promote diversity in vendor visibility, a job board, and a lively members-only listserv, the PDC looks forward to continuing to serve its members for many years to come.
* Members of the first Steering Committee were: Richard D. Lee (Morrison & Foerster), Nancy A. Volksen (Vinson & Elkins), Elise Anne Geltzer (Weil Gotshal & Manges), Elizabeth Kaufer (Stroock & Stroock & Lavan), Brenda J. Fingold (Hale & Dorr), John Claydon (Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt), Stephen V. Armstrong (Shearman & Sterling), Libby S. Saypol (Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld), and Jane S. Meyers (King’s County District Attorney’s Office).
