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History of the Association

The First Meeting of the Association of Life Insurance Counsel in 1913 established one of the legacies of the Association, that of presenting papers and programs that contribute meaningfully to the literature and law of life insurance. Early presentations featured the newly enacted Federal Income Tax and the National Bankruptcy Act. The Association continues to uphold this tradition and the seminars at its Annual Meetings every May keep members abreast of the latest developments in life insurance law and practice.

The first meeting was hosted by The Travelers Insurance Company in Hartford; 20 members were in attendance. Meetings have continued every year, with the exception of cancellations in 1918 and 1942-45, due to war; in 1933, due to the Depression; and in 1946 due to a railroad strike.

Membership initially was restricted to lawyers who were home office counsel. In 1925, membership was opened to counsel of Canadian companies, and the Canadian Superintendent of Insurance was made an honorary member. In 1926, the Association welcomed its first woman member, Hilda F. Deyoe, an attorney for Metropolitan Life.

In 2001, the Bylaws were amended to permit lawyers in private practice who devote a majority of their time to representing life insurance companies or industry associations to join.

The Association’s Constitution and Bylaws

The rules governing the Association and the qualifications for membership are established by the Association’s Constitution and Bylaws, which are included in this book. Membership is strictly on an individual basis, and not by company or firm.

The Website and the Blue Book

The Association maintains a Website at www.alic.cc, which contains reports and publications from the Annual Meetings, as well as a membership database. The venue and program for the next Annual Meeting can also be viewed when it becomes available. The Association also publishes for members only a directory, known as the "Blue Book" with contact information for all members. Many members bring their copies to the Annual Meetings.

Scholarship

The principal benefit of Association membership is the high quality of the scholarship opportunities. ALIC is unique in its focus on the life insurance bar and in the quality of the scholarship devoted to topics of particular interest to lawyers advising life insurers. The programs at the Annual Meetings in May are presented by leaders in their fields. Some of the papers presented serve attendees as ALIC Blue Book 2009–2010 13 resources for years. The programs combine plenary sessions featuring presentations of interest to all life insurance counsel with breakout sessions presented separately or sometimes on a combined basis by the various sections: Regulatory, Tax, Corporate, Securities, Litigation and Investment. Some Annual Meetings have also featured presentations on legal ethics. CLE credit is available for the presentations.

Fellowship

Another important benefit of membership is the fellowship with other members.

Athletic and Social Activities. Reflecting ALIC’s unique blending of fellowship with scholarship, Annual Meetings include athletic activities such as golf, tennis, croquet, beach volleyball and skeet shooting as well as tours, receptions and a dinner dance.

Spouse Involvement. Spouses and guests are welcome at Annual Meetings and many attend. They are included in all athletic and social events, and additional optional activities are scheduled while members are attending professional and business meetings.

New Members Reception. The Billy Shands New Members Reception is held at 5:00 p.m. Sunday, immediately preceding the general welcome reception at 5:30 p.m. This reception gives new members an opportunity to meet other new members as well as the Board members and Officers of the Association. Billy Shands is one of our Emeritus Members and the 2000 recipient of the Buist M. Anderson Distinguished Service Award. We named this reception after Billy because no one better exemplifies the collegiality of the organization.

Name Tags. Name tags are the easiest way for new members to identify other members at Annual Meetings, and members usually wear their name tags to all events. Note that at the Annual Meeting many members have ribbons attached to their name tags. These ribbons have significance, as follows:

Attire. Dress for the Annual Meeting is business casual.

Professionalism and Collegiality

Although Association members work for companies that compete, all share the desire to further the education and professional development of the life insurance bar. Even though they represent competitors in a competitive marketplace, members are willing to assist other members when appropriate. It is also a hallmark of the Association that “the briefcase is checked at the door.” In other words, while members are involved in ALIC matters, their first interest is that of the Association, not their company’s or firm’s. In furtherance of that interest, no company or firm may sponsor events in connection with the Annual Meeting, or give gifts with a firm logo. The Board is cognizant that, at many bar association meetings, marketing efforts have the unintended effect of dissuading in-house counsel from attending, and the Board wishes to avoid that effect. The policy also relieves members in private practice of the responsibility of engaging in marketing efforts while at ALIC meetings.