“Takin’ care of business, every day
Takin care of business, every way
Takin’ care of business, it’s all right
Takin’ care of business, and workin’ overtime”

−Bachmann Turner Overdrive

It is my sincere pleasure to be writing this letter to welcome all of you to the 132nd National Convention of the Commercial Law League of America.

For many of you this is an annual affair, and you have already been preparing for these few days, picking out your clothes, and setting up meetings for business and dinner. For others (many others actually) this is your first meeting. I am particularly excited to welcome you and to congratulate you on making the choice to attend. So, welcome and welcome back.

In the CLLA we tend to look at our conventions as having at least three components for attendees. There is the educational component, and I think I can say that it will be excellent as always. We have the social component, and it looks like there is a full schedule of activities to keep everyone entertained. Finally, there is the networking and business development component, and I would like to spend a bit of time on that.

Members of the three branches of the Triadic System approach the networking and business development component in different but complementary ways. Let’s start with the Law Lists. The Lists each have their ongoing customers who are the listing attorneys. Each of the Lists attend our conferences seeking to both retain those who are already listing with them and also to add new listings. The Lists are always particularly interested in adding listings in jurisdictions where they may not already have a listee. The other networking Lists do is to meet with agencies and forwarders to build on those relationships and to act as a liaison between their listing attorneys and these potential forwarders.

What about the Agencies? Like the Lists, they come to our conferences with pre-existing relationships with both Lists and with Attorneys. However, they are always on the hunt for new opportunities, and they also take advantage of the convention to re-establish connections with their long-term relationships.

Finally, our collection attorneys. They are hoping to both maintain the workflow that they receive and to find new sources both through direct contact with agencies and by leaning on their List relationships.

As well as the three branches of the Triadic System we also have bankruptcy attorneys, vendors and now corporate counsel attending as well as judges, law clerks, and students. All of them attend to experience the three components and all of them are interested in networking and building our social capital.

So, plan out your conference. Think about what you hope to accomplish. Make connections and even more importantly follow up on them. When you get back home follow up with the contacts that you made. Reach out to people to maintain those connections. Send a LinkedIn request. Post something on the Briefing Room. Volunteer.

There is a world of opportunity at our conferences. Have fun, meet some people, make contacts and in the words of BTO…take care of business! You never know what you will find at the CLLA!

This conference will mark my final duties as your President and my joining the ranks of my esteemed predecessors.
I look forward to spending time with each of you over the next few days and I will proudly be handing this office along to my friend Ben Farrow.

Richard Payne
2025-2026 CLLA President