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 2026 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, 2026, from 12:00 – 3:00 PM PST.

Sponsorship Guide

Agenda

Special Guests

Sunny Hostin

Attorney, renowned multi-platform journalist, co-host of ABC’s The View and previously hosted The Truth About Murder with Sunny Hostin, five-time Emmy Award-winner, two-time New York Times best-selling author

Judge Greg Mathis

Former Judge of Michigan’s 36th District Court, philanthropist, author, and longtime television personality

John Page, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer

Raamla Mohamed

Emmy-nominated writer and co-executive producer of Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere; former Scandal writer, including iconic crossover
How to Get Away with Murder.

Patricia Russell-McCloud

“Visual Speaking Experience” Essence Top 10 Speakers in America, Former FCC Attorney, Author, and 11th President of The Links, Inc.

Alphonso David

Alphonso David is an American lawyer, LGBT civil rights activist, former president of the Human Rights Campaign, and current president and CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum.

Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D.

Shirley N. Weber is a trailblazing educator, civil rights advocate, and politician who serves as California’s 30th Secretary of State, becoming the first Black person to hold the office while advancing voting rights, equity, and public policy reform.

Spring General Counsel Invitational (Invite Only)

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.

GCI Agenda

Law firm Sponsorships available for GCI

Sponsorship Guide

John Page

Chair, General Counsel Invitational
Chief Legal Officer, Golden State Foods

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! Member Site-Seeing Opportunity
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	Presidential Showcase (All Attend) “Attacks on Economic Opportunity and Free Enterprise, Separating Risk from the Law and How to Navigate the Current Landscape.” Alphonso David
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	Litigation Lab 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	Heman Sweatt Awards Luncheon featuring Sunny Hostin “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, Confidentiality, and Ethics: A Small-Firm Playbook
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 – 9:30 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 featuring Katica Roy
10:10 AM – 11:10 AM	Keynote: Patricia Russell-McCloud — Exhibit A: Women Leading Women
11:15 AM – 12:15 PM	Lunch on Your Own (Ritual + Mentorship Matching)
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM	Live from the Writer’s Room: From Reasonable Doubt to Cultural Truth Presidential Fireside Chat, All Attend —Raamla Mohamed + Shawn Holley (moderator)
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM	Community Clinic: Powers of Attorney and Estate Planning Education
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM	Expungement Clinic Criminal Law Section with the Pro Bono & Public Service Committee
2:30 PM – 4:30 PM	Catalyst Youth Initiative
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 Hosted by Judge Greg Mathis Keynote Speaker: California Secretary of State, Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D.