Message from the Board: “Just Show Up”

Howdy NLD Members,

My name is Robert Shawhan, and I’m a proud native of Nevada—born in Las Vegas and raised in the Carson Valley, where I split time between the neon lights of Sin City and the rugged charm of ranches, the snowcapped Sierra Mountains, and the ever blue Lake Tahoe.

For the past five years, I have been living and practicing law in San Diego. I arrived in March 2020—just as the world shut down for the COVID-19 pandemic. As you can imagine, it was not the easiest time to find community, much less employment. But I managed; we all did. One of my strongest traits along with determination is my love of connecting with people. I simply talked to anyone who would listen, joined every legal organization that would have me, and eventually landed my first attorney job here—all by just showing up.

That’s the message I want to share with you today: Just show up.

Show up for your friends, your colleagues, your clients, strangers, your community—but most importantly, show up for yourself.

The pandemic distanced us—physically, emotionally, socially—and many of us forgot how to reconnect. But I’ve learned that you don’t always need a reason, a perfect plan, or a polished pitch. If you show up, you’ll be remembered. Appreciated. And just maybe, something great will come of it.

As one of your new members-at-large, I plan to live that message. My goal is to bring people together through social events and build deeper member engagement. Whether it leads to new friendships, career moves, or just a refreshing conversation—you never know what a simple introduction might spark.

To that end, we just hosted one of our first social events of the year last night on April 16, 2025, “An Evening with the Gulls.” The event was a success but we invite you to continue coming out to our events throughout the year.

Whether you’re an active contributor, a CLE junkie, or someone who mostly deletes our listserv emails (no judgment!), I want you to know that this organization is your community. We are here when you need us.

So come out to our events. Come for the company. Come for the snacks. Or just come because you can. Whatever the reason, I hope you’ll Just Show Up.

Cheers,
Robert Shawhan
Member-at-Large