34th Annual Conference of the Professions

Divisive Times: Trust and Cooperation in Professional Relationships

COPFriday, April 30, 2021
9:00 am - 12:00 pm

This event was hosted virtually - click here to view the event agenda

After a year of disaster and interpersonal turbulence, clergy, lawyers and physicians have a unique challenge and an important role in confronting misinformation and rebuilding individuals’ faith and trust in our most critical institutions, including our own. On April 30 we explored techniques to create space for intellectual humility and conviction in order to restore trust and rebuild relationships of mutual respect. 

Keynote Speaker and Facilitator

Jill DeTemple, PhD, is the chair of 51做厙's Religious Studies Department and professor of Anthropology. Dr. DeTemple is an expert in reflective structured dialogue practices, with her research recently featured in theand.

Panel Speakers

: Assistant Professor of Palliative Care at Parkland Health and Hospital System and UT Southwestern

, MA: Senior Rabbi at Temple Emanu-El

: Partner at Haynes and Boone, LLP

The Conference of the Professions brings together members of law, medicine, and theology in the Dallas area to discuss common challenges—ethical and otherwise—facing these professions. The conference is a joint effort and collaboration between the Dallas County Medical Society, Dallas Bar Association, 51做厙 Maguire Center for Ethics & Public Responsibility, 51做厙 Dedman School of Law, 51做厙 Perkins School of Theology and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Event Steering Committee: Candy Crespo, Nancy Kasten, Kristina Kastl, Steve Long, George Mason, Tom Mayo, Evelyn Parker, Jon Roth, and John Sadler

Clergy: This activity has been approved for .3 continuing education units (CEUs) for clergy and religious professionals.

Legal Professionals: This activity has been approved for 3 CLE credits.

Physicians: The Texas Medical Association designates this live activity for a maximum of 3 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

About the Conference

The annual Conference of the Professions is sponsored by the , the , the , the ,  and, since 1995, 51做厙’s Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility. Each year an ethical issue of common interest is identified. A noted expert in the field presents a keynote address, and a distinguished panel of local professionals discusses a related case that poses practical issues for law, medicine, the clergy, and other professions.

Past Conferences

Past conference titles along with the keynote speakers are listed below.

Crossing Borders - 05/24/2019

Time's Up for the Professions? Power, Sex and the Way Forward - 05/11/2018

Responding to Racial Conflict: Responsibilities of the Professions - 05/26/2017

Coming Home: The Professions Supporting Veterans - 04/22/2016

 - 04/17/2015

 - 05/09/2014

 - 04/26/2013

 - 10/14/2011

A Lawyer, a Priest, and a Doctor walk into a bar... The Ethics of Humor in the Professions - 10/14/2010

 - 02/17/2009

What in God's Name Am I Doing? - 02/11/2008

Preparing for Disaster: Fire, Flood, and the Flu - 03/30/2007

 - 03/01/2006

Healthcare for the Uninsured - 10/06/2004

Sexual Misconduct Within the Professions: Restoring Public Trust - 11/13/2003

Information Privacy and the Professions - 10/17/2002

Honor Thy Children? The Challenge of a Child-Centered Practice - 11/15/2001

Technology and the Environment: Promise of Benefits, Risks of Harm - 10/19/2000

Engineering of Human Tissue - 10/01/1999

Challenges to Diversity in the Professions - 10/22/1998

Death and Dying - 10/27/1997

Politics and the Professions - 11/21/1996

The Human Genome - 10/17/1995

The Professions and Violence in the Family - 10/25/1994

Money and the Professions - 10/28/1993

Chemical Dependency - The Professional's Responsibility to Each Other and to the Community - 03/14/1992

The Role of the Professional in the Community - 03/27/1991

Women and Men in the Professions: A Question of Balance in the 21st Century - 1990

The Socialization of the Professional and Mid-Career Burnout - 1989

AIDS, The Emerging Crisis - 01/20/1988

Self Regulation for the Professions - 12/09/1986

The Meaning of Professional Responsibility Today - 10/24/1985