Group Trip to St. Maarten | Women in Trial Travel Summit

january 19 - 24, 2025

We're going island hopping! Join your host, Lauren Wood, on a WITTS Small Group Trip to the Caribbean islands of Sint Maarten, Anguilla and St. Barths, from Sunday, January 19th through Friday, January 24th, 2025. You'll stay at the beautiful new JW Marriott hotel in St. Maarten, which will be "home base" for the trip. St. Maarten is known for it's vibrant nightlife and incredible food with a mix of French, Dutch and Caribbean flavors. If you've been on a prior WITTS trip you already know that we'll do one boat day, one morning of MCLEs* and then spend the other days island hopping to nearby Anguilla and St. Barthélemy. This 6 day, 5 night trip includes resort accommodations, private transportation, private tours, a private boat charter and most meals.

This trip has been planned around the National Trial Lawyers Summit, which takes place in Miami, Florida from January 27 through 30, 2024 (a few days after this trip). Flights from SXM to Miami are 3.5 hours and cost about $300. You may also want to take advantage of St. Maarten's close proximity to the islands of Anguilla and St. Barths, which we will take day trips to during our stay. Extend your time in the Caribbean by adding additional time on one of these incredible islands. Anguilla is a 25 minute ferry or 10 minute flight, while St. Barths is a 45 minute ferry or a 15 minute flight.

*3 hours of MCLE are pending with the State Bar of California.

Interested in Sponsoring a Group Trip?

Visit the Group Trip Sponsorship page or email lauren@womenintrialtravelsummit.com for more information.

JW Marriott Single Room

JW Marriott Pool

JW Marriott Upgraded Balcony Room Views

JW Marriott Single Room

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Accommodations

Click on any image to enlarge

Sunday, January 19

Arrive in St. Maarten

Travelers to Sint Maarten will fly into Simpson Bay Princess Juliana Airport (SXM). Most flights leave the US Saturday evening and arrive in SXM midday. You'll be picked up by private transportation and taken to the stunning new JW Marriott resort on the east side of the Dutch part of Sint Maarten, just minutes from the invisible line that divides the Dutch side from French Saint-Martin. You'll get situated into your room, where you'll stay for the duration of the trip. That evening, we will all enjoy a welcome dinner together at the resort.

Monday, January 20

MCLEs + Maho Beach

You'll wake up to share breakfast at the resort, then hear qualified speakers give three hours of ethics MCLE presentations in a private conference room at the resort. Then in the afternoon, we will head to town where we will have lunch together, then explore, visiting local art galleries, shopping in the boutiques and sampling local food. That afternoon, we'll visit the famous Maho Beach, where you watch the planes fly directly overhead. That evening, we will enjoy a sunset horseback ride which includes champagne and roasted marshmallows while watching the sunset.

Tuesday, January 21

Day Trip to Anguilla

After breakfast at the hotel, you'll be transported to the Marigot Harbor, where you'll board a ferry to the nearby island of Anguilla. It's a 20 minute ride, and you'll get a new passport stamp at customs. There, you'll be picked up by a private driver, who will do a tour of the island and then drop the group off at the stunning Shoal Bay beach, where you can enjoy frozen umbrella drinks right on the sand. We'll spend the whole day here and then head back on the ferry. After freshening up at the hotel, we will all go into Simpson Bay for dinner and to experience the nightlife afterwards.

Wednesday, January 22

Boat Day!

It's Boat Day! If you've been on a prior WITTS Small Group Trip, you already know that Boat Day is the best day. The group will enjoy a private charter around the island, visiting secluded beaches and secret coves. You'll enjoy lunch on the boat and swim in the beautiful turquoise water, snorkel, and lounge in the sun. In the late afternoon, we'll sail back to the port. Since boat day is always a long day, you can either choose to order room service or break off into smaller groups for dinner at the resort or in town (not included--this is a free night).

Thursday, January 23

Day Trip to St. Barths

After breakfast in the morning, the group will head to Philipsburg to take the 45 minute ferry over to the nearby island of Saint Barthélemy. There, we'll have a private driver, who will take us into town do do some shopping. The afternoon will be considered a free day, where attendees can choose to continue roaming around town or visit one of St. Barth's many famed beach clubs: Nikki Beach, Gypsea Beach Club, NAŌ Beach Club or Shellona. The return ferry is at 6:45 pm, where we'll be picked up and taken back to the hotel. The evening is also a free night to rest or spend the last night in town.

Friday, January 24

Return Home

While the hosted trip officially ends today, the resort will be honoring a reduced group room rate for attendees who wish to add time to their stay, which will include three days before the event and three days after. Attendees are encouraged to stay and experience beautiful St. Maarten, or nearby islands Anguilla or St. Barths, if they have the time. As noted above, this trip was planned around National Trial Lawyers Summit in Miami, which means that attendees who wish to attend that event will simply fly from SXM to MIA on Sunday to be present at the NTL events that begin on Monday.

Trip Cost

$4,400 shared occupancy | $1,850 Single supplement

What's Included

5 nights of accommodations, in either a shared occupancy room or a single
Breakfast at the hotel each day
3 hosted lunches
3 hosted dinners
Private group tours & activities
Most transportation
A fabulous swag bag

What's Not Included

Flights to and from St. Maarten
Travel insurance (required)**
Alcohol
2 dinners + 2 lunches (Free Time)
Activities outside of the scheduled trip
Accommodations and airport transfers if the attendee arrives early or late
Transportation for non-scheduled activities

Please Read Before Signing Up

Whether you are a new attendee or have attended a prior WITTS Group Trip , please read the following terms, as the terms have changed:

Space for this trip is limited and it is anticipated that it will fill up quickly. After registration, you will be sent a link to pay a non-refundable $1,000 deposit. If you've been on a prior WITTS trip, you may have noticed the deposit is higher. This is because the constant booking and cancellation of attendees is very difficult to accommodate and—because January is peak season to travel to St. Maarten—nearly all the hotels, tours and catamaran charter are prepaid. Your spot cannot be held without paying the deposit. You will have three (3) days to pay the deposit; after which, if payment has not been received, your spot may be given away to someone else. After paying a deposit, 50% of the remaining balance will be due 90 days prior to the start of the trip, with the full balance due 60 days prior to the first day of the trip.

This trip involves a lot of time on the water. We will be taking a total of four ferries and will spend an entire day on a catamaran. As such, if you get seasick easily and do not fare well on the water, this trip might not be the best option for you.

This is a group trip. If you cannot be respectful and kind to other attendees, then this trip is not for you. If you cannot commit to being on time—as a courtesy to other attendees—then this trip is also not for you. Similarly, if you do not do well in a small group setting, you may want to reconsider attending. If travel stresses you out, then traveling in a group setting probably won't be any easier. If you are particular about sharing a room with people, then you are strongly encouraged to book a single. In sum, negativity on group trips has the ability to ruin other people's trip. For this reason, you are strongly encouraged to think about whether a group trip is right for you before signing up.

If you can commit to being respectful of other attendees, are open to trying new foods and experiences, and are looking for a trip where you will bond with like-minded female trial lawyers and women in the legal industry, enjoy incredible dishes and see what this exciting Caribbean island has to offer, then it would be our pleasure to host you.

*All attendees are required to purchase a travel insurance policy that includes medical coverage. While any travel insurance policy with medical coverage will suffice, attendees are strongly encouraged to purchase a policy with Cancel for Any Reason coverage. In the event that life gets in the way last minute and you are required to cancel within thirty (30) days of the trip, for a reason that is not covered by typical insurance policies, Cancel for Any Reason coverage may help get some of your money back. Please read the entirety of our cancellation policy, along with general Terms & Conditions, HERE.

Flights & Travel Information

Flights to St. Maarten (SXM) leave the U.S. in the evening, usually have a layover in Miami or Charlotte, and arrive in the early afternoon. There are no nonstop flights out of LAX to SXM. American Airlines offers the most flights to St. Maarten, though other options are available. Attendees are encouraged to arrive in St. Maarten between 10 am and 4 pm in order to be able to attend the welcome dinner on Sunday. Those flights depart on Saturday.

To read answers to Frequently Asked Questions, CLICK HERE.