Things are hoppin’ at LPM! Our Spring Meeting in , was as productive as it was inspiring. It was wonderful to meet so many new faces, and we were honored to have our ABA Board of Governors Liaison, Cheryl Niro, in attendance as well as Desert Bar President Barbara Baron. Here’s a roundup of LPM activities as we enjoy the summer!
Outstanding CLE at LPM’s Spring Meeting
Part of the Spring Meeting’s success can be attributed to the outstanding CLE presented by our members. The programs included technology-related topics such as “ to Practice Law: iPads, Playbooks and Tablets,” “Microsoft Word and Outlook: Power Tips for Lawyers,” and “Protecting the Crown Jewels: Securing Your Firm’s Data”—plus a great program on “Marketing and Alternative Fee Arrangements in a Fragile Economy.” Roundtables on small and large firm management were also among the offerings. These programs received great reviews—attendees appreciated the opportunity to learn more efficient and effective ways to practice.
Good Press for LPM: Getting the Word Out
We are constantly working on ways to get the word out to the profession about the great things our Section is doing. With the help of our delivery boards, we are making important strides on many fronts in that area. Here are just a few of LPM’s programs and activities that are garnering attention:
ABA TECHSHOW 2011, held this past April in Chicago, is still receiving an enormous amount of press from the and outside sources. In addition to the outstanding CLE program produced by the ABA TECHSHOW Planning Board, attendees enjoyed an extraordinary keynote address by Lawrence Lessig, Director of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics and Professor at . If you missed it, you can watch “Code Is Law: Does Anybody Get This Yet?” on YouTube at http://bit.ly/e0HMrF. ABA TECHSHOW consistently offers the best legal technology programs in the nation, and it continues to be one of LPM’s annual highlights.
Recognizing the importance of protecting your firm by planning for the unexpected, the Webzine Board dedicated the entire April 2011 issue of Law Practice Today to disaster planning issues. The board and the issue editor, Micah Buchdahl, worked with the ABA Special Committee on Disaster Response to craft a special edition that called on nationally known experts in their field to serve as contributing authors. This issue resulted in many new subscribers and hits on the ’s home page. In addition, the issue received international attention as leaders sent it to other countries’ bar associations to have on hand as a resource. I thank the Webzine Board for addressing this important and timely topic. You can find the issue in the webzine’s archives at www.lawpracticetoday.com.
We appreciate all efforts to spread the word about our Section’s great resources.
Spotlight
LPM DIVERSITY COMMITTEE
The LPM Diversity Committee continues to delight us with its progress on the diversity front. The ABA LPM Diversity Leadership Program was started this year and we will be selecting two applicants to participate in the new bar year. The committee is also hosting a special program at Annual Meeting that will focus on Raising Your Bottom Line by Using New Tools to Build Diverse Talent: Mentoring 360.
Bringing LPM to the Middle East
LPM Vice Chair Joan Bullock has been traveling to the United Arab Emirates and Doha, Qatar, to teach courses in law practice management. Joan’s trip is part of an effort the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (Middle East–North Africa region) has been working on with LPM. The course work addresses several aspects of practice management and will also be available as an e-course for that region of the world. This is an exciting opportunity for her and the LPM Section. She has taken on a big adventure that is sure to bring LPM national and international recognition. You will be updated on the project as it progresses, so please stay tuned!
ABA/LPM Annual Meeting Programs in Toronto
Our Section’s 2011 ABA Annual Meeting CLE lineup is extraordinary and offers something for everyone. Some of the programs include: “New Ways to Practice Law: iPads, Playbooks and Tablet Computing,” “BlackBerrys and the Practice of Law,” “The Once and Future Firm: Facts v. Fiction,” and “Allies, Influence, Power and Politics in the Office,” from ABA Women Rainmakers.
Social Media and LPM
On Twitter, @LawPracticeTips now has more than 5,000 followers, and our LinkedIn group, ABA Law Practice Management Section, has more than 600 connections. Plus, our ABA TECHSHOW videos on YouTube have received more than 4,000 views. Thanks for all of your likes and tweets!
