January-February 2008

Employees

The Pith and Myth of Human Resource Administration

by Robert Hawley

If you're a manager and your bar or department resembles Grandma's house, with lots of treats and little discipline, read this article for a different point of view. A longtime HR director who describes himself as a "combat veteran" explains why structure and discipline-humanely and sensitively applied-is better for the bar and its staff than unlimited goodies and fun times.

Asia

Bar leaders support the rule of law and their counterparts in Pakistan

The bar world sat up and took notice in November when Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf jailed thousands of judges and lawyers and declared martial law. The ABA and state, local, and special-focus bar associations across the country acted swiftly, passing resolutions, circulating petitions, and holding rallies to show their support. Here's a first look at the actions of some of the many bars that chose to respond.

Practice Technology

How clean is your document? What you need to know about metadata

by Marilyn Cavicchia

Perhaps you've heard of metadata. It's a bad thing … right? Well, yes and no. Much like a price tag on a gift, the information hidden within a document can be very useful-unless you forget to remove it when it's no longer needed. In this article, a bar IT director explains what metadata is, where it hides, and how to scrub it out before your document leaves the bar.

Leadership Development

How do leaders lead? They learn

by Michelle A. Behnke

It's not just bar staff who need training and development, says Michelle A. Behnke, chair of the ABA Standing Committee on Bar Activities and Services. Elected leaders need it, too, and the ABA Bar Leadership Institute, March 13-15 in Chicago, is a great opportunity. See what you can expect to learn there, and read about some interesting changes to the program.