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    July-August 2015

    Vol. 39 No. 6  

    Practice Management

    Changing the rules, changing the board: Bar association governance for changing times

    by Robert J. Derocher

    At a time when bar associations need to be strategic, nimble, and appealing to younger members, are the traditional Robert’s Rules a help or a hindrance? And is it possible that there are just too many people in the boardroom? Here's how some bar associations are changing their board and how it works.

    Professional Development

    Unified bar update: Recent challenges, including ‘teeth whitening’ and LegalZoom cases

    by Dan Kittay

    The past few years have brought some turmoil and change to many unified bars, as their purpose and scope come under challenge. This spring saw a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the closely watched North Carolina “teeth whitening” suit—and the implications for unified bars were made clear when LegalZoom filed a suit of its own. We have the latest news on these developments, as well as information regarding three related programs at the upcoming NCBP/NABE/NCBF Annual Meeting in Chicago.

    Diversity & Inclusion

    The invisible lawyer? New study looks at challenges of Native American attorneys

    by Marilyn Cavicchia

    Though there have been many diversity-related studies over the years, there has never been one that looked exclusively at the experiences of lawyers who are American Indian, Alaska Native, and/or Hawaiian Native—until now. A recent report from the National Native American Bar Association reveals a distressing pattern of exclusion and invisibility, even within programs and groups focused on diversity. What can you do to ensure that your bar association reaches out to and includes this small but important segment of the lawyer population? NNABA’s immediate past president shares some tips.

    Professional Development

    How bar associations can attract and help new lawyers

    You know that new lawyers and young lawyers have a lot of different needs and challenges, based in part on generational differences and changes in the legal landscape. But do you know how to attract them, help them, and make them break the “no joining” habit for which they’re well known? Here, Kelly-Ann Clarke, a previous chair of the ABA Young Lawyers Division, and Mary Amos Augsburger, executive director of the Ohio State Bar Association, give some nuts-and-bolts advice that has worked well in their own bar associations.

    Lawyer Wellness

    Are you avoiding a difficult conversation? Expert advice on tackling tough topics

    by Marilyn Cavicchia

    Does this sound like you?: There’s a problem with an employee, colleague, leader, or member—one that really needs to be addressed. But the idea of bringing it up makes you so uncomfortable that you never quite get around to it. There are real risks in avoiding these discussions and, believe it or not, real rewards in taking them on. At the 2015 ABA Bar Leadership Institute, speaker Paula Pippert explained why and how you should have “the talk.”