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November-December 2014

Vol. 39 No. 2  

Featured Articles

Practice Technology

‘Fresh, hot, hip’: Toward a more innovative bar association

Between the changes in the legal profession and the changes within your own membership, chances are you’re feeling some “disruption”—to use a popular term. You’re not alone, according to association management consultant Shelly Alcorn. Innovation will be key to your bar association’s future, she believes—but how can you spot important trends quickly enough to implement them before they fade away?

Lawyer Wellness

Time to turn out the lights? How bar associations can help lawyers transition out of practice

Regardless of finances or the desire to keep working, there often comes a time when a lawyer must retire because of cognitive impairment that could endanger his or her clients. No one wants a member’s career to end in discipline—so what are some ways to broach a very difficult subject? And how can you help members with the “cobbler’s problem” that is succession planning? Here’s a recap of a program on this very topic at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the National Conference of Bar Presidents, National Association of Bar Executives, and National Conference of Bar Foundations.

Continuing Legal Education

Not just fun and games: Lawyers and the public learn via gamification

What does "gamification" mean? In a nutshell, it involves adapting online and electronic game technology for educational purposes. The Tennessee Bar Association does this in a big way with its CLE programming, and other law-related organizations use games to teach civics and other public-minded lessons. How else could this concept help a bar association or bar foundation achieve its goals?

Lawyer Wellness

The rise of the laptop lawyer? Senior members, lonely bowlers, and a way forward

As the legal profession continues to age and change, how can bar associations stay relevant to members who may be practicing in different settings—and much longer—than in years past? Is it enough to set up a senior lawyers division and leave it at that? If not, what will baby boomer lawyers need and expect in the years to come? Stephen P. Gallagher shares his thoughts on a possible connection between lawyer assistance and practice management assistance programs.

Practice Technology

Indianapolis Bar Association uses new content engine to drive member engagement

The Indianapolis Bar Association knew it could do a better job of engaging its members. At the same time, many section and committee chairs were asking what else they could do, besides CLE. What evolved, after bringing in a consultant to help develop a new communications mission and plan, was a “content engine” that puts members front and center. Find out what it took to make that happen, and how it’s all working so far.