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SLD 2024-2025 Strategic Plan

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Mission

Serving as the Advocate for Experienced Lawyers and American Families.

Goal I: Retain and engage members.

A) Objective: Engage members in work of SLD.

(i) Action Plan: Have four meetings per year: Fall, Midyear, Spring and Annual. Midyear and Annual to be in person and the others virtual unless funding is available. Appoint meeting planning committees for each meeting at least one year in advance of each meeting.

(ii) Action Plan: Develop a plan with Staff and Officers for social events that emphasizes a collegial atmosphere at meetings throughout the Association year.

(iii) Action Plan: Incoming Chair to appoint all members who have expressed interest to SLD Committees by the Annual Meeting.

B) Objective: Improve communications with members, prospective members, the ABA, State Bar SLD equivalents and other Bar Associations.

(i) Action Plan: The Chair to develop an integrated communication plan including updating the welcome message and periodic messages including a plan for a monthly email of SLD events with registration links no later than the Section Officers’ Conference.

(ii) Action Plan: Incoming Chair to review existing committee structure, and if necessary, revise that structure, with the approval of the SLD Council, to ensure that structure promotes communications between committees and between committees and leadership.

C) Objective: Work with ABA Marketing/Membership staff on overall engagement plan.

(i) Action Plan: Executive Committee to meet with ABA marketing/membership staff at the Section Officers’ Conference to review their existing plan as to Senior Lawyers.

(ii) Action Plan: Executive Committee, Membership Committee and SLD staff to develop an expanded membership plan specific to the needs of engaging Senior Lawyers by the Midyear Meeting, including but not limited to, SLD programming and webinars geared specifically to retired lawyers, those transitioning to retirement and those in part-time practice and also including programming geared to interests other than law including travel and dining out.

D) Objective: Determine the Interests of SLD members,

(i) Action Plan: Staff and Membership/Communications Committee to send an annual survey following the Annual Meeting to SLD members requesting information about their current/past positions to identify interests and potential leaders. 

(ii) Action Plan: Have Membership/Communications Committee meet virtually monthly beginning in August following the Annual Meeting to review information.

E) Objective: Promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion among members.

(i) Action Plan: Diversity Committee to continue to develop a SLD Diversity Plan in alignment with the ABA Diversity Plan by the Midyear Meeting.

(ii) Action Plan: Executive Committee and the Diversity Committee to explore ways to expand the Diversity Center with periodic reports to Council.

(iii) Action Plan: Diversity Committee to identify diverse SLD members and recruit for potential leadership positions.

(iv) Action Plan: Diversity Committee shall undertake to implement a Diversity Fellows Program at SLD.

F) Objective: Increase recognition of members’ achievements

Action Plan: Incoming Chair to appoint a Public Relations Committee with the goal of highlighting achievements of members, particularly those in solo or small firms by the Annual Meeting.

Goal 2: Provide Quality Publications

A) Objective: Engage members in writing and editing of VOE and Experience

(i) Action Plan: Each committee to produce at least one article for VOE or Experience by the Spring Meeting.

(ii) Action Plan: Committee chairs to provide quarterly updates documenting submissions to VOE or Experience.

B) Objective: Publish at least five new books on senior issues each year

(i) Action Plan: Book Board to develop a recruitment process to identify new authors. Board members to each identify at least one new potential author by the Fall Meeting. Initial meetings to be held with those in attendance at the Section Officers’ Conference with authors identified by the Midyear Meeting.

(ii) Action Plan: Book Board to make any needed updates to the template on requirements for how to write a book proposal by the Fall Meeting.

(iii) Action Plan: Book Board to set a goal of generating at least the gross revenue designated in the SLD budget for each association year.

Goal 3: Present substantive programs

A) Objective: Present programs at in-person/virtual meetings on topics of interest to members.

Action Plan: Chair to solicit Program Proposals from substantive committees by date of the Section Officers’ Conference.

B) Objective: Present webinars on topics of interest to members that will become part of ABA CLE library.

(i) Action Plan: Each substantive committee to produce a webinar on a current hot topic in their field by the Annual Meeting.

(ii) Action Plan: Each substantive committee to provide quarterly report on progress towards production of webinar.

(iii) Action Plan: SLD Staff and Group Directors to track the progress of each Committee's progress in producing webinars and report to Chair, Officers and Council on a quarterly basis to Council and monthly to Officers on each webinar that has been produced and each webinar that is planned. Staff to create a master planning schedule for SLD Webinars.

C) Objective:  Develop a replicable Elder Fraud and Abuse Protection and Detection program for members to present in their community.

(i) Action Plan: SLD to work with the Federal Trade  Commission and Consumer Protection Bureau to develop issues that need to be addressed,

(ii) Action Plan: Review Money Smart Program for use as  part of program.

D) Objective: Develop an Annual Transition Institute to cover all aspects of retirement decisions

(i) Action Plan: Incorporate Retirement Starter series

(ii) Action Plan: Present advocacy and volunteer opportunities

Goal 4: Collaborate with other Sections, Divisions and Forums and other organizations dealing with Senior issues.

A) Objective: Collaborate with other S/D/Fs to determine where SLD could develop programs/projects with them.

(i) Action Plan: Liaisons to provide information quarterly about pending programs/projects options with other S/D/Fs.

(ii) Action Plan: Attendees at Section Officers’ Conference to solicit joint program/project ideas from other S/D/Fs.

(iii)  Action Plan: Work with YLD and State and Local Government to develop and present Civics 101.

B) Objective: Coordinate and organize information and resources with other organizations representing Seniors.

(i) Action Plan: Chair to reach out to other organizations to create list of existing organizations that address Senior issues by the Section Officers’ Conference.

(ii) Action Plan: Chair and SLD Staff to create Senior Lawyer Resource Center with information and resources received by the Midyear Meeting.

(iii) Action Plan: Develop opportunities for SLD members to engage with these organizations in a volunteer capacity.

C) Objective: Work to determine opportunities for SLD members to provide pro-bono work

(i) Action Plan: Pro Bono Committee to meet with the entities such as AmeriCorps to determine what their needs are for pro-bono work by the Midyear Meeting.

(ii) Action Plan: Pro Bono Committee to recruit SLD members for any identified pro-bono work by the Midyear Meeting.

D) Objective: SLD to sponsor or co-sponsor resolutions to the ABA House of Delegates and technical advice under Blanket Authority where each opportunity presents itself.

(i) Action Plan: Liaisons to report pending resolutions to the House of Delegates Committee from S/D/F’s they serve.

(ii) Action Plan: SLD Committees to research resolutions for SLD to sponsor or co-sponsor as appropriate.

(iii) Action Plan: SLD Committees to develop technical advice in which Blanket Authority would be appropriate under existing SOC procedures.

Goal 5: Develop “Centers of Excellence” based in Senior Lawyers Division

A) Objective: Continue to provide a home for Elder Law practitioners

(i) Action Plan: Incoming Chair to appoint a committee of SLD elder law practitioners to create programs and publications focused on elder law issues by the Annual Meeting.

(ii) Action Plan: Elder Law Committee to provide recurring articles on Elder Law issues in each issue of VOE and Experience Magazine.

(iii) Action Plan: Elder Law Committee to create at least four webinars on Elder Law issues.

B) Objective: Continue to provide dementia programs for lawyers, caretakers and others

(i) Action Plan: Incoming Chair to appoint Task Force, chaired by the Incoming Vice-chair, to develop dementia programs. Task Force to be appointed by the Annual Meeting.

(ii) Action Plan: Task Force to continue to develop programs on ethical issues when lawyers and/judges develop dementia by the Spring Meeting.

(iii) Action Plan:  Task Force to develop programs to train lawyers in creating Dementia-Friendly communities and encourage SLD members to work with Dementia Friendly America programs by the Spring Meeting.

Goal 6: Increase Revenue in all areas of Operation with Sponsorships and Fundraising Activities.

A) Objective: Establish a Value Creation Officer and Revenue Committee to develop a plan to increase revenue in all areas of operation including sponsorships and fundraising.

(i) Action Plan: Identify each event where a sponsor could be solicited and identify each sponsor. Identify potential sponsors by the Fall Meeting and contact each by the Midyear Meeting.

(ii) Action Plan: Develop criteria for being a meeting sponsor at different levels of sponsorship by the Fall Meeting and solicit entities to be meeting sponsors.

(iii) Action Plan: Appoint SLD Ambassadors to fundraise leading up to larger events such as the Pickering Award.

(iv) Action Plan: When planning webinars, publications and other operations of the Division, the Value Creation Officer shall work with all relevant committees and other SLD volunteers and staff to recruit sponsors and other revenue sources and report results to the Revenue Committee.

(v) Action Plan: Print program brochures at each event, or post them on the website of the event, showing the sponsors and acknowledging them during the program.

B) Objective: Develop a plan to create awareness of fundraising opportunities to increase donations to the SLD Program Support Fund by not only annual giving but also repeat donors

(i) Action Plan: Develop specific fundraising goals and specific fundraising strategies including acquiring new donors, cultivating donors, and retaining donors.

(ii) Action Plan: Send mailings to promote increased donations to the SLD Program Support Fund.

(iii) Action Plan: Ensure the donation page for SLD/PSF is easy to use and provides information as to the good works of the SLD including a giving impact statement.

(iv) Action Plan: Actively coordinate SLD participation in “ABA Giving Day”.

(v) Action Plan: Establish an appreciation program for donors.

(vi) Action Plan: Financial Services and Retirement Planning Committee to prepare and distribute materials that explain estate planning and legacy giving opportunities with SLD/FJE in mind.