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How does the summer go by so quickly? I hope everyone took a break and now feels a bit restored. The summer provides a nice hiatus from bar activities, which seem to take off in September in a sprint.
So, here we go. Chairs of the various Sections and Committees have been ramping up over the summer and have some great ideas on tap. Several of the Chairs are developing great new ideas and others are dedicating time and effort to improving existing programs and services. We are indeed fortunate to have so many dedicated members who are willing to step to the plate and devote themselves to the work of our Association. The Sections and Committees really are the life blood of our group, and I invite everyone to look for programs of interest throughout the year. If you are not already a bar junkie, consider getting involved in the Section addressing your practice area and enjoy the culmination of all this great work.
NEWSFLASH: The economy ain’t what it used to be. A great many recent law grads are currently looking for employment or are trying to hang up a shingle and make it on their own. Although there have been ebbs and flows in the job market over the past two decades, today’s job market is leaner and meaner than I have ever seen. Let’s not turn a blind eye to this crew of new attorneys, who have worked their backsides off in law school to find themselves graduating with significant debt in a relatively frigid job market. Toward that end, please look for opportunities to reach out to these folks. Go out of your way to introduce yourself to the newer faces in the crowd. September 16th offers two wonderful opportunities to do so. The Hispanic Bar Association’s Seventeenth Anniversary Gala at Martin’s Crosswinds starts at 6:00 p.m. (I’m not sure what is on tap for this year, but last year’s dinner included professional tango dancers and was awesome) or, go to the BAMC’s New Practitioner’s Section Happy Hour at 5:30 at The Daily Grill in Bethesda. You don’t have to be a new practitioner to attend the latter. In fact, the new practitioners would like for more of us not-so-new practitioners to attend their happy hours. Whatever the event, when you reach out to the newer folks, it’s a win-win: The newer practitioners get a chance to begin developing a network in the county, and our Association gets to welcome these up and coming folks into the fold. After all, these are our future leaders. So, look for these events, and meet some of the newer kids on the block.
During the course of the coming year, I will be looking for opportunities for the new practitioners to play more prominent roles in our Association. Among other things, we are creating a Leadership Academy to cultivate the next generation of movers and shakers. As the Executive Committee gets into full swing in September, we will use the Strategic Plan, which was approved by the Executive Committee last year, as a map to chart our course and measure our progress. Major thanks and kudos go to Dave Pordy, who chaired (and continues to chair) the Strategic Planning Committee. Dave hired consultants to assist in the development of a Strategic Plan, and Shulman Rogers graciously absorbed that cost.
The Plan defines our Association’s Operational Priorities and sets objectives and a proposed time line in which to achieve those goals, which include (1) improving our use of technology, (2) having a fully renovated facility (Joe, my friend, that’s a Foundation issue), (3) improving membership benefits, (4) developing a leadership academy, (5) defining current and future financial needs, and (6) increasing membership numbers. So, stay tuned through the year as we make progress on each of these fronts.
As always, if you would like to get involved in furthering any or all of these objectives, please give me or Julie Petersen, our Executive Director, a shout. Ideas and energy (well, mostly time and energy) are always welcome.