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VOL. 1 NO. 1
January 2008
GUEST COLUMN:
An update from ABA Executive Director,
Henry F. White, Jr.
membership update:
A report from the SOC Membership Committee
diversity matters
The ABA's New Diversity Center: How May We
Help You?
SOC ListServs
give us your feedback:
What do you think of the articles in this issue? What would you like to see in upcoming issues?
contact us
Please feel free to contact us with your comments or questions.
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chair’s column
The SOC: Keeping You
Connected and Informed
By Deborah Enix-Ross,
Chair, ABA Section Officers Conference
 Welcome to the inaugural issue of SOC e-News. As many of you know, the SOC is celebrating 30 Years of service to the ABA's Sections, Divisions and Forums. Since its inception, the SOC has focused on promoting the three "Cs": Communi-
cation, Cooperation and Coordination among the Sections, Divisions and Forums and with other parts of the ABA.
This newsletter was created in direct response to SOC members who requested a simple and efficient mechanism to have the means of fostering communication on issues of importance to our ability to meet the needs of our members. It is designed to inform Section leaders about matters of importance to their entities. The newsletter will feature best practices, perspectives from current and former leaders on various topics, and guest articles on matters that impact the work of Sections, Divisions and Forums.
Relevancy: Addressing the Needs of Our Members
At the 2007 SOC Fall Leadership Meeting, our members had the opportunity to share views, pose and answer questions, brainstorm and ponder the theme: Relevancy: Working Together to Meet Our Members' Needs in Today's Legal Marketplace. It was a time to discuss both individual priorities as well as common goals and interests.
During the meeting, we heard a keynote presentation from Michael Brandwein on relevancy with respect to servicing our members and attracting new members to ensure the future success of the ABA and the Sections, Divisions and Forums. After the presentation, SOC members and members of the Board of Governors met in small groups to develop proposals and strategies to ensure relevancy. Section officers brainstormed and developed numerous proposals that will be shared with you shortly. These proposals centered on several themes, including best practices, enhanced communication and mentoring.
The features in this newsletter revolve around those themes. They include an article from Henry F. White, Jr., the ABA Executive Director, outlining the ABA's five internal priorities for FY 2008. An article from the Young Lawyers Division offers excellent ideas on how to recruit and mentor new lawyers, complete with practical tips. A conversation with the Chair of the ABA Center for Racial and Ethnic Diversity demonstrates that the Center can be a valuable resource for the Sections, Divisions and Forums. Since membership issues continue to be at the forefront of importance to all ABA entities, we will feature membership updates in every issue of the SOC newsletter. Lastly, we present the Top Ten Tips from the perspective of a former Chair, Paul DeMuro.
I hope you will join me in thanking Lee S. Kolczun, the newsletter's Editor, and Lametrea M. Gray, SOC Director, for bringing the SOC's first e-newsletter to realization! Thanks also to the ABA Publishing Staff for their advice and creativity in getting the newsletter published.
We are off to a great start. I welcome your ideas and suggestions (please note the box on the left side of the newsletter requesting your feedback), and I hope each of you will consider how you can be more involved in the important and exciting work of the SOC!
Upcoming Events to Note:
- Midyear Meeting:
February 6-12, 2008, Los Angeles, CA
- ABA Day in Washington, D.C.:
April 15-17, 2008
- SOC Meritorious Service Award:
Nomination Deadline is May 1, 2008
The SOC e-News is published three times a year by the Section Officers Conference (SOC). Each issue will contain information and resources specially designed for Section, Division and Forum officers. Please feel free to contact us with your comments or questions, so we may include them in future editions.
SOC e-News
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