Cover stories:

Balancing the budget: Associations and foundations feel the strain

Even as bar associations and foundations have been trying to help members and the justice system cope with a soft economy, they have also had to tighten their own purse strings. There have been some cuts in programs and staff, but some bars have also seen an increase in collaboration and in corporate sponsorships. See why some say learning to “run lean” has not been an entirely bad thing.

Bars are watching the budget, but not cutting technology

Does watching the budget mean hanging on to outdated computers and an aging Web site? Many bars say no. This may not be the time to invest in every new gadget that comes off the assembly line, but many are carefully upgrading their software, hardware, and Web presence. Here’s how they’re making wise choices that allow them to stay current ... and on budget.

Fax facts: What you need to know now about the FCC’s new rules

Last summer, many were surprised to hear that as of August 25, they would no longer be able to send certain unsolicited faxes to their members without a signed consent form. Many scrambled to meet the deadline ... which was then extended until January 2005. What exactly will the new rules say, and what can you do to prepare now?

Legal community works toward forgiveness of student debt

It’s an ongoing problem: Many of our nation’s poor do without adequate legal representation. Meanwhile, countless service-minded law students graduate each year, eager to help ... if only they could. Across the country, the legal community—including bar associations and foundations—is pulling together to establish loan repayment assistance programs. The goal? To ease the burden of debt many new lawyers carry, so that those who want to serve, can.

Flying in formation

They may leave “deposits” on your lawn, but you can learn a lot from geese! They fly in formation because there’s strength in numbers. They care for their sick and wounded. And they even take turns being the leader. Allan B. Head, chair of the ABA Standing Committee on Bar Activities and Services, and executive director of the North Carolina Bar Association, tells us why “if you’re not honking, you’re not helping.”