Section of Business Law Diplomat
The Section of Business Law is committed to encouraging the participation of lawyers with disabilities in Section activities. To do so, the Section's Committee on Diversity has created the Business Law Diplomat Program designed to demonstrate that commitment and in the process, develop future Section leaders, facilitate the full participation of lawyers with disabilities in Section activities, and draw more lawyers with disabilities into active membership.Obligations of the Section
The Section will commit financial resources and participation opportunities to the Diplomat. These commitments include the following:
- The reimbursement of expenses, consistent with normal Section
reimbursement policies, for attendance at the Spring and Annual
Meetings of the Section as well as at any one stand-alone meeting
of the Committee to which the Diplomat has been
appointed.
- The Chair of the Committee to which the Diplomat has been appointed will commit to provide specific tasks and speaking assignments for the Diplomat. The Chair will also assign a member of the Committee to be a "mentor" for the Diplomat in order to maximize the opportunity for participation and leadership growth.
Obligations of the Business Law Diplomat
A critical feature of the Program is a commitment by those chosen to be a Business Law Diplomat to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them to become active participants in Section activities. Their commitments include the following:
- To attend the Spring and Annual Meetings of the Section as well
as any stand-alone meeting of their Committee.
- To continue to be involved in the activities of the association
or organizations for lawyers with disabilities and to identify
substantive areas of common interest in which members and
committees lawyers with disabilities can coordinate with, and
participate in, the work of the Section.
- To coordinate with the Section's liaison to the ABA Commission
on Mental and Physical Disability Law efforts to provide broader
exposure of the benefits of Section membership to the members of
the Association and other organizations for lawyers with
disabilities.
- To report to the Council of the Section on a bi-annual basis their experience as a Business Law Diplomat.
- To act as mentors to new Business Law Diplomat and other lawyers with disabilities who join the Section.
The Selection Process
To be considered for selection as a Diplomat, a person must be a
member of the American Bar Association and a lawyer with a
physical, mental or sensory disability who has demonstrated a
significant interest or contribution in an area of business law.
Selection as a Business Law Diplomat is intended to be an honor,
which carries a prestige and distinction reflecting the
substantive contributions of a business lawyer with disabilities.
The Diplomat will be nominated by the Section's Committee on
Diversity Chairs, and selected by the Section Officers.
The Program will select one Diplomat for a two year term every two years
and will fund his/her expenses during that period. After two years, a
Diplomat may continue to be eligible for expense reimbursement under normal
Section policies but would not be reappointed an Diplomat, absent
extraordinary circumstances.
Deadline for submitting nominations is July 7, 2008. If you have any
questions, please contact Nhu Ly at 312-988-6710 or by e-mail at
lynhu@staff.abanet.org.
Number of Business Law Diplomats
One Diplomat per year will be selected for a two-year term. Deadline for submitting nominations is July 7, 2008. If you have any questions, please contact Nhu Ly at 312-988-6710 or by e-mail at lynhu@staff.abanet.org.
Business Law Diplomats
2006-2008
- Andrés J. Gallegos
Robbins Salomon and Patt Ltd.
Chicago, IL
2005-2007
- David S. Caplan
Law Offices of David S. Caplan
Portola Valley, CA
