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The Buzz April 2007

In this issue:

  • GP|Solo 2007 Spring Meeting — Advance Registration due May 1st
  • ABA Pro Bono Survey for Solo & Small Firm Lawyers
  • Directory of Minority Judges Seeking Respondents
  • Final Call for Diversity and Young Lawyer Fellowship Applications
  • GP|Solo Praised by President of Oklahoma Bar
  • Solo Lawyers Give Advice in ABA Journal
  • Legal Technology Resource Center
  • GP|Solo Book Spotlight: Lawyer's Guide to Modern Payment Methods
  • Popular Topics on Solosez

Note: Information on all this and more can be found on our Website at http://www.abanet.org/genpractice.


GP|Solo 2007 Spring Meeting — Advance Registration due May 1st
GP|Solo Spring Meeting - Washington, DC - May 10-13, 2007

GP|Solo Division 2007 Spring Meeting
The Washington Court Hotel, Washington, DC
May 10 – 12, 2007

GP|Solo's Spring Meeting is fast approaching! In addition to the many governance committee meetings held throughout the three days, the meeting begins on Thursday evening with the Opening Ceremony and Swearing-in Ceremony (see below for more info), followed by the Division's Welcome Reception.

This year's Spring Meeting also offers GP|Solo members exclusive tours of Capitol Hill and the White House. And attendees won't want to miss the Division’s Sponsor “Thank You” Cocktail Reception on Friday evening, followed by the 2007 Solo & Small Firm Awards Dinner.

Register Now! »

Please plan to join us for this exciting array of activities! The deadline for advance meeting registration is Tuesday May 1, 2007 at 5:00 p.m. CDT.

» View the GP|Solo Spring Meeting 2007 Homepage «


Deadlines are approaching!

May 1st Advance Registration Deadline

» Click to register!

April 18th U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces Admission Deadline

» Click to learn more!

2007 Solo & Small Firm Awards Dinner

The GP|Solo Division will be hosting a dinner on Friday evening, May 11, to honor the 2007 Solo & Small Firm Awards winners. Tickets for the dinner are $75.00.

This year we are thrilled to announce that the winners are:

Solo and Small Firm Lifetime Achievement Award:
Charles J. Driebe  Jonesboro, GA
Solo and Small Firm Project Award:
Lake County Bar Association, Judge Ted Klammer Lake County Ohio Probate Court (Third Annual Probate and Mental Health Conference)
Solo and Small Firm Trainer Award:
Bruce L. Dorner  Londonderry, NH

ABA Pro Bono Survey for Solo & Small Firm Lawyers

Solo & Small Firm Lawyers: The ABA Center for Pro Bono is seeking your help in completing a brief survey concerning solo lawyers' involvement in public service activities. This information is being sought jointly by the ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service and the GPSSF Public Service Committee in response to the ABA Commission on Renaissance of Idealism in the Legal Profession’s August 2006 Report which identified several barriers that solo and small firm practitioners face in performing pro bono and public service activities.

Please complete the online survey available at:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=619253020027

The survey should take approximately three minutes of your time. The deadline for completing the survey has been extended to Friday, May 18, 2007. If you have questions about this survey and/or its results, please contact Melanie Kushnir, Assistant Staff Counsel Center for Pro Bono at kushnim@staff.abanet.org or Bruce Hopson, Chair of the GPSSF Public Service Committee at bhopson@swbell.net.

Note: Previously this item was issued seeking responses only solo lawyers, but the Center for Pro Bono is eager to collect responses from attorneys in small firms, as well!


Directory of Minority Judges Seeking Respondents

The Judicial Division Standing Committee on Minorities in the Judiciary will unveil the Fourth Edition of The Directory of Minority Judges in the United States during the ABA's Annual Meeting in San Francisco. The Directory is the most comprehensive compendium of minority judges in the United States containing the names, addresses, telephone, facsimile numbers and e-mail addresses for minority judges. The Fourth Edition will be utilized by courts, junior colleges, universities and many others. Do not miss this opportunity to be listed in the upcoming edition.

Please visit to complete the online form by Friday, April 24, 2007:
http://www.abanet.org/jd/diversity/forms/minority_directory.html


Final Call for Diversity and Young Lawyer Fellowship Applications

GP|Solo is still accepting applications for its Fellowship Programs within the Diversity Committee and the Young Lawyers Committee until April 30, 2007.

» Learn more about the Diversity Fellows Program «

» Learn more about the Young Lawyers Fellowship «


GP|Solo Praised by President of Oklahoma Bar
Oklahoma Bar President, Stephen Beam

In the March issue of the Oklahoma Bar Journal, President Stephen Beam proudly announces his lifetime membership to the ABA and trumpets the efforts of the GP|Solo Division to meet the needs of solo and small firm lawyers. Read more about what GP|Solo is doing for its members in President Beam's article:

» Article: Guess Who's A Lifetime Member of the ABA? «


Solo Lawyers Give Advice in ABA Journal

Seeking a colleague's advice can be an invaluable tool for any solo lawyer on a tough case. But what are the ethics involved? The ABA Journal's Margaret Graham Tebo explores this issue, asking GP|Solo member Marc Stern, among others.

» Article: Solos Offer Free Advice «


Legal Technology Resource Center
Legal Technology Resource Center

Are you a solo or small firm lawyer? Or perhaps you're thinking of going out on your own?

One of the perks of ABA membership is access to the Legal Technology Resource Center (LTRC). Without the big IT department of a large law firm, technology issues can often overwhelm the solo or small firm laywer. The LTRC specializes in helping solos and small firms manage technology issues, whether its simply answering questions about what RSS or Blogging means, or finding out better ways to make your office paperless. Visit LTRC's website at www.lawtechnology.org, or simply call their hotline: (312) 988-5465 or ltrc@abanet.org.

» Legal Technology Resource Center «


GP|Solo Book Spotlight: Lawyer's Guide to Modern Payment Methods

The Lawyer's Guide to Modern Payment Methods: ACH, Credit, Debit and More

Using a hypothetical example, the author explains the applicable laws of fund (wire) transfers, credit, debit, and charge cards, checks, and other payment methods, including stored value, PayPal and others, and then discusses those laws in the context of the hypothetical. Each chapter includes several research resources for additional information as well as handy checklists, forms and agreements. Available for pre-order, release date is May 13, 2007.

Price: $59.95
GP|Solo members: $49.95

» Find out about other GP|Solo Books «


Popular Topics on Solosez

SoloSezSolosez is an email discussion list for solo and small firm lawyers that has grown to be by far the ABA's busiest list.

For a taste of what Solosez has to offer, check out the popular threads on Solosez's Website. Recent threads include:

  • Difficult Opposing Party
  • Old Files — Really Old!
  • Did Law School Prepare You for Being a Solo?
  • Solo Just Out of Law School
  • Open Office and Other Free Office Software

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