In this issue:

• Second Annual National Solo & Small Firm Conference
• Book Your Hotel Now for GP|Solo Fall Meeting
• Difference Maker’s Awards — Call for Nominations
• 2007-08 Diversity Fellows Announced
• 2007-08 Young Lawyer Fellows Announced
• Highlights from Annual Meeting in San Francisco
• Birthday in a Box: Everything for Your Child’s Next Party… Delivered to Your Door!
• Free Online Seminar: Bankruptcy — Quick Westlaw Tips and Tricks
• Attention Solos! ABA Journal Needs Your Advice
• GP|Solo Book Spotlight — Advising the Small Business
• Popular Topics on Solosez

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

Have you registered yet for the National Solo and Small Firm Conference?

Now is the time to register for second annual conference, taking place October 5-6, 2007, in Philadelphia, PA, at the Hyatt Hotel Penn’s Landing, in conjunction with the American Bar Association’s General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Division’s Fall Meeting.

Scheduled presentations include:
The fast paced and ever-popular 60 Tips in 60 Minutes
The Lawyer as Employer: Hiring, Firing, Managing and More
E-Discovery for the Rest of Us: Essential Small-Firm Primer
Keeping Them Satisfied: Exceeding Client Expectations Everyday!
15 Tips for Stress-LESS Solo & Small Firm Practice in 60 Minutes
Immigration 'Gotcha’s' for Non-Immigration Lawyers
How NOT to Commit Malpractice With Your Computer

The educational offerings at the Conference feature presentations from a mix of nationally-known legal technology experts, veteran active members of the GP|Solo Division with advice to share, active participants in the Solosez online community, practice management advisors and other solo and small firm lawyers just like you.

Already the conference is generating buzz, including a recent mention by the National Networker. To see all of the speakers and scheduled presentations, and to get more information about the conference and register, visit the National Solo & Small Firm Conference website at:

» www.abanet.org/solo «

If you're attending this year's GP|Solo Fall Meeting in Philadelphia on October 4-6, make sure to book your hotel now. The headquarters hotel, Hyatt Hotel Penn’s Landing, is offering a special rate to attendees: Single/Double for $199/night. The deadline for booking your room is September 25, 2007.

Please make bookings by calling the hotel at (215) 928-1234.

The Difference Maker’s Awards are awards for local attorneys whose dedication has made a difference to the profession or the community. The awards recognize those who are not solo/small firm lawyers or that work in the solo small firm sections of the local/state bars. The nominees for these awards could be big firm lawyers, educators, judges, etc.

Making a Difference by Breaking Barriers
Attorneys living or deceased that have broken barriers for gender, color, disabilities or sexual orientation.

Making a Difference through Community Service
Attorneys living or deceased that have made significant lifetime contributions to the local community through community service. Recognizes a lawyer that does not do bar work or pro bono work per se, but does a lot of community work.

Making a Difference through Pro Bono Work
Attorneys, law firms, corporate legal departments, government attorney offices, and institutions in the legal professions that have made an outstanding commitment to volunteer legal services for the poor and disadvantaged. Recognizes an outstanding local attorney/group that does pro bono work.

Making a Difference through Service to the Profession
Attorneys living or deceased that have made significant contributions to the legal profession through service to the profession. This might be called the outstanding local “bar junkie” award.

LINK: » Difference Makers’ Award Application «

Applications must be submitted (online) or postmarked no later than August 31, 2007. Awards will be presented at the Fall Meeting Difference Maker’s Dinner of the General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division in Philadelphia, PA, October 5, 2007.

The Diversity Fellows Program is designed to promote diversity within the Division and the ABA, while providing leadership development opportunities within the Division for attorneys of color, women and those with disabilities. Each year the Division’s Diversity Committee and Membership Board identifies and nominates four such candidates to be appointed by the Chair-Elect to funded fellowship positions within the Division, effective during the following bar year.

The Division welcomes the Diversity Fellows for the 2007-2008 bar year!

Artika R. Tyner, St. Paul, MN
Cassandra J. George, Pittsburgh, PA
Jeffrey Robinson, Selma, AL
Timothy T. Gardner, Jr., Novi, MI.

The GP|Solo Division is committed to increasing the participation of young lawyers in Division activities. The Young Lawyer Fellows program provides young lawyers the opportunity to become actively and integrally involved in the Division’s meetings and committees. Selected fellows are appointed to the GP|Solo Young Lawyers Committee and one other committee of their choosing to engage in substantive work. The fellows are also expected to complete a substantive project for the Division.

The Division welcomes the Young Lawyer Fellows for the 2007-2008 bar year!

Jennifer S. Hilsabeck, Henderson, NV
Christine G. Albano, Ellicott City, MD

Some of the GP|Solo officers and their families enjoying the President's Reception at Annual Meeting.

It was another productive Annual Meeting in San Francisco, as many GP|Solo members flocked to the Bay Area to participate in the many ABA and Division events held from August 9-11.

Passing of the Gavel…

Per Division tradition, Outgoing Chair John P. Macy passed the gavel to Incoming Chair Keith B. McLennan at the Division’s Council Meeting on Saturday, August 11th. The new Division Chair is joined by his fellow officers for the 2007-08 bar year: Robert A. Zupkus (Chair-Elect), James M. Durant, III (Vice Chair) and jennifer j. rose (Secretary).

Chair McLennan then announced the Division’s new theme for the year as “Simplify… Your Practice, Your Profession, Your Life.” To learn more about Mr. McLennan’s plans for the 2007-08 bar year, read his Chair’s Corner column from the March 2007 issue of GPSOLO magazine.

Division Honors…

Outgoing Chair Macy and Incoming Chair McLennan accepted a certificate on behalf of the GP|Solo Division from the ABA Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law recognizing the Division’s 2007 Goal IX Honor Roll achievement.

The ABA's Goal IX seeks “to promote full and equal participation in the legal profession by minorities, women and lawyers with disabilities.” Each Commission's report includes an Honor Roll of those ABA entities that have demonstrated the ABA’s commitment in this area. The Report points out that the Division was the only entity to have a person of disability participate in its CLE programming and author one of its publications. (Download the Complete 2007 Goal IX Report from the ABA's Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law Website.)

Birthday in a Box invites GPSolo Members and your clients to take advantage of 15% Off every order placed at BirthdayinaBox.com. Choose from over 100 party themes from licensed characters to classic themes to Baby Showers.

» Order today! «

Don't miss this live, 25-minute FREE online seminar that teaches you Westlaw tips and tricks for bankruptcy research.

You'll learn to:
> Verify a client's assets and debts by using adverse filings, asset records, and real property records
> Quickly find local rules from any jurisdiction
> Determine Bankruptcy techniques and strategies by taking advantage of the guidance found in our analytical publications
> Find on point Bankruptcy cases in your circuit using KeySearch®

Plus, because it's a live, interactive seminar, you'll have a chance to ask questions.

Choose a time that's right for you:
Friday, August 24, 2007 @ 10:00 a.m. Central Time
Monday, August 27, 2007 @ Noon Central Time
Tuesday, August 28, 2007 @ 2:00 p.m. Central Time

» Register Now! «

If you could give one piece of advice to lawyers about to go out on their own what would it be?

Feel free to mention anything, from work-balance pointers to famous quotes to specific technology. Please remember to add your name as you wish it to appear in print and also where you live.

Send responses to Jenny Davis at davisjb@staff.abanet.org.

Advising the Small Business: Forms and Advice for the Legal Practitioner
By Jean L. Batman

This book is designed to help lawyers provide more effective legal counsel and strategic guidance to small business clients, as well as produce relevant documents, and identify issues that require further research or a specialist. The book is accompanied by a CD-ROM that includes sample documents and checklists for easy customization as well as resources for obtaining additional forms and information on a number of issues that small businesses commonly face.

Price: $79.95
GP|Solo members: $69.95

» Find out about other GP|Solo Books «

» Visit the ABA’s Solo & Small Firm Web Store «

Solosez 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:

• Treadmill Workstation — Anyone Using One?
• Consultation Fees
• Giving Legal Advice Without Telling Firm
• Advice to a 1L
• Protecting “Security” of Legal Documents
• Computer Disposal

We would love to know what you think about The Buzz. Please email us your comments, compliments and criticisms.