San Antonio, Texas

February 3 (Tues) | February 4 (Wed) | February 5 (Thur) | February 6 (Fri)

Noon - 5:00 p.m.
NABE/NCBP/NCBF Joint Registration

Noon - 4:00 p.m.
NABE Board of Directors Meeting

4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
NABE Communications Section Executive Council Meeting

4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
NABE Program Committee Meeting

5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
First-time Attendees and New Member Orientation
This informal session will enable you to connect with your bar association colleagues and learn more about NABE. Begin building your NABE network in a relaxed atmosphere!

6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
NABE Welcome Reception
San Antonio Convention Center, River Grotto

7:30 p.m.
Mi Tierra, 218 Produce Row
NABE First-time Attendee and New Member Dinner
First-timers will mix with NABE veterans and ABA staff to continue to build networks and knowledge, both of which are strong benefits of NABE membership.

Wednesday, February 4

7:00 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.
NABE Registration

7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
NABE Breakfast and Meeting Opportunity for Committees and Forums

8:40 a.m - 9:15 a.m.
Welcome to San Antonio, Introductions and Announcements
Thomas A. Pyrz, Indianapolis, IN, President, NABE
Introduction of First-time Attendees
Cynthia Hill, Washington, DC, Chair, NABE Membership Committee

9:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
"It Ain't That Hard: Dazzling Client Service"
Sharpen your leadership skills while laughing with Mark Mayfield. He will entertain, challenge and encourage you to re-evaluate the way you deal with your members. Join us for the plenary session on leadership, "It Ain't That Hard."
Mark Mayfield, CSP, CPAE, Smithville, MO, Mayfield Presentations

Download: Plenary handout | Mayfield bio

10:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
NABE Sponsor Networking Break
Be sure to stop by our sponsors' exhibits to thank them for their support and learn more about their services.

First Set of NABE Concurrent Track Programs

11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Herding Cats: How to Recruit, Train, and Manage Volunteer and Freelance Writers
Ever had trouble keeping your volunteer writers on task, on target, and on time? Ever considered hiring a paid freelance writer for your publication, centennial celebration or other communication project? If the answer to either of these is yes, then this session is for you! You'll learn some time-tested techniques for managing your publication while maintaining that delicate member/staff relationship. You'll also hear some practical how-to's on finding and working with freelance writers. Whether paid or volunteer, learning how to manage these highly independent creatures will ensure that they do their best work for you!
Speakers: Sue Cady, Dallas, TX, communications director, Dallas Bar Association, and Marilyn Cavicchia, Chicago, IL, Bar Leader editor, American Bar Association

Download:
Program handout 1 | Program handout 2 | Program handout 3 | Program handout 4 | Cavicchia bio | Cady bio

Generations at Work
Today's manager faces a unique set of challenges with four generations working side-by-side in the workplace. Ron Zemke will take a look at the art of managing and motivating members of each generation and will describe the pitfalls that may confront us as managers if we ignore those generational differences. In his presentation, he also will describe the key motivators for each generation. Zemke is a co-author of a recent book entitled Generations at Work.
Speaker: Ron Zemke, Minneapolis, MN, consultant and author, Performance Research Associates

Download Program handout | Zemke bio

Legal Aspects of Technology: You Can Run, But You Cannot Hide
The impact of technology on association operations has been never-ending in terms of time, productivity and complexity. In addition, the legal issues associated with computer technology continue to challenge and baffle those involved in managing bar associations. This one-hour program will highlight many of these emerging legal issues including electronic meetings for members and directors; the FCC/FTC regulations on telemarketing and faxing; contracting with the technology sector (Web sites, internet service providers, software developers); the developing law and regulation of "spam" and e-mails; the impact of the Children's Online Privacy Act; and the misuse and abuse of listservs (defamation, copyright and antitrust).
Speaker: William E. Walters, Denver, CO, director and shareholder, Walters & Joyce, P.C.

Download: Program handout | Walters bio

LRIS Roundtables
The Lawyer Referral & Information Service Forum will conduct roundtable discussions with a facilitator at each table. Attendees may participant in a half-hour discussion at one table, then rotate to another. Topics will be marketing, finance, technology, and panel recruitment and retention.
Moderator: Marion Smithberger, Columbus, OH, assistant executive director, Columbus Bar Association
Facilitators: Jane Nosbisch, Chicago, IL, Division for Legal Services, American Bar Association; Jeannie Rollo, Austin, TX, director, Lawyer Referral Service of Central Texas; and Sheree Swetin, San Diego, CA, executive director, San Diego County Bar Association

12:20 p.m. - 1:20 p.m.
NABE Buffet Luncheon
Networking tables will be marked for those who wish to connect with colleagues working at similar-sized bar associations. Tables also will be available for members who want to catch up with friends.

Second Set of NABE Concurrent Track Programs

1:25 p.m. - 2:25 p.m.
Negotiation Skills for Bar Executives: Managing Difficult Conversations
Skillfully managing the inevitable difficult conversations among bar leaders, association staff, the media and others is the hallmark of a successful bar executive. This interactive workshop is designed to introduce participants to negotiation skills that make even the most difficult conversations comfortable and manageable. Presented by Cheryl Niro, a past president of the Illinois State Bar Association and trainer for the Harvard Negotiation Project, this session will build both skills and confidence.
Speaker: Cheryl Niro, Chicago, IL, attorney, Quinlan & Carroll

Niro bio

Non-dues Revenue Sources: Biggie Size Them
This quick-hitting, interactive discussion focuses on your non-dues revenue streams. You will learn how to: 1. Get the most dollars from each program/vendor - don't leave anything on the table. 2. Do your homework to understand the economics. 3. Use RFP's, or the possible threat of obtaining them, to provide leverage in negotiations. 4. Handle the sticky problems - the politics when a volunteer wants you to patronize his/her client. 5. Deal with your Membership Committee.
Moderator: Barry M. Simpson, Harrisburg, PA, executive director, Pennsylvania Bar Association
Panelists: George Brown, Madison, WI, executive director, State Bar of Wisconsin; Emily S. Eastin, Columbus, OH, director of communications, Columbus Bar Association; and Nancy R. Paul, Norristown, PA, executive director, Montgomery County Bar Association

Download: Program handout | Simpson bio | Brown bio | Eastin bio | Paul bio

Know When to Hold 'Em; Know When to Fold Em, Part 1
You cannot do it all! This workshop shares a proven process to evaluate your current services and programs to decide which to keep, which to change and which to discontinue. You will set criteria for this process, be "walked through" the process and learn how to create a grid to keep the evaluation unemotional. Attention also will be given to how to determine what other member needs or niches you can fill with changed or expanded programs, rather than adding new ones to your overtaxed staff. Ideas and options will be shared to help you create exit plans for programs that no longer fit your organization.
Speaker: Janet Cohen, San Carlos, CA, consultant and trainer, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services and in private practice

Download: Program handout 1 | Program handout 2 | Cohen bio

2:25 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
NABE Sponsor Networking Break

Third Set of NABE Concurrent Track Programs

3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
The Beatings Will Stop When Morale Improves: How to Give Value-Added Financial Presentations That Won't Leave You Battered and Bruised
It has been said an accountant is someone who knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing. Financial presentations should communicate information about the bar's assets, liabilities and fund balances; reveal the sources and uses of bar resources; and provide information about the bar's service to your members and to the public. But they don't have to be a beating for everyone involved. Join us to learn how to add more value to your financial presentations and to see how your (and your leadership's) morale improves.
Speaker: Tony A. Scott, Dallas, TX, executive director, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and the Foundation of ABOTA

Scott bio

Spin a Great Web(Site)
Attractive, effective and user-friendly Web sites have became a must for bar associations. Legal professionals rely on web technology for information and for products and services that advance their career and business. Learn how to use your Web site to attract and retain members, communicate with members, raise non-dues revenue and promote your association's mission.
Moderator: Sam Clinch, Lincoln, NE, assistant executive director, Nebraska State Bar Association
Panelists: Rick Bannister, Columbus, OH, associate executive director, Ohio State Bar Association; Patience Burns, Palm Beach, FL, executive director, Palm Beach County Bar Association; Janis Jerman, New Britain, CT, director of administration and finance,Connecticut Bar Association; and Barry Kolar, Nashville, TN, web editorial coordinator,Tennessee Bar Association

Download:
Program handout 1 | Program handout 2 | Program handout 3 | Bannister bio | Burns bio | Jerman bio | Kolar bio

Know When to Hold 'Em; Know When to Fold Em, Part 2
This is the continuation of the earlier workshop, which shares a proven process to evaluate your current services and programs to decide which to keep, which to change and which to discontinue. You will set criteria for this process, be "walked through" the process and learn how to create a grid to keep the evaluation unemotional. Attention also will be given to how to determine what other customer needs or niches you can fill with changed or expanded programs, rather than adding new ones to your overtaxed staff. Ideas and options will be shared to help you create exit plans for programs that no longer fit your organization.
Speaker: Janet Cohen, San Carlos, CA, consultant and trainer, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services and in private practice

Download: Program handout | Cohen bio

6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Buckhorn Saloon & Museum, Toepperwein Room
Come for a night of carousing as NABE members whoop it up, Western-style.

Thursday, February 5

7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
Administration and Finance Section Breakfast
Communications Section Breakfast
NABE General Breakfast

8:45 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.

Fourth Set of NABE Concurrent Track Programs

Get OUT of My Cubicle!
Do you suffer from personnel nightmares? Or are you the one creating them? This session will explore legal and practical issues that managers face, whether they supervise one or one hundred employees.
Speaker: Julia Rendon, San Antonio, TX, attorney, Bracewell & Patterson, LLP

Download: Program handout | Rendon bio

There's Power in Numbers
Join a panel of your colleagues from state and local bar associations for a show-and-tell of successful programs they have developed to gain and retain more members. You'll hear ideas that you can put into practice at your own association, and you're invited to bring some of your success stories to share.
Moderator: John Norwine, Cincinnati, OH, Executive Director, Cincinnati Bar Association
Panelists: Chris Blake, New Britain, CT, Communications Director, Connecticut Bar Association Colleen Buggy, Columbus, OH, Director of Membership Services,Ohio State Bar Association
Emily S. Eastin, Columbus, OH, Director of Communications,The Columbus Bar Association William Weber, Boston, MA, Communications Director, Massachusetts Bar Association

Download:
Program handout 1 | Program handout 2 | Program handout 3 | Program handout 4 | Program handout 5 | Program handout 6 | Blake bio | Buggy bio | Eastin bio | Weber bio

Developing a Dynamic Board
Governing boards should be dynamic entities. There are issues that can affect a board's ability to govern as well as impair the smooth working relationship between a governing board and staff. Our diverse panel of speakers will share their insights on such issues as board selection, board responsibilities, board orientations, lines of authority or control and expectations of board and staff. The speakers also will respond to your specific questions.
Moderator: Keith Norman, Montgomery, AL, executive director, Alabama State Bar
Panelists: Helena Henderson, New Orleans, LA, executive director, New Orleans Bar Association; M. Janice Michaels, Seattle, WA, executive director, Washington State Bar Association; and William E. Walters, Denver, CO, director and shareholder, Walters & Joyce, P.C.

Download:
Handout 1 (Walters)
Handout 1 (Michels) | Handout 2 (Michels) | Handout 3 (Michels) | Handout 4 (Michels) | Handout 5 (Michels) | Handout 6(Michels) | Handout 7 (Michels) | Handout 8 (Michels) | Handout 9 (Michels)

Handout 1 (Henderson) | Handout 2 Henderson) | Handout 3 (Henderson) | Handout 4 (Henderson) | Handout 5 (Henderson | Handout 6 (Henderson) | Handout 7 (Henderson) | Handout 8 (Henderson) | Handout 9 (Henderson) Handout 10 (Henderson)

Michels bio | Walters bio

9:45 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
NABE Sponsor Networking Break

Fifth Set of NABE Concurrent Track Programs

10:15 a.m. - noon
Size Matters: Information That Fits Your Association
Meet with peers from bars with similar-sized memberships and budgets to swap success stories and misfires on an array of management topics. Rooms will be labeled to help you find the state or local bar colleagues who walk in your shoes. This roundtable discussion series was suggested by NABE members during last summer's focus groups.

12:10 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
NABE Lunch/Membership Business Meeting

Sixth Set of NABE Concurrent Track Programs

1:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Sessions from this morning's fourth track will be repeated so members can make a second selection from this series.

Get OUT of My Cubicle!
Do you suffer from personnel nightmares? Or are you the one creating them? This session will explore legal and practical issues that managers face, whether they supervise one or one-hundred employees.
Speaker: Julia Rendon, San Antonio, TX, attorney, Bracewell & Patterson, LLP

Download: Program handout | Rendon bio

There's Power in Numbers
Join a panel of your colleagues from state and local bar associations for a show-and-tell of successful programs they have developed to gain and retain more members. You'll hear ideas that you can put into practice at your own association, and you're invited to bring some of your success stories to share.
Moderator: John Norwine, Cincinnati, OH, Executive Director, Cincinnati Bar Association
Panelists: Chris Blake, New Britain, CT, Communications Director, Connecticut Bar Association Colleen Buggy, Columbus, OH, Director of Membership Services,Ohio State Bar Association
Emily S. Eastin, Columbus, OH, Director of Communications,The Columbus Bar Association William Weber, Boston, MA, Communications Director, Massachusetts Bar Association

Download:
Program handout 1 | Program handout 2 | Program handout 3 | Program handout 4 | Program handout 5 | Program handout 6 | Blake bio | Buggy bio | Eastin bio | Weber bio

Developing a Dynamic Board
Governing boards should be dynamic entities. There are issues that can affect a board's ability to govern as well as impair the smooth working relationship between a governing board and staff. Our diverse panel of speakers will share their insights on such issues as board selection, board responsibilities, board orientations, lines of authority or control and expectations of board and staff. The speakers also will respond to your specific questions.
Moderator: Keith Norman, Montgomery, AL, executive director, Alabama State Bar
Panelists: Helena Henderson, New Orleans, LA, executive director, New Orleans Bar Association; M. Janice Michaels, Seattle, WA, executive director, Washington State Bar Association; and William E. Walters, Denver, CO, director and shareholder, Walters & Joyce, P.C.

Download:
Handout 1 (Walters)
Handout 1 (Michels) | Handout 2 (Michels) | Handout 3 (Michels) | Handout 4 (Michels) | Handout 5 (Michels) | Handout 6 (Michels) | Handout 7 (Michels) | Handout 8 (Michels) | Handout 9 (Michels)

Handout 1 (Henderson) | Handout 2 Henderson) | Handout 3 (Henderson) | Handout 4 (Henderson) | Handout 5 (Henderson | Handout 6 (Henderson) | Handout 7 (Henderson) | Handout 8 (Henderson) | Handout 9 (Henderson) Handout 10 (Henderson)

Michels bio | Walters bio

2:50 p.m. - 3:20 p.m.
First-time Attendees Wrap-up Session
First-timers, please come to provide feedback about your conference experience so the NABE Program Committee can incorporate your fresh ideas into the meeting planning process.

Friday, February 6

3 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
NABE Program Committee Meeting