Handouts

Legalspan.com recorded many of the presentations given at the 2007 Midyear Meeting. You can watch these videos free of charge by accessing the NABE Video Library and selecting the sessions you wish to view. The process is similar to online shopping – just follow the instructions on the first page of the catalog. You’ll find the catalog at www.legalspan.com/nabe

Plenary Session

How to Lead - Insights from Many Slippery Slopes
Leadership matters-and the more serious the challenge, the more leadership matters. John Graham shares insights from forty years of leading-on mountain-climbing teams, in Vietnam, at the UN, as an environmental activist and in the nonprofit world. The author of Outdoor Leadership, he explains that good leadership is about much more than so-called "hard skills," like thinking clearly under pressure and making tough decisions. It's also about developing a strong picture of yourself as a leader, building trust, and inspiring others with a clear and compelling vision of success.
Speaker: John Graham, Langley, WA, President, Giraffe Heroes Project
Sponsored by LexisNexis

First Session of NABE Concurrent Track Programs

Getting the Results You Want
John Graham has been leading this workshop for twenty years, and it's led to the solution of problems big and small all over the world. He's used it to help avert a major strike in Canada, help settle a war in the Sudan-and help a high school kid recruit allies for working with the homeless in Dallas. The workshop begins with participants each creating a strong, clear picture of success for their work or project. That's followed by a series of challenging role plays Graham creates on the spot to help individuals sharpen their pictures of success and communicate them with the power that attracts support while overcoming resistance and conflicts.
Speaker: John Graham, Langley, WA, President, Giraffe Heroes Project

Top Ten Policies to Promote an Ethical Office
Personnel policies are extremely important for ensuring accountability between bar management and staff. Don't miss this presentation on the top 10 policies all bars should have in place, as well as an explanation of the key components of these policies.
Speaker: Colleen J. McManus, SPHR, Phoenix, AZ, Senior Director of Human Resources, State Bar of Arizona

Strategic IT
In this session, you will learn how to make the right decisions when investing in technology or developing systems for your organization. Including internal and external customers in the strategic planning process is critical. Speakers will provide a method of how to get individual departments involved in strategic planning by requiring them to demonstrate how they are going to add business value and improve services with technology, as well as how it will help them serve members more effectively and/or more efficiently. You also will hear how managing the development of technology solutions can maintain and grow membership with advice on building a network infrastructure, creating dynamic websites that are easy to update, effective communications, and implementing a business/ service focused Association Management System that manages the sale of products, services and customers. Bar executives, IT staff and association presidents should come to this program if they need practical advice on how bars have been able to better serve their members by integrating technology decisions into the overall strategic thinking of their associations.
Speakers:
Aspet Amirkhanian, Los Angeles, CA, Information Technology Director, Los Angeles County Bar Association
Gary Clarke, San Francisco, CA, Chief Information Officer, State Bar of California
Mike Davis, Cincinnati, OH, Director of Lawyer Referral Service/IT/IS, Cincinnati Bar Association

Time to Re-Think CLE: Member Benefit or Revenue Source
Bar execs know the CLE landscape has dramatically changed in the past ten years. Increased competition, mandatory CLE requirements, alternate delivery methods and the ease of computer-based research have each affected the bottom line for the bar's CLE operation. This program, featuring experienced panelists, will explore what you should consider in analyzing your CLE operation and positioning CLE to meet your member needs.
Moderator: Rae Jean McCall, Kansas City, MO, Executive Director, Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
Panelists:
George Brown, Madison, WI, Executive Director, State Bar of Wisconsin
Larry Buxbaum, Minneapolis, MN, Executive Director, Hennepin County Bar Association
Don Hollingsworth, Little Rock, AR, Executive Director, Arkansas Bar Association
Marc R. Staenberg, Beverly Hills, CA, Executive Director, Beverly Hills Bar Association

Second Session of NABE Concurrent Track Programs

Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations
Many bar executives have responsibility for financial management and reporting but are not finance professionals. Presenting financial reports and budgets to board members, most of whom are also not finance professionals, can be a daunting task. Ed McMillan, CPA, CAE will demystify financial management and reporting. This seminar will teach you to read and understand the Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet) and Statement of Activity (Income Statement) and look for danger signs; provide you with many helpful hints on how to present financial statements to boards and staff; apprise you of the proper method of presenting final budget documents to the approving body and provide you with the tools you need to establish effective financial policies and procedures.
Speaker: Ed McMillan, Forest Hill, MD, Certified Public Accountant and Certified Association Executive

Creating a Workable Plan for Non-Member Recruitment
We do it every year - mail out letters, brochures and special incentives to bite into a piece of the non-member pie. But how often do we measure and track the success of those letters? In this session, you will walk away with a workable plan to implement for your next non-member recruitment effort. We will walk through a plan - complete with examples that you can use - that will show you how to:
" Identify your non-members; define groups, and measure the potential dues income for each group
" Decide on your target groups; create a marketing message that will attract each target group
" Design a project worksheet to keep track of expenses incurred, letters mailed, phone calls, how many joined, dues collected and other info. Measure your net return for each category you recruited and what target group yielded the best return.
" Work with other departments; share your worksheet information with them, and get them excited about it
Speaker: Peggy Gruenke, Cincinnati, OH, Director of Membership, Cincinnati Bar Association

Online Directories: Past, Present and Future
The printed versions are still in existence, but technology is leading many bar associations to produce online directories as well. Join a panel of your colleagues from state and local bar associations for a moderated discussion on online directories. This session will generate group discussion on the pros vs. cons of online directories, how print and online can exist together, what challenges come with producing an online directory and whether the directory is a public service or a member benefit?
Moderator: Emily S. Eastin, Columbus, OH, Assistant Executive Director, Columbus Bar Association
Panelists:
Trudy C. Levindofske, Irvine, CA, Associate Executive Director, Orange County Bar Association
Rae Jean McCall, Kansas City, MO, Executive Director, Kansas City Bar Association
Teresa (Terrie) A. Minniti, Cincinnati, OH, Assistant Executive Director, Cincinnati Bar Association

Building Bridges Over Fences: How State/Local/Specialty Bars Work Together
Good fences do make good neighbors but what's the point of neighborliness if we don't share resources and work on solutions to common problems? Rather than dwell on conflicts between state and local/specialty bars, this session will focus on programs and projects which are mutually beneficial. Speakers from state/local/specialty bars will provide realistic and practical ideas for collaboration and interaction. Everybody wins.
At the end of the session, there will be group hug and everyone will go home happy.
Moderator: Patricia A. Yevics, Baltimore, MD, Director of Law Office Management Assistance, Maryland Bar Association
Panelists:
Jan Wood, Madison, WI, Program Director, State Bar of Wisconsin
Kalpana Yalamanchili, Columbus, OH, Director of Bar Services, Ohio State Bar Association
Erica Wright, Miami, FL, President, Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Association

Third Session of NABE Concurrent Track Programs

A Healthy Dose of Conflict
It's true. A healthy dose of conflict makes the world go round. Are you an Avoider, a Collaborator, Forcer or something else? When defined as a "difference in perspective," conflict is not only natural, it's healthy. In this nonjudgmental, direct and practical workshop you will learn your style and tips to use when interacting with others. Take a short test, get results and learn how to apply. Give it to your staff when you return to your office. Every style works in some situations and less well in others, but no style is a wrong style! In this day and age, understanding and appreciating how we interact with each other is helpful.
Speakers: Nancy Roberson, Charlotte, NC, Executive Director, Mecklenburg County Bar, and Susan Sowards, Nashville, TN, Executive Director, Nashville Bar Association

Get It in Writing!
Contracts outline what must be done, who is responsible for doing a task or service and the time frame for accomplishing the task or service. Three panelists will provide valuable insight on what you should include in contracts involving Information Systems Projects, Membership Benefits (Endorsements) and Special Events (Hotel and Catering). Our panel members will also provide tips on the pitfalls that should avoided in negotiating contracts.
Facilitator: David Blaner, Pittsburgh, PA, Executive Director, Allegheny County Bar Association
Panelists:
Ann Ewart, Pittsburgh, PA, Senior Director of Operations and Human Resources, Allegheny County Bar Association
Jack Lockridge, Washington, DC, Executive Director, Federal Bar Association
Dana Collier Smith, Denver, CO, Assistant Executive Director, Colorado Bar Association

Online Balloting: To Do or Not To Do
Large and small bar associations alike conduct elections of directors,
surveys and judicial polls. Our panel will tell you the costs, the benefits
and the pitfalls of converting to online balloting for the large bar
and small bar association.
Moderator: Cathy Maher, Dallas, TX, Executive Director, Dallas Bar Association
Panelists:
Katherine Mazzaferri, Washington, DC, Executive Director, District of Columbia Bar
DeLaine Ward, Austin, TX, Executive Director, Travis County Bar

Preparing for the Pandemic
Preparing for an epidemic requires different strategies from other disaster preparation. Hear what you should be doing to be ready in the event a virus such as avian flu becomes a true pandemic.
Moderator: George Brown, Madison, WI, Executive Director, State Bar of Wisconsin
Panelists:
Michelle Frazier, Cary, NC, Assistant Executive Director, North Carolina Bar Association
Montrece Ransom, Atlanta, GA, Senior Public Health Analyst for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Public Health Program

Re-Tooling Member Benefits
Panelists have been invited to share innovative approaches to member services. The facilitator, Stephen P. Gallagher, has written two articles on Bar Associations in Transition Part 1 & Part 2 that appeared in Bar Leader in recent months. This workshop promises to leave participants with new insights to member services.
Facilitator: Stephen P. Gallagher, Philadelphia, PA, President, LeadershipCoach.us
Panelists:
Marilyn Wellington, Boston, MA, Executive Director, Massachusetts Bar Association
Kathryn Grant Madigan, Vestal, NY, President-elect, New York State Bar Association, and Partner in Levene, Gouldin & Thompson, LLP
Linda Oligschlaeger, Jefferson City, MO, Director of Membership Services, Missouri Bar Association
Emily Eastin, Columbus, OH, Assistant Executive Director, Columbus Bar Association

Thursday, Feb. 8

Fourth Session of NABE Concurrent Track Programs

Emotional Intelligence (EQ): The Secret Ingredient in Effective Leadership
Leadership seems to come so naturally to some people; others struggle to be effective. What distinguishes a great leader from an ordinary one? The answer, according to a strong body of psychological research amassed over 20 years of investigation, is Emotional Intelligence. This workshop will combine mini-lectures with practical exercises to give you a taste of what it means to be Emotionally Intelligent. You will learn about the four sets of skills/competencies that have been identified as the core of an emotionally intelligent leader and have the opportunity to explore ways to apply this knowledge to your leadership challenges.
Speakers: Paula Raines, Salvisa, KY, Chief Executive Officer, Collaborative Partners, and Gary Steedly, Louisville, KY, Private Coach and Consultant

Holding All the Aces: IT Staff Professionalism and Ethics in the Bar's House of Cards
In today's modern world, IT staff are major players in keeping the association in the game. IT staffers have access to privileged information and often have a lot of control over or manage what projects move forward and how quickly. As a director, what would you do if an IT staffer lacked professionalism or ethics and tried to use that to his/her advantage? This program will discuss such questions as: What if an IT staffer has a personal conflict with a certain department or individual and uses his position subtly as a form of revenge? What if an IT staffer takes items from an association vendor to fill her technical toy bin at home? What should non-technical ED's and other directors watch out for to be sure that their IT staff is working ethically and professionally? What should directors look for when hiring IT staff or outside technical consultants to avoid such ethical dilemmas?
Speakers:
Toby Brown, Salt Lake City, UT, Director of Communications, Utah State Bar
Steven L. Dunn, Springfield, IL, Director of Information Technology, Illinois State Bar Association
Marc Mersol, Las Vegas, NV, Controller/MIS, State Bar of Nevada

Things I Wish I'd Known or Implemented Sooner
Join international nonprofit consultant Bob Harris for a fast-paced program on current issues of importance to associations. Topics include antitrust avoidance, conflict of interest statements, audit committees, apparent authority and more.
Speaker: Robert Harris, CAE, Tallahassee, Florida, Author and Consultant, The Nonprofit Center

You Have Your Bar's Brand -- Now What?
Your bar's brand -- it all starts with the vision and the ability to bring that vision to life. Your bar's brand is more than just your logo or the design of your bar magazine. It is a collection of perceptions and expectations -- perceptions and expectations that start with you, the bar's executive. In this session, you will learn how to be the champion for your bar's brand. Learn the steps you need to take to build and implement a strategic approach to your brand and the skills needed to make certain leadership and staff buy-in to this approach. Make sure you win "share of mind" with leadership, staff and members.
Speaker: Dawn Borgeest, Honeoye Falls, NY ,Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, United Way of Greater Rochester

Fifth Session of NABE Concurrent Track Programs

How to Foster an Entrepreneurial Spirit in Your Bar Association
This program will help you discover what it will take for you to develop an entrepreneurial culture in your bar association. It will cover risk-taking and risk-assessment, board and staff participation, the role of the bar's core purpose, core values and mission, goal setting, hiring, seeing and seizing opportunities and, yes, how to plan for and deal with failure.
Speakers:
David Blaner, Pittsburgh, PA, Executive Director, Allegheny County Bar Association Mary Corbitt, Rochester, NY, Executive Director, Monroe County Bar Association
Denny Ramey, Columbus, OH, Executive Director, Ohio State Bar Association

Effective Board Orientation
International nonprofit consultant Bob Harris will share his wealth of knowledge on the importance of board orientations and the components of an effective orientation program.
Speaker: Robert Harris, CAE, Tallahassee, Florida, Author and Consultant, The Nonprofit Center

Midyear Speaker Bios