ACLEA Business Meeting San Francisco, CA
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
ACLEA President Vince O’Brien called the meeting to order at 8:35 a.m. 1. President’s Welcome and Report – Vince O’Brien
Vince welcomed everyone to business meeting, thanked the planning committee, ACLEA staff, and highlighted several items.
- Recapped financial strength
- Transparency remains a heightened focus
- Mentoring continues to be an important benefit, multiple new matches
- Bootcamp thriving: Karen Lee in charge; thanked new members in attendance - Reiterated “Work hard, Play hard” Theme
- ACLEA has great members and networking 2. Secretary’s Report – Roger Curlin
Roger submitted the minutes of the July 2010 Business Meeting in New York for approval. It was MOVED and SECONDED to approve the minutes of the New York ACLEA Business Meeting. The motion passed.
3. Treasurer’s Report – Donita Douglas
Donita reported on the actuals, reserves, and proposed 2011-2012 budget with the following highlights:
- ACLEA is financially healthy
- The Membership Dues line-item will see an increase before end of fiscal year - Conference call company affiliate has been transitioned
- Slight increase in budget for Awards and Bank Charge expense line-items - Reserves rebounding; close to pre-recession levels
- Annual audit was completed
Donita discussed the new treasurer’s report charts that help summarize and visualize the ACLEA financials.
It was MOVED and SECONDED to approve the 2011-2012 proposed budget. The motion passed.
4. Executive Director’s Report – Donna Passons Donna updated on several projects.
- Copper Conferencing is a new member service provider for ACLEA; thanked LaVone Warren and Ray Rupert for guiding the process
- Website: Avectra, software, is being tweaked to sort by SIGs; materials search function has been fixed; encourage members to go and use the ACLEA website
- Distance Learning Committee continues to work hard
- For continued between meeting networking, possibility of arranging SIG conference calls - New Orleans hotel contract has been signed – fantastic property; Denver/Seattle meeting location decision is pending
5. CLE Summit Report – Carole Wagan
Carole briefed everyone on various pieces of the Summit’s continuing projects.
- Reminded everyone about the implementation plan (in the ACLEA materials and on the Summit website)
- Summit panel today (Tuesday, January 25)
- ‘Equipping Our Lawyers’ website and newsletter, great job being done by Chuck Bingaman
- In the Loop Summit articles
- AALS held great session on the Summit; materials on innovation occurring at law schools - Carole is a member of the 2010-2011 Conference Committee of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar
- Ongoing working groups for each major Summit Recommendation
- Pro Bono committee is proposing a directive to ACLEA members to encourage Pro Bono activity; Carole submitted the directive language to the Executive Committee
6. Committee and SIG Reports – Lisa Deane
Lisa (á la Rob Roddy) called on the various co-chairs or designees to give reports from the floor.
Reporters gave highlights from SIG/Committee meetings, lunches, and projects. Executive Leadership SIG
Discussions on impact of economy on CLE programs: budget cuts, more programs, client programs
Submission of articles for In the Loop
Discussion of role of leadership with technology and technology as used to improve quality of education
Law School SIG
Idea of coordinating site visits to law schools at future ACLEA meetings Local/Specialty Bars SIG
Explored options to make membership more meaningful at and between meetings (attendees and non-attendees)
In House SIG
In House member meeting attendance low (various reasons) Idea to brief non-attendees of what SIG did at meetings Better use of Facebook pages/groups
Organize local meetings or members in areas like New York City
Systematic outreach to local In House professionals in each ACLEA future meeting site
Marketing SIG
Focus on making group more relevant between meetings and for those that don’t attend
Want to make ACLEA award winner information shareable ACLEA 101 “Beyond the Bootcamp” – project to reinforce Nationals SIG
Predictions discussion: distance learning, regulatory bodies, programming, and possibility of non-mandatory shift
Public Interest Committee
Exploring community service project that could happen in New Orleans on the Saturday of weekend meeting start
Resolution to EC for Boston to do or increase Public Interest programming Want In the Loop articles
Publications SIG
Record attendance at meeting Print to online transition
Texas Bar Books special speaker
Want to use SIG conference calls for between meetings Collaborate with Technology SIG
State/Provincial Bars SIG
2010 “Hits/Misses” challenges with ‘Destination’ CLE Twitter discussion
Discussion on new customers/volunteers Technology SIG
Different platforms to utilize current ACLEA assets
Members to share resources/projects between meeting time Idea of webinars to help members use platform/RSS
Entrepreneurs SIG
Providing ‘You Tube’ skilling for volunteer speakers Use of technology
Ways to move ACLEA forward Programming SIG
Idea generating for future meetings Best utilization of listservs
Use of evals to improve programs
Tasking by EC to look at 1992 standards and revise/update (putting committee together on it)
Associate Member SIG
Request to EC to remove terminology of ‘non-professional’ in defining associate members
Membership is excited; represent a wide variety of roles
Happy to be included in ACLEA, with tools for personal growth Calls to new associate members
Awards Committee
Recognition of excellence
Request everyone to volunteer to be an awards judge and enter projects Electronic submittal of materials
Exhibitors and Sponsors Committee Upgrade sponsorships
Additional marketing/targeting ideas gained from current exhibitor/sponsors Alumni exhibitor/sponsors – reach out and get them to come back
International Committee
Teleconference link to add non-attending members Promotion to other world-widers to come
Dedication of an international slot at each meeting Mandatory CLE Committee
Good ideas for topics
Newsletter Editorial Committee Published quarterly
Guidelines for contributors New linking and design Distance Learning Committee
Mission purpose statement
Help educate attendees and non-attendees at meetings and in between times Help facilitate SIG calls
Membership Committee
Representative from In House needed for committee
Tasked to phone call new members with emails to non-attendee members New members appreciate call, bootcamp, diversity
Non-attendees don’t come because of economy primarily Benefits sheet for recruiting
Collaboration between Marketing and Technology for benefits “how to” packet Boston Planning Committee
Key will be innovation
20-30 speakers at speed session
Workshops tracing from plenary sessions Crazy, interesting, fun line-up
Hot Topic series coming out of San Francisco Un-conference featured
New Orleans Planning Committee Just beginning planning. Hotel set.
7. Other Business Nothing added.
Vince ‘s closing remarks.
- Transparency continues to be important – EC officers would be meeting with anyone who wanted to come chat at end of business meeting.
- Looking for volunteer to be photographer in Boston
Meeting adjourned at 9:35 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Roger Buchanan Curlin, III - Secretary “I survived an ACLEA scorpion bite”