The State/Provincial Bar SIG attracts ACLEA members who are involved in providing programs and publications throughout a state or province. Meeting the needs of lawyers across large geographical areas presents particular challenges. Our SIG offers members an opportunity to meet over lunch or over the Internet to discuss common issues and benefit from the experiences of others. At each ACLEA meeting we meet over lunch. In small groups we exchange ideas, thoughts, and suggestions on selected topics. At the end of the meeting, the small groups share the major points of their discussions with the large group. Between meetings we have discussed exchanged e-mails on a variety of issues and we have surveyed our members on On-Line CLE experiences.

The State/Provincial Bar Special Interest Group met on February 3, 2003 in Scottsdale, Arizona at ACLEA's Mid-Year Meeting. The theme of the SIG meeting was "Taking it to the Max: Success Stories to Share and Mistakes to Avoid." Participants were seated in four groups and were asked to discuss the following topic: "In the current climate, what new strategies have SIG members used to maximize the following: volunteers, marketing, products and services, registrations and sales, cost trimming, technology, staff and management?" The objectives were to learn what has worked (and not worked) in other organizations and to take away at least one new idea that participants could use right away. At the end of the session, each group reported on their discussions. Here is a sample of some of the ideas discussed.

Success Strategies

• New Lawyer Experience Practice Management Programs
• Practical Skills Courses
• National speakers
• Serve lunch at programs (with small surcharge)
• Add an ethics component to lunches
• Solve deadline woes - make sure faculty understand the importance of deadlines and how being late will impact attendance. Provide templates to make their task easier, send examples for them to follow
• Trim costs by planning "on own lunch" breaks
• Get sections to sponsor costs of programs
• Use targeted mailings to cut costs
• Get brochures out 12 weeks before program
• Ask speakers to market program on their firm's web site
• Paralegal programming - morning sessions for paralegal only & afternoon sessions for both paralegals & lawyers
• Upgrade system so that lawyers can get number of credits on Bar web site
• Keep a list of what speakers have done for you in the past & the gift you gave them
• Send thank you letter with tabulated evaluations to faculty
• Give speakers a choice of gifts (e.g. a donation in their name, desk clocks, mugs, etc.)
• Host a thank you reception or volunteer appreciation lunch for presenters (invite judges to mingle)
• Thank volunteers publicly in your newsletter
• Give faculty feedback form on how your organization treated them
• Provide teleconference faculty with a Guide sheet with tips (e.g., don't tap on desk)
• Schedule phone seminars during lunch time
• Cross market to other professions (accountants, human resource people)
• Incentive for volunteers - allow them to invite colleague or client as complimentary guest
• If presenter doesn't have time to do paper - team up with someone who likes to write but not present
• Develop subscriber online library with great search engine - give subscription as gift to faculty
• Ensure quality of videotapes by contracting out to providers who update their equipment
• Use omni-direction microphones
• Label all your equipment including cables, remotes
• Purchase backup bulbs for LCD projector
• Don't lend out your equipment
• Get double duty from speakers - solo presentation and participation on panel
• Put materials on CD-ROM - get all materials in electronic format, add net links for web sites and do in-depth table of contents. PDF format to be searchable. Give the attendees the table of contents in hard copy and the CD-ROM.
• Telephone seminars - save money by e-mailing materials to registrants -