In our continuing efforts to respond to you when you tell us what your needs are, we have added some new components to the programming for the Annual Conference.
While elsewhere in the paper you will be able to read about many aspects of the conference, I wanted to highlight the programming on Thursday afternoon, Jan. 22, 2004. As you may remember, last year we reintroduced the program "How to Start and Run and Law Firm," and offered a new program about "300 Ways to Use Your Law Degree."
Building on the enthusiasm with which those course offerings were received, in January we will present two parallel tracks of offerings - one will focus on the "Proper Care of Your Practice," while the second will focus on "Managing Your Career." The first track will feature a series of 30-minute presentations focusing on very practical aspects of caseload, office and client management. The second track will follow a similar format, but will address the needs of lawyers in transition or those considering a change in direction and will offer advice on strategies for approaching these issues. This second track will culminate in a series of career roundtables.
Conveniently, both of these program tracks will end just when the opening reception of the Annual Meeting and Conference (to which you and your guests are invited) begins, so you will have an immediate opportunity to exercise your newly minted networking skills! So if you have never attended one of our conferences before, come join us and find out what you have been missing. If you are a regular attendee in search of something new, this should be fun for you as well.
Another new addition to the programming is the law and technology talks that will take place throughout that afternoon and into Friday. We have invited companies that offer a variety of technology services to give a series of 30-minute talks. These talks will highlight today's newest solutions to the problems facing you in the rapidly changing environment in which you practice. Bulletin boards at the conference will specify topics.
For those of you who are interested in a deeper involvement in the governance of the MBA, there is a formal announcement elsewhere in this paper indicating that the Association is now accepting nominations for officers and regional delegates for the 2004-2005 association year. Nominations, which include a letter of intent and current resume, must be received by 5 p.m. on Jan. 22, 2004. If you have any questions about the process or what these responsibilities might entail please feel free to give me a call.
Finally, I wanted to highlight one of the benefits of section membership that is sometimes overlooked. These are our practice groups. Whether you are looking to get more involved, to network with your fellow practitioners or simply to learn more about a specialized area of law, practice groups can be a great option. Within the MBA's 16 sections, there are more than 60 practice groups that meet every few months to discuss current issues and areas of change within particular areas of specialization, such as biotechnology, securities regulations, workers' compensation and medical malpractice.
Practice groups also host guest speakers for their sections on the cutting edge of their fields to provide insight into recent developments in the law. Visit massbar.org and go to the sections pages for a complete listing of practice groups and to find out how to sign up. Take advantage of a tremendous opportunity to focus on a specialized area of law and to become part of the MBA team.