Member benefits are highlighted in each week’s issue of Lawyers e-Journal. Below are some recently featured benefits.
Avoid small claims court and arbitrate with the Fee Arbitration Board
The MBA can help. The MBA’s Fee Arbitration Board program provides voluntary binding arbitration to resolve fee disputes between attorneys and their clients and between attorneys.
Fee arbitration is an ideal alternative to the Small Claims, District or Superior Courts. The arbitrators are volunteer attorneys who are members of the MBA or trained arbitration professionals. The agreement to arbitrate addresses only the issue of the fair and reasonable value of the lawyer’s services.
The FAB provides an invaluable resource by answering questions about legal fee disputes, publishing model fee agreements, and promoting healthy communications between attorneys and their clients. Additionally, the FAB published the third edition of Fees & Clients Funds, a great resource for both experienced and newly sworn attorneys.
For more information on this program, visit the MBA Web site.
Section membership
Join one or more of the MBA’s 16 sections, specialty groups that focus on a unique area of law, and gain one of the most valuable advantages of membership.
As an exclusive benefit offered only to MBA members, section membership allows you to:
• Build a network of contacts with key lawyers and experts in the field through the numerous networking opportunities;
• Receive reduced rates for section-sponsored, continuing legal education seminars;
• Receive timely notice of recent case law and pending legislation;
• Seek appointment to leadership roles in the MBA; and
• Join practice groups, or specialty groups within a section, free of charge.
Participation in sections is included free as part of your MBA membership.
Already a section member? Join a practice group
Once you are a member of a section, the primary way for you to become actively involved in the section is to join one of the MBA’s many practice groups. Practice groups play an important role in the section as a whole and work closely with the MBA section councils.
For more information about how to get involved in a practice group, contact Jean Stevens, sections admini-strator, at (617) 338-0641.