Working Hand in Hand with Local and State Bar Associations to Help Market Your Association
by Reynetta DeVeau, PP, PLS, TSC

We all continue to strive to find new ways to market our association. One avenue that we may have overlooked that could place us in the midst of the group of people who could support our local chapters is the local and state bar associations. This is one of the best ways to get your chapter name in the legal community and make attorneys aware that our association is something they may want their legal support staff involved in. Below please find different tips to assist your chapter in approaching your local bar associations.

1. Contact your local bar association and determine whether they have a need for your secretarial skills in inputting data on the center’s website.

2. Look at your local bar association newsletter in the upcoming events section and send your chapter monthly meetings notices for printing in such newsletters. You would be surprised that the local bar association would be pleased to place your legal monthly notices in their newsletters

3. Check your state bar association calendar and find out where their next Annual Meeting will be held. If it is in your area, offer to assist at the registration table or with any other tasks they may need assistance on.

4. Look at your local bar association website and determine what committees could possibly need your assistance. Send the chairman of that committee an email and introduce your local chapter and offer to assist them on their committee. For example, one committee that always needs assistance would be any Christmas Community Service Project.

5. If your local chapter or state association has a website, contact the local and state bar associations and request that your chapter information be placed on their websites under the section of “Other Law Related Links.”

6. Check with your local bar association to see if it will approve CLE credits for your chapter’s CLE seminars. While some states may not give such CLE credit, it doesn’t hurt to ask if such credit is granted.

7. One way to get your chapter some recognition could be to name the Executive Director for your local bar association as an Honorary Member of your association. He/She will receive a copy of your monthly publication and any upcoming CLE seminars that your chapter is sponsoring. Be sure to always send an invitation to your Honorary Member for all chapter special occasions.

8. Contact your local or state bar association to find out whether your officer information can be submitted in their directory so more attorneys in your area will possibly find out your chapter exists and passes that information on to their staff.

9. Offer to assist your state or local bar association with special events such as honorary banquet. Your members can help at the registration table (checking people in, confirming table seating, stamping parking tickets, providing directions to the banquet room), which allows the local bar staff personnel to enjoy the evening with their guests.

10. Sponsor a Legal Recognition Luncheon Banquet and invite all judges, clerks, court personnel, and local bar association staff to attend. At this banquet all special guests should be introduced, and the local chapter could award their Member of the Year and Business Member Awards to show all attendees the professionalism of the association.