Planning Chapter & State Meetings

Planning Your Chapter Meetings

1. Two weeks (or more) prior to your chapter meeting, send chapter news release to all local media and bar associations.

2. One week prior to your chapter meeting, confirm by phone and follow up by letter to your speaker(s), including topic, directions needed for arriving at the meeting, and ask if your speaker(s) needs assistance with preparing and copying handouts, etc.

3. Two days prior to your chapter meeting, use a telephone tree to contact each member of your chapter and invite them to the meeting. It’s a time-saving and cost-effective way of staying in touch with your members.

4. One or two days prior to the chapter meeting, confirm meeting location, attendee count for food, seating, etc. Call your speaker with the head count so they are prepared with the number of handouts needed.

Announcements for Your Chapter Meetings

1. The next association meeting will focus on (education topic). If possible, give speaker names as some speaker’s reputations and credentials can be a draw to your meetings.

2. At the next association meeting, we will hold a focus group with questions from NALS. Your participation is very important to the success of all levels of this association in offering what you as a member want and need in the legal profession. (See Book 4 for Chapter Input Guide 2001.)

3. Important dates.

4. (a). The (state) will hold its meeting on ________, in _________. Registration fees are _________. You might also add the speaker names and education topics being offered. Remember, this is one more way to advertise for your state.
(b). The (region) will meet on _______, in _________, ____. Registration fees are ________. You might also add the speaker names and education topics being offered. Remember, this is one more way to advertise for your region.

5. The NALS Foundation is continuing with efforts to endow the future of the association. I encourage each of you to make a contribution to the Foundation. Information on the NALS Foundation is available by asking (name of your NALS Foundation Chairman) or by visiting the NALS web site.

6. NALS has numerous member benefit programs, including:

• Auto and home insurance through Liberty Mutual
• Disability, life, and major medical insurance group plans through Seabury and Smith
• MBNA Visa Program
• Alamo Rental Car Discounts
• Federal Express discounts
• Journey House Travel
• Career Center through Legalstaff.com

(See Book 5 for additional information, contact the NALS Resource Center 918.582.5188 ext. 15, or visit the NALS web site at www.NALS.org.)

7. If you have 60 hours of continuing education, you may apply for a NALS CLE Award. (See Book 9.)

8. Remember to renew your tri-level membership dues.

9. If you are not receiving your E-News and/or e-Learn@NALS, notify the Resource Center.

10. Let the Resource Center know if you would like to serve on a NALS committee.

11. Future NALS meetings. (See Calendar—Book 1.)

12. Members who need to renew this month are: (check with association treasurer).

13. New Members joining this month are: (new members should be welcomed and not initiated into this association).

14. Installation of Officers. (See Book 4 for Sample Installation Ceremonies.)

Important Reference Materials:
(Copy these helpful materials from NALS.org for distribution at your meetings.)

Book 1: Calendar
• Monthly Calendars

Book 2: Leadership
• Leadership Teams
• Recruiting the Volunteers
• M&M Program “Mentor a Member”
• Communication ... Becoming an Effective Leader
• For the ___ (copy one for the newly appointed officers)
• Uniform Chapter Bylaws, Guidelines for Standing Rules, and Procedures Manual
• Instructions for NALS Committee Selection

Book 3: NALS Mission
• What is the NALS Mission
• NALS Mission Statement
• NALS Strategic Plan
• 2002 Focus Group Questions/Results Summary
• Member Input Guide

Book 4: Meetings
• Getting the Most from Your MeetingsBook 5: Membership
• What is Our “It”
• Multi-Level Member Benefits
• Overcoming Objections
• What is NALS Membership Incentive Plan?
• Application for Membership

Book 6: Recognition
• Member Recognition
• NALS Award of Excellence

Book 7: Education
• CLE Award Application and Guidelines

Book 8: Certification
• ALS Overview, Application, and Extension Guidelines
• PLS Overview and Application
• Certification Publications
• Tips on Gaining College Credit Acceptance

Book 9: Technology
• Chat@NALS.org
• What’s New @NALS.org
• Step by Step Instructions for CLE Online

Book 10: Marketing
• Marketing Your Association—A Key to Your Chapter’s Success
• Marketing Your Association Using Newsletters, Bulletins, Flyers & Brochures

Book 11: NALS Foundation
• The NALS Foundation

Planning Your State Meetings

Upon appointment by President to position of seminar coordinator, determine the following:

1. Place of meeting. Your state board may choose this site prior to your appointment. If not, it should be a place that will attract members and nonmembers, be convenient, and have social activities for those attending.

2. Date of meeting. Before choosing your date, you may contact the local Chamber of Commerce and ask if their city is holding any special events that weekend that may interfere with obtaining hotels or that would raise hotel rates during that weekend.

3. Begin calling area hotels for meeting room rates and guest room rates and other accommodations. If possible, try to work with the hotel on getting your meeting rooms free of charge. Your state board should provide you with an approximate number of meeting rooms and guest rooms needed from past meetings.

4. Plan tentative schedule and have tentative education; this should come from your state education director. (In some states, the education committee may do the bulk of the education-related tasks and the hosting chapter works with the hotel.)

6-12 months prior to meeting you should:

1. Have schedule lined up for education and state board meeting.

2. Be working with your state education director in determining your speakers and contacting them by telephone to ask them to speak. Immediately write a confirmation letter to each speaker giving them date of seminar, place, time allotment for speaking, and deadlines for biography and outline.

3. Contact hotel to finish making arrangements for all meeting activities, including reservations, dates, meeting rooms, lunch menu, etc.

4. Prepare proposed budget for approval by the state board, including registration fees, hotel charges, hotel room rates, handout materials, etc.

3 months prior to meeting you should:

1. Get information regarding schedule, education, and speakers to your state marketing director so that information can be passed on to your state bar publication, business schools and colleges, local newspapers, etc.

8 weeks prior to meeting you should:

1. Contact speakers by telephone to see if they have any questions. Find out if they need special equipment (i.e. overhead projectors, flip chart, etc.). Remind the speakers to have their biography and outlines to you 3-4 weeks prior to meeting.

2. Prepare flyer for printing. This may require obtaining printing and binding quotes from several printing shops for the best rate.

3. If obtaining CLE credits for attorneys, apply through state bar.

4 weeks prior to meeting you should:

1. Make sure flyers have been mailed.

2. Begin finalizing handouts.

3. Get outlines and biographies from speakers and check with them about visual aids, etc.

3 weeks prior to meeting you should:

1. Contact speakers by letter or telephone to confirm the time they are speaking (ask them to be at least 15 minutes early). Invite them to have lunch, which should be paid for from the proceeds of the seminar.

2. Make sure speakers’ outlines and biographies are turned in. When all outlines and biographies are turned in, prepare Table of Contents, biographies of speakers to put in handouts, etc.

2 weeks prior to meeting you should:

1. Determine number of handouts needed, and have them printed, collated, and punched. Prepare evaluation forms and have these printed at same time.

2. Contact hotel about visual aids, microphones, etc. that are needed. Have hotel set up table for registration, one large table for displays and/or books. Make sure hotel is planning for the appropriate seating arrangements with water and glasses on the tables.

1 week prior to meeting you should:

1. Make master list of registrants and make nametags.

48 hours prior to meeting you should:

1. Confirm with hotel the number of registrants, including speakers, if necessary.

Meeting day you should:

1. Arrive early. Check rooms to make sure everything is set up and that microphones work.

2. Have someone ready to greet speakers.3. Set up display and/or sales table, registration table. Have people attending each table.

4. Thank each speaker individually in person after they speak, and give him or her their speaker’s gift, if appropriate.

5. Announce that CLE certificates are available and have someone hand them out at the end of the day. If attorneys are present, have them sign a sheet to be turned in to the state bar to verify their CLE credits.

6. Have an appropriate accounting ready to give at the state board meeting.

Post seminar you should:

1. Arrange with catering to send bill and send thank you note with your payment.

2. Write thank you letters to speakers and anyone who donated items.

3. Review evaluations. Send legal education ideas to your education director.

4. Get names of nonmembers to membership chairman for follow-up letters and membership information.

Announcements for Your State Meetings:

1. The next association meeting will focus on (education topic). If possible, give speaker names as some speaker’s reputations and credentials can be a draw to your meetings.

2. At the next association meeting we will hold a focus group with questions from NALS. Your participation is very important to the success of all levels of this association in offering what you as a member want and need in the legal profession.

3. Important dates.

4. (a). The (state) will hold its meeting on ________, in _________. Registration fees are _________. You might also add the speaker names and education topics being offered. Remember, this is one more way to advertise for your state.
(b). The (region) will meet on _______, in _________, ____. Registration fees are ________. You might also add the speaker names and education topics being offered. Remember, this is one more way to advertise for your region.

5. The NALS Foundation is continuing with efforts to endow the future of the association. I encourage each of you to make a contribution to the Foundation. Information on the NALS Foundation is available by asking (name of your NALS Foundation Chairman) or by visiting the NALS web site.

6. NALS has numerous member benefit programs, including:

• Auto and home insurance through Liberty Mutual
• Disability, life, and major medical insurance group plans through Seabury and Smith
• MBNA Visa Program
• Alamo Rental Car Discounts
• Federal Express Discounts
• Journey House Travel
• Career Center through Legalstaff.com
(See Book 5 for additional information, contact the NALS Resource Center 918.582.5188 ext. 15, or visit the NALS web site at www.NALS.org.)

7. If you have 60 hours of continuing education, you may apply for a NALS CLE Award. (See Book 9.)

8. Remember to renew your multi-level membership dues.

9. If you are not receiving your E-News and/or E-Learn@NALS, notify the Resource Center.
(Use “Where is My E-Learn@NALS?” form in Book 5.)

10. Let the Resource Center know if you would like to serve on a NALS committee.
(See Instructions for NALS Committee Section in Book 2.)

11. Future NALS meetings. (See Calendar--Book 1.)

12. Members who need to renew this month are: (check with association treasurer).

13. New Members joining this month are: (new members should be welcomed and not initiated into this association.)

14. Installation of Officers.
(See Book 4 for Sample Installation Ceremonies.)