They are an untapped gold mine. Your state bar association resources are a wealth of opportunity for your firm.
They are also neglected by most attorneys. The vast majority of attorneys fail to take advantage of the tools and resources offered by their state bar. This isn’t due to negligence, it’s a lack of awareness.
Many attorneys don’t know what state bar association resources are offered.
Do you?
Here are five common state bar association resources available to you and your firm.
State Bar Association Resource #1: Education
This isn’t new information.
In the back of your mind, somewhere you know that your state bar has educational content. Content you may be able to benefit from. Do you know how to use that content?
Here’s how you do it.
- Identify yourself. Are you a maven (information gatherer), connector (people gatherer), or sales person (sophisticated persuader)?
- If you’re a maven, make time to take advantage of the content that your state bar provides (i.e. dead time). Ask your state bar to (a.) provide you with content on the specific topics you’re looking for and (b.) offer content in the format and timeframe needed (i.e. short video files posted online).
- If you’re a connector, identify mavens in your firm and/or social circle. Begin sharing information from your state bar with friendlies. Find out what they like, then provide them with intriguing and specific forms of data. Feed mavens with the information they crave, and you’ll have their attention. Ask the state bar to provide the content you want.
- If you’re a persuader, work to persuade those around you. Use the education that’s provided. Again, ask the bar to provide you with education on the information and topics you want. If you’re a member of the bar or an influencer in your own right, you have more clout than your peers. Use it!
- Request the information you need. If you need information for CLE, request it. Searching for a solution to a common problem in your firm? Request it. If you know someone who may have an answer to their problem, make a recommendation.
Here’s why this strategy is so effective.
You’re able to shape and control the direction your legal education takes. If you’re aware of the problems and issues you face or you’re aware of the problems that you have – use it! Then use this information to boost your professional social circle.
Here’s how:
If you’re a maven, position yourself as a specialist on the topics of your choosing. Provide your firm/peers with value whenever needed. If it’s free, they’ll grow to depend on you. If they depend on you, it strengthens your position in the firm hierarchy.
If you’re a connector, collect mavens and other connectors. Use this education to build connections. Work to become the firm resource, the attorney with specialist connections no one else has.
If you’re a persuader, use this education to add value to those around you. Use your persuasion skills to identify solutions to your problems. Then work to (ethically) solve those problems for your firm/peers.
State Bar Association Resource #2: Software
Key state bar association resources that are provided to members includes software licenses and discounts.
Some bar associates may provide members with access to tools like Fastcase. They may maintain their own library of books, video, audio and trainings on a variety of subjects/topics.
Take advantage of it!
Use their tools with the strategies and tactics I’ve laid out in resource #1. If you’re a member, ask for the tools and resources you want. Ask about the state bar association resources that they already have on hand and how they can be made available to you or your firm.
State Bar Association Resource #3: Insurance plans and discounts
Many state bars association resources offer insurance through approved third parties. These insurance plans typically cover some or all of the following:
- Cyber insurance
- Crime coverage insurance
- Surety bond coverage
- Auto and home insurance
- Health insurance
- Dental and vision
- Life insurance
- Long-term care insurance
- Disability insurance
- Professional liability insurance
- Accidental death and dismemberment plans
- Property and casualty and more
The collective clout of your state bar association resources means members are often able to get insurance at deep discounts.
Insurance options through your state bar association resources may provide you with significant savings and dramatically decreased premiums. If you’re a firm owner, that’s peace of mind and revenue you’ll be able to keep.
State Bar Association Resource #4: Marketing support
State bar associations, like any other publisher, are hungry for content. There’s a significant amount of pressure to provide an exceptional amount of value and service to both members and non-members. That’s where you come in.
It’s an opportunity to become a rainmaker. Attorney referrals are common, but they’re much more common for rainmakers. Attorneys on the outside often wonder how it’s done.
That’s a good question.
How do these rainmakers attract a disproportionate amount of attorney referrals? They provide other attorneys with an exceptional amount of value. Here’s how they do it:
- They identify the content needs of their state bar (e.g. take a marketing coordinator, gatekeeper, or decision maker to lunch and ask questions).
- They create a pitch, offering to provide their state bar with a regular stream of content
- They go above and beyond, creating content in a variety of formats (e.g. ebooks, blog posts, videos, speeches, etc.) to serve both members and non-members.
- They provide helpful hooks, lead magnets, downloads, consults and services for tangential attorneys. These are attorneys who serve the same clients in a different, yet complementary way (e.g. corporate attorney + IP attorney + tax attorney, etc.).
- They parlay this experience into bigger publications and venues, increasing their status, prestige, and revenue as they go.
It’s a simple strategy most attorneys aren’t using.
Why?
They’ll state they don’t have the time. But 9 times out of 10, this isn’t true. There’s a simple strategy attorneys can use to get an enormous amount of work done in a very short period of time.
Dead time.
Dead time is occupied time. The time where you’re doing something tedious, repetitive, or mindless (mostly). Eating lunch at your desk, your daily commute to and from work, working out, etc. Here’s how you use dead time to become a rainmaker.
- Get a topic from your state bar (see steps 1 and 2 in the previous list).
- Write one question on that topic on your note cards (use as many cards as you need).
- Take one note card and a voice recorder with you in the car on your way to work.
- Answer the questions thoroughly, in great detail. Treat each question like a chapter in a book.
- When you’re done, get this content transcribed and edited via a freelance provider.
- Compile it into a blog post, video, speech or book.
- Send the finished product to your state bar for review.
This is a simple strategy that you can use to add value to your state bar, fellow attorneys, and yourself. But it’s also an untapped state bar association resource few attorneys are aware of.
State Bar Association Resource #5: Assistance programs
Legal work comes with its own set of challenges and problems. Did you know that state bar association resources can include a variety of assistance programs? State bar associates provide attorneys with free and confidential help to deal with a variety of issues that attorneys commonly deal with.
- Burnout
- Stress, anxiety and depression
- Marital and familial problems
- Gambling addiction
- Eating disorders
- Work/life balance
- Career concerns
Here’s why this is crucial.
Many attorneys choose to struggle with these issues alone. Often times they struggle with an overwhelming sense of guilt and shame which induces them to hide their problems.
Assistance programs extend an olive branch.
They show attorneys they aren’t alone, that they don’t have to carry the burden alone. Many of the attorneys and professionals involved in these assistance programs have experienced the same problems. This significant for one important reason.
Empathy.
If they’ve gone through the same (or similar) struggles attorneys will most likely receive the empathy and support they need to recover and change for the better. Their services are confidential (who would use it if they weren’t!).
Your state bar association is an untapped resource
Most of your peers aren’t using it.
It’s an incredible resource that you can use to grow your firm and boost your career prospects. If you know how to use it. Most attorneys aren’t negligent, they’re simply unaware.
Don’t wait until it’s too late!
Take advantage of these resources and you’ll have what you need to produce unexpected value – for the bar, your firm, your peers and yourself.
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