Good governance is required for the success of any organization. It is absolutely required for the credibility of associations of attorneys. Although an organization may be well grounded, leaders and staff cannot afford to be complacent about existing structures. In the words of Laura Possessky, 2012-2013 President of the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia, “With the degree of external changes happening around us, the WBA, like everyone else, must take an introspective look at what we do, why we do it and how we get it done. To ensure the WBA continues to be a vibrant and relevant part of this legal community and a resource to women, it must also be an agent of change from within to increase engagement with members.” An essential resource for leaders of women’s bar association is the American Bar Association’s Division for Bar Services. Many of the services are available at no cost.
Click here for an overview of the services available.
Addressing governance issues typically isn’t the fun part of serving on a women’s bar association board, but it is absolutely crucial. Click here for an article regarding the ineffectiveness of the majority of nonprofit boards.
Take a look at the subpages listed to the left for ideas and examples, then think about what changes would make your own governance structures more effective.
