Committees, Conferences, Forums and Sections.

By Patricia Jordan

The Canadian Bar Association (CBA) is dedicated to helping lawyers do their jobs better and advocating on their behalf. The British Columbia Branch of the CBA (CBABC) can introduce you to young lawyers nationwide and assist in developing your networking skills through its Committees, Conferences, Forums and Sections. Young lawyers can build expertise in their areas of practice and gain visibility through participation in Sections and Forums at both the National and Branch levels. Almost two-thirds of all members are involved in the CBA’s 41 National Sections and Conferences.

As a CBA member, you will receive valuable discounts on communications, entertainment, office supplies, and professional and travel services, in addition to many other benefits. Learn about these discounts in “Member Savings” under “Membership.” All CBABC members receive free access to lawyer and law firm listings in the B.C. Lawyer’s Directory website at www.bccbadirectory.org.

As a benefit of membership, lawyers have access to Practice Advisory Panel (PAP) listings of senior practitioners who volunteer to assist other lawyers seeking advice on a particular aspect of the law. The PAP member has usually practised for more than 10 years, and is generally so experienced in their particular area of law as to be capable of making a presentation on the subject. Another benefit of membership is the online CBABC Mentoring Registry that connects mentors and mentees by area of law and location. It can be accessed through links on the Law Society of British Columbia website and the CBABC website.

All CBABC members are welcome to participate in their Section’s listserv and articling/law students who are members are welcome to participate in the Articling/Law Student listserv. CBABC listservs are discussion groups that are provided and administered by CBA for the professional benefit of its members. Section listservs are available to any Section where 20 Section members express an interest in participating. Send an email to pjordan@bccba.org to join.

Visit the “Law Student and Young Lawyer Resources” page in “Practice Resources” at www.cba.org/bc for more information.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Law school students can enjoy all the benefits of CBA membership for just $20.
• Articling/Bar admission students pay just $82.43 to join the CBA.
• CBABC articling and law students are eligible to receive three free Section enrolments.

CBA PRACTICELINK PODCAST
Young Lawyers: How to Take the Nightmare Out of Networking

This 29-minute podcast offers young lawyers useful tips on how to navigate the sometimes daunting world of networking. Produced by Young Lawyers-CBA, it discusses the importance of creating relationships and provides advice on how to start that process at a fictional wine and cheese function.

CBABC ARTICLES REGISTRY – CALL FOR LAW FIRMS
The Articles Registry (Registry) was developed by the CBABC as a searchable database where law firms may post their need for an articled student, specifying length of articles available and practice areas. Students can search for available articles by interest, location and start date. The Registry is available at www.cba.org/bc in “Practice Resources.”

Create an account today! There are many law students who are currently seeking articles in British Columbia.

Patricia Jordan is the CBABC Web Manager. She welcomes your comments, questions and suggestions. Tel: 604-646-7861; Email: pjordan@bccba.org ; visit: www.cba.org/bc.

This article was published in the June 2011 issue of BarTalk. © 2011 The Canadian Bar Association. All rights reserved.