The State Bar Association of North Dakota Winter 2014 Gavel Magazine | Page 29

Resolution 109B Youth at Risk This Resolution is premised on the idea that it is critical for the legal system and legal representation to reflect an understanding of the impact of trauma on the well-being of children and young people. Judges and lawyers should be provided with training and linked to service providers whose practices are traumainformed. Other Happening in the ABA The ABA continues to be a vibrant voice of the legal profession. It has dynamic leadership and is on a neverending mission to enhance the legal profession and its individual members. It is appropriate to take stock of what is new with ABA and assess its progress on servicing its membership. Borrowing form the latest report of Executive Director Jack Rives the ABA has turned significant corners in the past year. The Association ended fiscal year 2013 with 392,974 members, a rise of 540 over the prior year. This is the third year of membership growth, following a recent-years’ low point of 386,115 members in fiscal year 2010. While overall growth has been modest, the ABA is moving in the right direction, and ABA Action plans should assure continuing progress. The focus is on enhancing the membervalue proposition and communicating it effectively. Among efforts to increase membership value is CareerAdvice LIVE!, a new monthly webinar series on career development. Offered at no charge to members and $95 for nonmembers, the program includes a faculty of top career advisers on topics such as job selection and interview skills. More than 1,100 registered for the most recent program in November, nearly double the registrations from the series’ inaugural webinar the month before. Registrations are also strong for our CLE Premier Speaker Series. T he program, which provides up to 18 free CLE credit hours annually to ABA members, continues to grow in popularity. The first three programs of fiscal year 2014 attracted almost 10,000 registrations, a 40 percent increase over the same period last year. Beginning in January, nonmembers may purchase the three most recently archived programs for $195 each, while members continue to enjoy free access. This is an excellent and The Gavel Winter 2014 painless way to pick up CLE at no cost. and an expansion of ABA products availThe ABA is committed to a memberable through Google Shopping. value proposition that emphasizes Social media has allowed the ABA to relevant benefits that members want. In foster community among members, and fiscal year 2013, a renewed emphasis on it also provides an expedient way to share educational offerings with high member information. The ABA now communiappeal helped the Association increase cates on a daily basis with an audience of the number of ABA CLE registrations by more than 95,000 across all ABA social more than 50 percent, with nearly 78,000 media channels. That includes almost registrants. It has also expanded earnings 28,300 followers of the @ABAesg Twitfrom multi-program sponsorships by 56 ter feed, more than 28,000 fans of the percent over the previ