Thomas M. Burke
The Hullverson Law Firm
St. Louis

Help, I need somebody,
Help, not just anybody,
Help, you know I need someone, help.

When I was younger, so much younger than today,
I never needed anybody’s help
in any way.
But now those days are gone,
I’m not so self assured,
Now I find I’ve changed my mind and opened up the doors.

Help me if you can, I’m feeling down
And I do appreciate you being round.
Help me get my feet back
on the ground,
Won’t you please, please help me?

“Help!”
Lennon/McCartney

For most of the past 25 years, the economy was strong. Economic growth was continuous and robust. There was the occasional set-back or pause, but they were soon followed by another sustained period of expansion. It seemed like an endless summer.

Things have changed.

The recession has arrived with a vengeance, affecting every business and line of work. The practice of law has not been immune. Many lawyers are unemployed, under-employed, or nervously employed, all feeling uncertain about the future, like riders on a downbound train.

Enter The Missouri Bar.

In response to the dismal economic conditions, The Missouri Bar is focusing its time, resources, efforts and energy to ensure that it is providing programs, services and activities to assist all of its members find and maintain employment, improve their practice skills, and enhance their professional growth.

In the past month, The Missouri Bar has begun to implement the necessary changes to carry out this mandate. A special committee of The Missouri Bar Board of Governors, chaired by Lynn Ann Vogel of St. Louis, has been formed to create, oversee, and implement the bar’s efforts. Important steps have already been taken, new programs have been proposed, and existing programs have been enhanced. This ever-growing array of bar services can be found in a new section of The Missouri Bar’s website (www.mobar.org) under the heading of “Lawyer Resources for a Changing Economy.” For example:

● Jobs For Missouri Lawyers provides links to several of Missouri’s job placement web sites, including those of The Missouri Bar, BAMSL, KCMBA, SMBA, and all four of Missouri’s law schools, as well as information regarding alternative career options for lawyers.

● In order to stay competitive, access to legal knowledge and information is critical. The Missouri Bar provides free online legal research to all of its members in good standing through Fastcase. The bar’s website contains all of the information you need to know regarding the what and how regarding use of this important research tool and Missouri Bar member benefit.

● The Missouri Bar continues to offer its highly-regarded 45-volume desk book series, dealing with a variety of practice areas and topics from administrative law to bankruptcy to civil procedure to employer/employee law to real estate practice to workers’ compensation law, and everything in between. These books are an invaluable resource for the practitioner and are found in virtually every law library around the state.

● The state bar has long maintained an outstanding CLE Department and its offerings at this time are more critical than ever in maintaining or creating a viable practice. Of particular current import is the Mo Bar CLE How To Series: two-hour telephone sessions on a wide variety of topics, all of which are available on audio CD.

● Expanding or maintaining a law practice requires clients, and The Missouri Bar’s new web page provides links to lawyer referral services maintained by BAMSL, KCMBA, and SMBA as well as The Missouri Bar.

● Operating a law practice, as with any other business, is challenging even in the best of economic times. In a recession it is exponentially more difficult. The Missouri Bar’s Law Practice Management Resource Center contains a wealth of resources dealing with a wide variety of issues, including information on computer systems, office equipment, technology, personnel and marketing.

● The Missouri Bar has more than 60 committees and sections, each devoted to a particular area of the law or law practice. Committee membership is a terrific way to stay current in a practice area and network with others from around the state.

● Bar meetings and conferences provide vital educational, social and networking opportunities. These are always important, but never more so than in this economic climate. You can sit in your office and wring your hands waiting for the next shoe to drop, or get out and meet other lawyers, keep abreast of developments in the law, and see what your peers are doing to maintain their practices.

Several outstanding Missouri Bar meetings/conferences are on the near horizon:

● The Spring Committee Meetings will take place in Jefferson City on May 8;

● The Solo and Small Firm Conference is scheduled at Tan-Tar-A from June 11-13 (this conference is a spectacular mix of social and professional networking and educational programs, ranging from substantive law to how to start a law practice, law practice management tips, and technology information); and

● The Missouri Bar’s Annual Meeting in St. Louis September 23-25 – featuring world-class CLE in a variety of substantive areas, as well as outstanding plenary sessions dealing with relevant and timely issues in the law – brings together nearly 1,000 lawyers and judges, providing an unparalleled educational and networking opportunity.

Finally, in an effort to enhance vital networking opportunities, The Missouri Bar is exploring the implementation of an online social networking program, accessible only by state bar members. This social networking tool is designed to facilitate professional networking among members, allowing users to post profiles, participate in groups and forums, and connect with colleagues. In addition, an opportunities platform would allow users to post jobs and find jobs. We would anticipate the network allowing lawyers to make new connections and find new employment opportunities, or referrals of legal work. It would also provide The Missouri Bar with a new avenue for communicating with its members. The development and anticipated implementation of this legal-social networking program is just the latest example of The Missouri Bar’s continuing efforts to provide meaningful services and programs – all with the goal of enhancing its members’ law practices and professional development.

In the current economic climate, bar association services and programs are more relevant and important than ever. Although The Missouri Bar cannot reverse the business cycle, it is doing everything it can to provide the tools its members need to see their way through these challenging days.