Greetings to you from the FBA Membership Committee!
The Federal Bar Association’s core mission is to provide opportunities for members to enhance their practice and be part of a vibrant national bar organization devoted to federal practice. We know you are committed to getting the word out on the benefits of FBA membership to prospective attorney members.
We saw an increase in our membership due to the dedication and hard work of individual members in the 2009 “Member Get-A-Member” membership campaign. We believe that Chapter members working together can also help increase membership in the FBA; therefore, we are announcing the 2010 “Chapter Challenge” membership campaign to run through August 31, 2010.
The 2010 Chapter Challenge membership campaign will give your Chapter the opportunity to grow while also making some money:
- Chapters will be divided into 5 divisions based on number of members;
- First, second, and third place prizes will be awarded to the three Chapters with the largest net percentage increase in membership (excluding law student associates and foreign associates) in each division;
- Prize money will be $2,000 for first place, $1,000 for second place, and $500 for third place in each of the five divisions.
- The focus of the campaign is to increase membership in two ways: (1) by disseminating the benefits of an FBA membership to the legal community in your area and (2) by providing an opportunity to earn seed money for programming or other activities to increase membership.
How will we focus on the benefits of an FBA membership? Every month you will receive an e-mail with “talking points,” consisting of membership strategies that have worked for Chapters, and a “Tip of the Month” on how to grow membership. We are counting on you to use the information to promote the membership drive to the local bar community and your Chapter members. One of the best membership recruiting tools is face-to-face, one-on-one contact with another attorney. We will give members the tools to successfully “pitch” the FBA, but we will need your assistance to communicate the information.
On the 10th of each month, Chapter leaders will receive monthly membership standings, beginning in January. Chapter leaders will also receive monthly membership reports so that they can easily view which members are coming due and who has recently joined. We believe the contest standings will inspire leaders to reach out to their members, and we want to make sure that Chapter leaders have the needed information and tools to accomplish this goal. When you do receive your Chapter’s membership report, please take a moment to review the information. If you find any discrepancies, please contact the national staff as soon as possible so that they can make an adjustment to your chapter’s standings. The campaign standings will be based on these national rosters.
Finally, every two months we will send a reminder and updates about how the Chapters are progressing with the Chapter Challenge. The FBA Membership Committee has worked to provide a campaign that will grow our membership and increase your Chapter funds. We know that we can count on your support to promote this campaign. Please start by advising your Chapter that a new campaign is coming. We are grateful for your continued support of the FBA!
FBA Membership Committee
Beth Smith, Chair
San Antonio Chapter
Jonathan Hafen
Utah Chapter
Barbara McQuade
Eastern District of Michigan Chapter
Robie Beatty
D.C. Chapter
Abbey Hairston
Maryland Chapter
Christine Varnado
South Carolina Chapter
Margaret Cordova
Colorado Chapter
Patrick McLain
Dallas Chapter
Kevin Weimer
Atlanta Chapter