Last Chance to Sign Up for Your
2022-2023 Bar Committees!
If you have not yet signed up as a member of a 2022-2023 Rhode Island Bar Association Committee, please do so today. Bar Committee membership runs from July 1st to June 30th.
Even Bar members who served on Bar Committees last year must reaffirm their interest for the coming year, as committee membership does not automatically carry over from one Bar year to the next.
Committee membership supports and strengthens our professional lives and connects us to our colleagues, providing valuable, direct networking within distinct areas of the law. Bar committee participation is a great way for new lawyers to grow and advance professionally while benefiting from the experience and wisdom of our more seasoned Bar members. Additionally, Bar committees often provide opportunities to meet members of the Judiciary and discuss matters of importance. It is also the prime pathway to Bar leadership.
Members interested in serving on a Bar committee receive the most benefit if they are active members, attend regular meetings, and participate in committee projects and events.
To register for a Bar committee for the July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023 year, please click here. You may either select the CLICK HERE TO JOIN A BAR COMMITTEE button and enter your Bar ID number and password, or you can download the Bar Committee Application form appearing above the committee names and mail or fax it to the Bar Association. Please only use one method to register to avoid duplication.
Seeking Law Related Education Program Attorney Volunteers!
The Rhode Island Bar Association regularly receives requests from schools, non-profit organizations, and other institutions seeking volunteer attorneys from the Bar's Law Related Education (LRE) program. These requests are made through the Rhode Island Bar Association's Lawyers in the Classroom, Speakers Bureau, and the Annual Rhode Island Law Day program. LRE volunteer participation times are generally limited to two hours. While most times are shorter, we do receive requests for longer programs. However, in all cases, the Bar checks with LRE volunteers to determine their interest before making any assignments.
If you are interested in serving as an LRE volunteer, and even if you have previously served as LRE volunteer, we are asking you to complete the new application to ensure our database is current with your continuing interest. Please click here to sign up as a volunteer for the Bar's classroom-based and adult non-profit organization-based Law Related Education programs.
Following a recommendation from the Bar’s Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, some new categories have been added to our Lawyers in the Classroom and Speakers Bureau programs. The new areas of interest include:
Lawyers in the Classroom
· Title VII as it relates to students/schools
· Equal opportunity and affirmative action
Speakers Bureau
· Title VII and Employment Law
· Civil Rights
· Harassment in the workplace
Please update your areas of legal focus. We cannot offer our new focus areas to classrooms and adult organizations without volunteers!
Questions? Please contact Director of Communications Erin Cute at ecute@ribar.com or 401-421-5740.
Bar Association Mentor Programs:
New Veterans Category
Our Bar Association is proud to offer mentorship opportunities to our members, promoting professional development and collegiality, and assistance and guidance in the practice of law. Experienced practitioners can share their wealth of knowledge and experience with mentees, and mentees receive a helping hand as they begin, or revitalize, their legal career. Over the years, the Bar Association has matched numerous new members with seasoned attorneys, and we would like to refresh our directory.
For traditional mentoring, our program matches new lawyers, one-on-one with experienced mentors, in order to assist with law practice management, effective client representation, and career development. If you would like to volunteer and serve as a mentor, please visit ribar.com, select the MEMBERS ONLY area, and complete the Mentor Application form and return it to the listed contact.
We have revised this Application to include a sizeable list of practice areas, including a new category for Veterans. We are seeking attorney mentors in this area to who are currently serving or have served in the military as they transition to civilian legal practice.
As an alternative, the Bar Association also offers the Online Attorney Information Resource Center (OAR), available to Bar members through the MEMBERS ONLY section of the Bar's web site, to help members receive timely and direct volunteer assistance with practice-related questions.
If you have any questions about either form of mentoring, or if you would like to be paired with a mentor through our traditional program, please contact Communications Director Erin Cute by email: ecute@ribar.com , or telephone: 401-421-5740.
More time for you. More time for your clients.
LawPay wants to help you reclaim your time with the ease and efficiency offered by our flexible modern payment technology. As the leading online payment solution for legal professionals for over 15 years, LawPay enables you to accept credit, debit, and eCheck payments from clients anywhere, at any time. LawPay is committed to providing an unparalleled experience by protecting your trust account against third-party debiting and offering expert support from real people. As a proud member benefit, open a new LawPay account by August 31, and you’ll pay no monthly fee until 2023! Click here to get started.