Ireneo A. Reus III ABA Business Law Young Lawyer Guide 0910

ABA Business Law SectionYoung Lawyer Guide2009-2010YOUR WORLD IS OUR WORLDWelcome to the What Does the ABA Business Law SectionBusiness Law Section Do?With over 400,000 members, the American Bar Association (ABA) is The Business Law Section is involved in every area of professional, educational, and personal interest to business law practitioners at every stage of their career. the largest professional voluntary membership association in the The Section forms policies, improves existing laws, educates the profession and world. The association is comprised of over 40 Sections, Divisions, and NEEDgeneral public, facilitates professional development of all lawyers, and plans Forums. In today’s global economy, business law is a global practice. community service initiatives of interest to its members. We make substantial contributions to al areas affecting the practice of business law today. Most of PHOTO Serving nearly 60,000 business leaders, judges, law school professors, the Section’s work is accomplished through its substantive committees (for a deans, law students, and government officials from 67 countries, the complete list of committees, see page 5). There is constant activity, and there ABA Business Law Section addresses all aspects of business law from are countless ways for you to get involved or to just be informed of the latest a global perspective. The Section enjoys a well-deserved reputation developments affecting your practice.for strengths in fields such as mergers and acquisitions, securities law, Membership Resources and Benefitscorporate governance, corporate compliance, legal opinion practice, • Networking—What better way to meet another lawyer who works in your area business and corporate litigation, and cyberspace law, to name a few.of interest than by attending a Section event? Attending a Section meeting will give you the opportunity to meet lawyers with similar interests and practice areas, You’ve probably heard your colleagues, the media, and others in the which will help you build a national network of contacts and business referrals.legal community refer to the ABA Business Law Section. Yes, the • Monthly Section eNewsletter—eSource delivers the best of the Section’s resources to your desktop in an easy, click-through format.Section is large (second largest in the ABA) and its members are very • BLT Live Teleconferences—BLT Live is one of the most valuable member active, but there is a place for you in the organization. This is the benefits of the Business Law Section. A series of six CLE teleconferences are perfect time in your career to get involved in the Section and begin to produced on the second Wednesday of every other month. Topics correspond take advantage of the array of member benefits. Investing your time in with an article(s) from the bi-monthly Business Law Today magazine and have showcased topics including corporate litigation, business ethics, lobbying laws the Section now can deliver big returns throughout your career. Let us and other complex business issues. These sessions are FREE for the first 250 show you the invaluable benefits of membership in the Business Law Section members who enroll in each session.Section and involvement in the Young Lawyer Forum.• Discounts on Business Law Publications—The Section publishes hundreds of practice-specific books written by subject-matter experts. Members receive a This booklet is an introduction to our Section and its many offerings 20 percent discount on all Section publications. For a listing of publications, to young lawyers. For more information about the Section, go to go to www.ababooks.org.www.ababusinesslaw.org. We hope to work with you for many • Committees—The Section’s substantive committees are on the cutting-edge of business law practice, issues, and concerns permeating today’s legal landscape. years to come!Young lawyers can become involved and make significant contributions to a committee(s), which offers educational and social opportunities, as wel as the chance to work with business and government leaders. Also, committees organize educational and outreach programs, produce events and reports, draft publications and model statutes, and prepare comments on pending legislation.1Opportunities for Young Lawyers What Does the Section Provide for Young Lawyers?Young Lawyer ForumFellows ProgramThe Forum serves as a center of gravity for young lawyers to transition into the The Business Law Section is committed to increasing the participation of Section while providing social and leadership opportunities for young lawyers. young lawyers in Section activities. The cost of attending Section meetings NEEDThe Forum’s primary goal is to engage young lawyers in the substantive work combined with a perceived lack of opportunity to be an active participant in of the Section and its committees. Every Section lawyer member who is under the substantive work of the Section have been identified as major reasons why, PHOTOthe age of 40 or has been in practice for less than 10 years automatically will despite a number of outreach efforts, the Section continues to have few young be a member of the Forum. The Forum provides a “soft landing” for you in the lawyers who are meaningful participants in Section activities. Section and assists you in finding a home in active Section work through the The goal of the Program is to address these challenges by investing dollars Section’s committees.in young lawyers who are expected to participate actively in the substantive Young Lawyer Forum Chair:work of the Section and to grow into future leadership positions within the Sherwin P. Simmons, II, Carlton Fields, Tampa, FLSection. The Program is designed not only to develop future leaders of the Section but also to enhance the image of the Section among members of the Institute for the Young Business Lawyer Young Lawyers Division (“YLD”) in order to attract young lawyers into Section Every year and in conjunction with the Section Spring Meeting, the Business membership. For more information about Section Fellows and how to apply, Law Section presents seven “Business Law Basics” CLE programs at a very visit www.ababusinesslaw.org.reasonable cost. Programs and a networking lunch make up this all-day Institute where young and new lawyers have an incredible opportunity to obtain quality, introductory CLE and to meet colleagues from across the U.S. and around the world. The Institute also provides a wonderful introduction to the benefits of participating in the Section. 23Opportunities to Get Involved What Other Ways Can I Get Involved?Substantive Committees:Committees — Professional Communities Open to AllAntitrust LawFederal Regulation of SecuritiesAudit ResponsesGaming LawThese are practice-specific groups that produce Section programming, publications, Banking LawGovernment Affairs Practicemodel statutes, reports, and comments on pending legislation. Opportunities Bankruptcy Court Structure and Insolvency ProcessGovernmental Corporationsexist at all levels: leadership positions, speaking on a panel, or just simply being Business and Corporate LitigationHealth Lawinformed of the latest developments in your area of practice through specialized Business BankruptcyInsider Trading Legislatione-newsletters and discussion groups. Committee membership is FREE with your Business FinancingInstitutional InvestorsSection membership. The Section’s substantive committees are listed on the next Business Law EducationIntellectual Property Transactionspage and more information can be found at www.ababusinesslaw.org.Career and Practice DevelopmentInternational Business LawYoung Lawyer Forum - SubcommitteesCommercial FinanceInternational CoordinatingJoin one, two, or as many as you wish to address the many areas of interest and Community Economic DevelopmentLaw and Accountingconcern for young lawyers. Subcommittees of the Young Lawyer Forum include:Consumer BankruptcyLegal OpinionsConsumer Financial ServicesLLCs, Partnerships and Unincorporated EntitiesDiversityCorporate ComplianceMergers and AcquisitionsInternational Young LawyersNEEDCorporate CounselMiddle Market and Small BusinessMembershipCorporate Documents and ProcessNonprofit CorporationsNewsletterPHOTOCorporate General CounselPrivate Equity and Venture Capital ProgrammingCorporate GovernancePro BonoPro Bono/Public ServiceCorporate LawsProfessional ResponsibilitySocialCredit UnionsProject FinanceSolo/Small FirmCyberspace LawSecuritization and Structured FinanceTechnologyDerivatives and Futures LawState Regulation of SecuritiesDirector and Officer LiabilityTaxationOne way to get your name and your firm out to the nearly 10,000 young lawyers Dispute ResolutionTrust Indentures and Indenture Trusteesof the Section is by submitting articles for the Young Lawyer Forum Newsletter Employee Benefits and Executive CompensationUniform Commercial Codethat’s delivered electronical y about three times a year. The exposure is tremendous Energy BusinessWhite-Collar Crimeand articles are always welcome. Feel free to contact the Chair of the Newsletter Environmental, Energy and Natural Resources LawSubcommittee of the YLF, Tracy A. Cinocca, Attorney at Law, Tulsa, OK, for more Choose to join as many that are of interest to you! information.Committee membership is FREE with Section membership. Go to www.ababusinesslaw.org or log into “myABA”.45Section Meetings and Events How Often Does the Section Meet? My Free Time Is Scarce—Should I Be Involved In the Section as a Young Lawyer? Most ABA entities meet twice annually—at the ABA Midyear Meeting and ABA Annual Meeting. The Business Law Section gathers together at the ABA Almost everyone in the Section is pressured by time constraints, so we understand Annual Meeting and on its own for a Spring Meeting. We encourage you to that you have little free time. The time commitment requested of any member is attend our next meeting. For information on future meetings, go to minimal and the amount of time you give is completely up to you. The Section’s www.ababusinesslaw.org/calendar/.various programs wil provide you with a great deal of knowledge to carry with you as • Spring Meeting Denver, CO April 22-24, 2010 you progress in your law career. Remember, there are significant, tangible benefits to • ABA Annual Meeting San Francisco, CA August 6-9, 2010 be gained by your Section involvement. Simply put, let the Section help you become • Spring Meeting Boston, MA April 14-16, 2011 a better lawyer.• ABA Annual Meeting Toronto, ON August 5-8, 2011If I Can’t Travel to Meetings, Can I Be Involved in Section Activities? Absolutely! Long-distance involvement is easy via the Section’s Web site, committee membership, and other traditional means of communication. In fact, most committee work occurs outside meeting locations. However, nothing replaces the many networking, professional, and educational opportunities only available by attending meetings in person.Online Program Library – A valuable member benefit! The Business Law Program Library contains practitioner-developed educational materials and audio from 1999 to present. It’s quick, easy, and right at your fingertips. Search the Section’s program library for past and current meeting materials. You can search by title, keyword, committee, topic, or meeting and year. Go to www.ababusinesslaw.org.67Get Involved Today Section Leadership How Do I Get Started?Section Officers: There are 3 Simple Ways:Chair: Nathaniel L. Doliner, Carlton Fields, Tampa, FLChair-Elect: Lynne B. Barr, Goodwin Procter LLP, Boston, MA1. Bookmark the Section’s Web Site. Vice-Chair: Linda J. Rusch, Gonzaga University School of Law, Spokane, WAYou can find all Section-related news, publications, and committee information at www.ababusinesslaw.org. If you are not a member of the ABA, you can join at Secretary: Martin E. Lybecker, WilmerHale, Washington, DCwww.abanet.org/join/ or call the ABA Service Center at 312-988-5522 or Budget Officer: Renie Y. Grohl, Warren, OH1-800-285-2221.Immediate Past Chair: Karl J. Ege, Perkins Coie LLP, Seattle, WA2. Join as many substantive committees that are of interest to you. Section Delegates to the House of Delegates: To join a committee and for more information on the substantive work of the committees, go to www.ababusineslaw.org or log into “myABA”. FREE with Mary Beth M. Clary, Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP, Naples, FLSection membership.Barbara Mendel Mayden, Young Mayden LLC, Nashville, TN3. Engage in Young Lawyer Forum activities. Maury B. Poscover, Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP, St. Louis, MOThe leaders of the Young Lawyer Forum invite your involvement and participation Elizabeth S. Stong, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of New York, Brooklyn, NYto address the many areas of interest and concern for young lawyers. Join a Young Lawyer Forum Chair: subcommittee of interest. The Young Lawyer Forum meets during the Section Spring Meeting.Sherwin P. Simmons II, Carlton Fields, Tampa, FLABA Contact Information: ABA Web site: www.abanet.orgABA Service Center: 312-988-5522 or 1-800-285-2221 Call the Service Center to join the ABA and Sections, report an address change, check your membership status, and order ABA publications and products.ABA Business Law Section: 321 N. Clark Street Chicago, IL 60654 312-988-5588 or businesslaw@abanet.org89American Bar AssociationBusiness Law Section321 N. Clark StreetChicago, IL 60654312-988-5588www.ababusinesslaw.org