What’s in it for Me? New Lawyers Find Value In Producing Programs for Peers

More than 1,000 members strong, the BBA New Lawyers Section has a reputation for drawing a crowd. Speed Networking, a Friday Night Wine Tasting, and an annual holiday party are popular events that foster a community of new lawyers in Boston.

But what about providing new lawyers with the skills for coping in a competitive job market, or helping them fine tune lessons learned in law school? How about providing a platform for lawyers to sharpen their organizational skills that will help them take the next step: practical experience in program development, organizational management, relationship building, and marketing?
The New Lawyers Section is on it!

When asked about the value of co-chairing Anatomy of a Purchase Agreement, part of the New Lawyers Practical Skills Series, Jennifer Inhs Charles of Proskauer Rose says:

“I decided to chair a program because I thought it would be beneficial to put together a program on something I was passionate about, and that could help new lawyers learn a lot from. I got to know people I wouldn’t normally run into. I’ve met partners, senior counsels and associates from other firms that I would not normally come across in my every day life.”

Attorneys with ideas on specific topics must present their proposal to the New Lawyers Section Practical Skills Committee for approval. As program chair, the attorneys are responsible for developing structure and content for a focused program on a specific topic relevant to new lawyers, communicating their ideas to other Section Chairs to generate co-sponsorships, recruiting experts to be a part of their panel and promoting the event with the help of the BBA, their firm and their networking circle.

“Organizing an event was a chance for me to pick a topic I thought would be useful to new lawyers and my practice and to dive into it with the benefit of an experience panel behind me,” says Crystal Lyons of Gesmer Updegrove. “I enjoyed getting to know the panelists better and valued the chance to hone my public speaking skills by moderating the panel.”

Upcoming events in the New Lawyers Practical Skills Series include:
Jury Instructions: Preparation, Presentation, and Potential Pitfalls – April 20

Stay tuned for upcoming programs on the following topics:
Intellectual Property Basics – April
Ancillary Loan Documents – May
Alternative Dispute Resolution – May
State Securities Law – TBD