- Quickdraw McLaw
- 31 Comments
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We heard a lot of you complaining about how long the find a lawyer feature was not functional and how you don’t like funding annual meetings in resort locales, but how do you really feel about the State Bar of Nevada? Is the organization serving its purpose? Is it serving you? Do you benefit from its existence? Would you like to see it be an optional organization? What is it doing right? What can be done better?
How would you rate the overall performance of the State Bar of Nevada?
What exactly is the role and function of a state bar anyway? It seems ours is to just to (poorly) promote the State Bar Annual Conference and that's about it other than the committees.
Do other states let you opt out of a state bar and be part of a county bar?
Some bars are called "integrated" (Nevada) and others are "unintegrated" (e.g. Indiana). In "unintegrated" states, you are not required to join the Bar but you pay a fee for discipline, and maybe a fund for harmed clients. All the other stuff-social, CLE etc. is done by the Bar that you are not required to join.
The state bar sucks. They have too much staff, are incompetent, have their dumb annual meeting, etc. They charge too much for membership. They do promote decent CLEs here and there. Why is there a separate CLE board and not part of the state bar? The state bar just extorts money out of us for mandatory participation but don't really do much. I like that Clark County Bar better! They are the fun bar.
The CLE's offered by the Clark County Bar Association are much better than the ones offered by the State Bar.
Bar dues are too high. Quality of Nevada Lawyer publication is low (much lower than other jurisdictions I've seen, and where dues are about half as much.) Some jurisdictions get it – e.g. – I believe the State of Washington reduced bar dues a few years back. Not sure it'll happen here where our general acceptance of bush league standards is reflected in the quality of not only our State Bar organization and publications, but also in our state court judges.
The bar ruined any chance it had with me when it gouged me with the needless TIP program right after I passed the exam. That made it very clear to me what this bar is all about – prying as much money out of its members as it can, even the ones who can least afford it. What a racket.
What is the TIP program? When I passed the bar exam, we had to attend Bridging the Gap. I found it helpful, but I do understand that is no longer offered. Is TIP an alternative?
TIPS is mandatory for anyone who passes the bar exam. It's touted as a benefit of bar membership, but you're actually required to pay a $350 fee (at the end) to meet with an experienced attorney, who may or may not practice in an area you're interested in, and have them "mentor" you for six months. There are mandatory discussion points, but little oversight. If you have issues contacting your mentor, the bar tells you that you need to remember that these are volunteers and you should be patient. It's pretty ridiculous.
I rise in support of the TIP program.
Before TIP, all you had was "Bridge the Gap" — a 2-3 hour course which was supposed to get you ready for all the demands of practice — too small to be practical. Now, at least new attorneys are required to discuss the nuts and bolts of practice with people who've been around the block.
Also, as a young attorney, why is it bad to get to know someone who is more experienced than you, even if not in your practice area? Makes no sense to me. I, personally, know several people who have parlayed their TIP contacts into jobs — FYI.
While TIP may not be perfect, it's better than what came before, IMHO.
I'm a TIP mentor and have had at least three baby attorneys who sorely needed the mentoring. I was appalled by the lack of any mentoring offered by their law firms. The TIP program is much better than Bridging the Gap.
Just the TIP is almost as useless as the State Bar generally.
Would not buy again.
Overall, I am happy with our State Bar. I do not think fees are too high, but I would like to see transparency in how fees are spent (maybe that would change my mind). A budget or spending analysis should be placed in each attorney's renewal package. I enjoy the Nevada Lawyer magazine and find the articles helpful to my everyday practice (though, since switching firms I have yet to receive a single issue despite multiple requests). CLEs are very good, in my experience. And, though I have never used it, the Lawyers Helping Lawyers program is a valuable resource. People who are disappointed expect too much.
You can get the bar's budget, just call and ask for it. I was able to get it a couple of years ago. They sent it to me as a pdf. It's public information.
In NY, every two years I pay $375 to the NY Court of Appeals to be registered as an attorney. NY does not require you join a bar association and, in fact, does not even have bar numbers. You just have the registration number (but you don't even really use that). Better yet, they explain where your $375 ($60.00 is deposited in the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection, $50.00 to the Indigent Legal Services Fund, $25.00 to the Legal Services Assistance Fund, and the remainder in the Attorney Licensing Fund). I see that the SBN takes some licensing/discipline workload off of the supreme court, but am not sure it is worth it. I also don't understand why the CLE board is a separate entity–seems like a waste.
CLE Board is separate because the State Bar offers CLE programs so it would be a conflict if the regulation of CLE (accrediting programs and sponsors) were in the same entity.
District of Columbia Bar dues are $280/year.
The bar also handles bar discipline. That and Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers are excellent programs. I could do without the TIPS program and the CLE varies, depending. The bar conferences should be closer to or in Nevada and maybe not every year. And, I'd like to see better accounting of the $$ too.
What do the bar commissioners do? I assume they decide the location of the bar convention, but I don't understand their other functions. With the amount the bar charges for CLE courses, you would think they would pay those presenting the CLEs, but many of the presentations are done without speaker fees. $350 for TIPS is nuts given that no pay is given to the mentors. The dues are way too much and the real services are way too few.
The ladies in membership are always very helpful, and nice.
Benzer was sentenced to 19 years and $13 million in restitution.
15 years
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NEVADA STATE BAR IS DEAD.
Wow, is that a threat? You need a vacation.
Given the sudden increase in 4 star votes, I'm guessing the folks at state bar found the blog.
You should try speaking with some of them. I overheard some conversation eating sushi awhile back, you would be surprised.
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Abolish the Board of Governors and replace it with a Board of Bar Examiners and the State Bar Counsel and have those two agencies report to the Nevada Supreme Court. The BBE/SBC would discharge the state's responsibilities in licensing and disciplining attorneys. Leave the rest to the free market. If enough attorneys want the frills, they can form a voluntary state bar association. Done.
Well, this is a fabulous idea worthy of consideration. My only fear is, where do all the social climbers possessed of negligible legal talent but fantastic bunghole licking skills go then?
They engage Ross Legal Search to help them find employment, naturally.