Today at the Bar - Three New Member Discount Programs

["State Bar of Michigan" <sbm-member-flash@mail.michbar.org>]

Title: Today at the State Bar of Michigan

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June 2010 • Member Benefits & Discounts • Election Results • New Ethics Opinion • Bar Leadership Forum • Milestone Event • Trust Accounts • Supreme Court Video • Practice Management Tip • Bar Journal Online • Travel in Style   Annual Meeting and Solo & Small Firm Institute September 29–October 1, 2010 DeVos Place, Grand Rapids There’s never been a better time to invest in yourself and your practice—and never a better occasion than your annual meeting! Attend your section meeting, an array of SBM networking events, a huge vendor hall, and the finest Solo & Small Firm Institute yet! More Information Follow Us        Blog Headlines How Divorce Spreads Through Social Networks List of Witnesses for Kagan Hearing Yesterday's Remarkable Day in U.S. Supreme Court News DOJ Seeking Michigan's First Execution Since 1938   Baltic Treasures Luxury Cruise—Go Next Travel Program A royal experience awaits you on this cruise from Copenhagen to legendary ports across the Baltic Sea, an adventure crowned by two days in St. Petersburg. Wander seaside promenades in Warnemunde, Germany, or take a short drive to Berlin. Explore historic Denmark, Finland, Poland, Sweden, Estonia, and marvel at fabled St. Petersburg, brimming with onion-domed cathedrals and magnificent palaces. Discover these treasures and more as you cruise the Baltic on this exceptional voyage. 2-for-1 Cruise fares with free airfare if booked by September 23, 2010. More Information Other Travel Destinations		Member Benefits & Discounts At the State Bar of Michigan, we’re constantly striving to provide you quality member benefits at the lowest possible costs. That’s why we are so pleased to announce our partnership with three new programs for home and auto insurance, phone and web conferencing, and a cellular program. Home & Auto Insurance Liberty Mutual—The number one provider of auto insurance and home insurance to organizations like ours is now offering our members special discounted rates. Find out more about our partnership with Liberty Mutual and what it could mean to you. More Information Cell Phones and Data Cards Join the Now Network Sprint is proud to be a mobile provider for the State Bar of Michigan, offering discounts through our partnership with Midwest Cooperating Communications. All State Bar of Michigan members, staff, and their immediate families can now take advantage of the industry’s top discount tier of up to 25%. up to 25% savings for business up to 23% savings for individual Focusing on service and speed—Sprint does it all with up to 4G coverage, GPS, and the Now Network. To take advantage of the offers, discounts, and upgrades or for more information, contact Midwest Cooperating Communications online, by e-mail to michbar@midwestco-op.com, or phone 888-ST.BAR.MI Ext 239 (888-782-2764 Ext 239). Phone & Web Conferencing InterCall Program Save Money. Communicate Smarter. Clear, cost effective communications tools are a must for every firm, large or small. As the world’s largest conferencing services provider, InterCall is ready to help your firm save time and money with world class conferencing solutions from simple audio-conferencing to cutting edge web conferencing platforms such as WebEx and Microsoft Live Meeting. All members receive exclusive pricing on both audio and web conferencing. There are no contracts to sign or minimum spending requirements, so sign up today! Call the Member Conferencing center at (800) 514-2818, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. EST, or enroll online. Election Results The Board of Tellers met on Monday, June 28, to verify State Bar of Michigan election results. Pictured from left to right are: Kevin V. B. Schumacher, Shari F. Lesnick, and Cherika A. Harris. View Election Results New Opinion Approves Unbundling Legal Services The Professional Ethics Committee has determined in RI-347, issued April 24, 2010, that, so long as a Michigan lawyer complies with the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct and other law, the lawyer may, without appearing in a proceeding or otherwise disclosing or ensuring the disclosure of the lawyer’s assistance to the court or to other counsel and other parties, assist a pro se litigant by giving advice on the content and format of documents to be filed with the court, including pleadings, by drafting those documents for the litigant, by giving advice about what to do in court, or any combination of these. View RI-347 Bar Leadership Forum SBM Executive Director Janet Welch and Federal Bar Association Executive Director Brian Figot, a BLF speaker. A full photo album from the Bar Leadership Forum and Upper Michigan Legal Institute will soon be available on www.michbar.org. Milestone The 35th Michigan Legal Milestone, Elk, Oil, and the Environment, celebrates a 1979 landmark Michigan Supreme Court case that led to an extraordinary agreement between state government, the oil industry, and environmental groups. See a video of the dedication ceremony, view a photos of the event, and listen to an NPR podcast about the Milestone. New Trust Account Overdraft Notification (TAON) Rule Takes Effect Sept. 15 Lawyers with Trust Accounts are Impacted New Rule 1.15A of the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct, also known as the Trust Account Overdraft Notification Rule (TAON), takes effect on September 15, 2010. To review Rule 1.15A in its entirety, visit www.michbar.org/opinions/ethics/TAON.pdf. Forms and additional information are available on the State Bar’s website at www.michbar.org/opinions/TAON.cfm. Michigan Supreme Court Video Videos from the Michigan Supreme Court oral arguments, Public Administrative Conference, and Public Administrative Hearing are posted on the State Bar of Michigan Virtual Court web page. June 3: public administrative conference Today's Practice Management Tip Each Tuesday a new Tip of the Week is posted at the Practice Management Resource Center. Google Voice Google Voice services have been available in Beta for the past year by invitation only. On June 22, 2010, Google released Google Voice services to the public without the invitation requirement and the service is still free. If the management of your phone calls is consuming too much of your time, check out the options available at Google Voice. You can elect to use all or part of the service. In addition to the “one number” service Google Voice provides voicemail transcription, personalized greetings, caller blocking, call screening, conference calls, and mobile apps for Blackberry, iPhone, and Droid phones. If the service doesn’t provide a solution for your business it might be useful for the family on the go. Check out the options at http://www.google.com/googlevoice/about.html . Bar Journal Online Read the June 2010 Issue Online This month's issue is devoted to Alternative Dispute Resolution.