Strategic Plan

INTRODUCTION

The 1998 Strategic Plan for the Orange County Bar Association is a compilation of the reports prepared by the seven Task Forces formed by the OCBA Board of Directors following the Board retreat held in February 1998. The respective Task Forces were formed to address the seven major goals of the OCBA which were developed at the retreat. Each Task Force was asked to (a) identify the major issues and assumptions relating to the goal it was assigned to address and (b) formulate strategies to achieve the goal, as well as metrics to measure the OCBA’s progress in doing so.

  In every sense of the word, the Strategic Plan is a “work in progress” which will lend itself to further analysis and refinement by future Boards. However, as a basic blueprint for action, the Strategic Plan is intended to provide direction to the OCBA in accomplishing its principal goals and objectives as it moves forward into the new millennium.

  I am extremely grateful to those members of the 1998 OCBA Board of Directors, and the members of the OCBA staff, who contributed to the preparation of the Strategic Plan. In particular, I am especially appreciative of the efforts of the President-Elect Don Gray, the chair of the 1998 Strategic Planning Committee, who initiative, hard work, and determination are principally responsible for the Strategic Plan being completed on schedule this year.

  Everyone who participated in the year-long process of preparing the Strategic Plan should be justifiably proud that they have set the OCBA on course for a challenging and rewarding journey into the 21st century. Thank you for your time and efforts in providing such meaningful direction to our bar association.

STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE
TASK FORCE “A” FINAL REPORT
PROGRAMS/SERVICES
Catherine Holland, Chair

• To provide the highest quality programs and services to meet the ever changing needs of our members.

• Is the OCBA currently offering education programs and services of value to its members?
• What new educational programs and services can the OCBA offer which would be of interest to its members?
• How can the OCBA better advertise its educational programs and services?
• How can the OCBA best determine the interests and needs of its members?

• It is important that the OCBA offer educational programs and services which are of value to its members.
• The members of the OCBA are generally pleased with the number and quality of the educational programs currently provided by the OCBA.
• The tentative status of the California Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (“MCLE”) requirements may affect attendance at the OCBA educational programs. Attendance at Section meeting programs will probably not suffer, since many members attend Section meetings for networking opportunities in addition to the MCLE content.
• Most OCBA members are not aware of, and do not utilize, all of the services currently provided by the OCBA.
• The OCBA may wish to offer services which were previously offered by the State Bar.
• OCBA members will increasingly rely on technology in their practice of law.
• OCBA members look for networking opportunities.
• OCBA needs to establish programs which will develop leadership skills in its members.

• Establish a Job Bank on the OCBA Website on which attorneys can place “Help Wanted” notices. This service would be limited to the placement of “Help Wanted” notices only, as distinguished from notices by those seeking employment.
• Conduct feasibility study to assess whether a video conference facility should be established.
• Obtain discounts on publications such as the Los Angeles Daily Journal and Parkers Guide.
• Obtain discounts at office supply stores, such as Office Depot.
• Establish a “Night” at Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm or Medieval Knights which may be held in conjunction with other Bar Associations.
• Establish team building trips under the auspices of such organizations like Outward Bound.
• Maintain a list and information about all OCBA services on the Website.
• Maintain ability to send OCBA notices to members via the Internet.
• Retain the services of a professional marketing person to develop programs and services, including non-dues revenue generating programs, to address the interests, needs and trends of OCBA members such as senior attorneys, generation “X” attorneys, and “boomers.”

• Increased number of “hits” on the OCBA Website.
• Newly developed discounts at on relevant legal publications.
• Establishment of a Video Conference Facility capable of handling the needs of OCBA members.
• Retention of a marketing person to create new non-dues revenue programs of benefit to specifically targeted classes and groups of members.

STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE
TASK FORCE “B” FINAL REPORT
COMMUNITY SERVICE/ACCESS TO LEGAL SERVICES
Scott Wylie, Chair

• To enhance the legal profession and justice system, and serve the community through support of and participation in volunteer activities, with a special emphasis on serving the civil legal needs of the indigent.

• Support of and participation in community service projects, such as the Constitutional Rights Foundation, VIP, the Orange County Bar Foundation, or activities like law Day and Volunteer Connection Day, enhance our local communities and reflect favorably upon Association members.
• Volunteer attorneys are needed for a variety of community service activities, many of which are best accomplished by members of the legal profession (i.e. Law Day).

• The need for legal services amongst the indigent and person of modest means is significantly greater than the currently available services. Pro bono services by private attorneys are an important aspect of the legal service delivery system which serves this population.
• The provision of pro bono service opportunities is a member benefit which assists members in complying with ABA Model Rule 6.1 and the OCBA’s Pro Bono policy.
• Significant pro bono service enhances the system of justice, the lawyers who serve it, and the community served by it.

• Continue pro-active support of federal Legal Services Corporation (“LSC”) funding (which supports the local Legal Aid Society) and state IOLTA funding (which supports both the Legal Aid Society and the Public Law Center).
• Continue efforts to develop local funding through private foundation fund raising efforts.
• Continue to resist any extension of federal LSC service restrictions to other funding sources.
• Urge any new service providers (i.e. Law School Clinics) to help ensure all residents of Orange County have access to legal services by complimenting existing services, such as Legal Aid Society and PLC.
• Promote and expand volunteer activities, with primary effort on behalf of OCBA sponsored programs.
• Increase the number of OCBA members providing pro bono services to the poor, and encourage members of the bench, para-professionals, and other members of the legal community to support pro bono efforts.
• Develop a comprehensive reporting system in order to gain a better understanding of the actual service activities of OCBA members.

• Increased funding for sponsored legal charities to $100,000 per year through income from an endowment fund by the year 2003.
• Creation of law school clinics to serve presently under- or unserved clients, at each of Orange County’s three ABA accredited law schools. At least two (2) such clinics should be operational by 2003.
• Increased volunteerism through organized pro bono activities supported by the OCBA from the current estimated amount of between 13.6% and 20% of local attorneys to 60% of local attorneys by the year 2003.
• Establishment of a mechanism to effectively and efficiently capture and report the number of hours volunteered by a statistically significant percentage of OCBA membership (thereby creating a means to measure accomplishment of Metrics No. 3).
• Creation of a significant promotional campaign to educate OCBA members about the 35 hour per year pro bono annual service goal for each member, not later than December, 1999.

STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE
TASK FORCE “C” FINAL REPORT
EDUCATION/ROLE OF LAWYER IN THE SYSTEM
Gerda Roy, Chair

• To educate the general public about the law, the legal system and the lawyer within the system.

• The general public is unaware of general legal principles.
• The general public is misled by “LA Law” type shows, and feels lost and afraid in the legal system.
• The general public does not trust lawyers.

• Retain a marketing professional to attend Chamber of Commerce meetings, and other civic organization meetings, to promote the OCBA, the LRIS, and other OCBA related activities
  
• Revitalize the “OCBA Speakers Bureau.”
• Establish links to OCBA member Websites, enhance existing Website support, and strengthen LRIS on the OCBA Website.
• Revitalize the OCBA “People’s Law School” as a means to enhance the education of the general pubic about specific legal subjects of importance to the community.
• Continue to distribute publications (prepared by the State Bar of California and/or the American Bar Association) designed to increase awareness of the general public about specific legal issues, such as “Getting a Divorce?”, “Purchase a Lemon?”, “In an Auto Accident”.

• Retention of a marketing professional assigned responsibility to enhance the image of the OCBA and to promote OCBA activities.
• Increased demand for attorneys to speak at various civic events and organizational meetings, and increased number of attorneys volunteering for participation in the OCBA Speakers Bureau.
• New links on OCBA Website to member Websites, and increased visibility of LRIS on the Website.
• Increased participation by general public in the “People’s Law School”.
• Increased distribution of relevant State and American Bar Association publications to the general public

STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE
TASK FORCE “D” FINAL REPORT
STRATEGIC ALLIANCES/INDIVIDUAL LAWYER
Lew Geiser, Chair

• To build strategic alliances with organizations and institutions within the legal community.

• There is a need to increase communication between the OCBA and members of the Student Body of the law schools in Orange County.
• A member of the OCBA staff is appointed to serve as liaison to local law schools.
• Law students and law schools are a valuable resource to promote the activities of the OCBA, especially its pro bono service and charitable programs.
• There is a need to increase communication and interaction with affiliated and non-affiliated associations and organizations of Orange County attorneys to join the OCBA and participate in OCBA activities and events.

• Conduct periodic meetings between the OCBA staff liaison and the Student Body Association representative from each Orange County law school.
• Invite Student Body Association representatives to OCBA Board of Directors from time to time.
• Through the Student Body Association representative, encourage and facilitate law student participation in OCBA pro bono service and charitable programs.
• Through the Student Body Association representative, conduct periodic meetings with the schools’ Student Career Service office.
• Engage in enhanced outreach program to all non-OCBA organizations of fattorneys in Orange County to increase their participation in OCBA related activities.

• Significant increase in number of law students participating in OCBA pro bono service programs and charitable activities.
• Increased interaction between OCBA and Orange County Law Schools.
  Increased participation of non-OCBA affiliated organizations of Orange County attorneys in OCBA activities and events.

STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE
TASK FORCE “E” FINAL REPORT
STRUCTURE / STABILITY FOR 21ST CENTURY
Donald S. Gray, Chair

• Is the size of the Board of Directors (39 members) an impediment to individual board member participation or an impediment to quick and decisive decisions?
• Should the Board of Directors function through Task Forces or Committees?
• Should each member of the Board of Directors serve as Chair of a particular Committee?

• Increase individual participation of each member of the Board of Directors in the decision making process and the activities of the OCBA.

• Greater participation by individual Board members will potentially improve the governance of the Bar.
• Although the size of the OCBA Board of Directors is larger than the Los Angeles County Bar Association and other comparable Bar Associations, size alone does not determine the level of individual participation.
• The membership of the Executive Committee, consisting of the elected officers and the Executive Director, allows the Bar to accommodate a large number of members on the Board of Directors.
• The Board of Directors must be diverse, inclusive and representative of the legal community.

• The Board of Directors will be charged with developing internal operating procedures for the conduct of its business.

• Development of Board of Directors operating procedures.
• Increased participation in OCBA activities and decision making by individual members of the Board of Directors.

• What is the appropriate staffing level for the OCBA?

• Insure appropriate staffing levels to serve the needs of the membership.

• Staffing issues must be reviewed by the Executive Director and the Executive Committee from time to time.

• Continue to review and evaluate staffing needs as programs develop and grow.

• OCBA is adequately staffed to handle the administrative requirements of the Association.

• What steps should be taken to insure the financial stability of the OCBA in the 21st Century?

• Insure financial stability for the OCBA in the 21st Century.

• Although the OCBA is financially stable and maintains adequate reserves at the present time, it is necessary to continually assess the organizations financial condition.

• Continue to review and evaluate.

• Favorable financial statement.

• In anticipation of the expiration of the existing lease of office space in Irvine in the year 2002, what steps should be taken to prepare for lease renewal (i.e. renegotiation of the existing, lease of office space in a different location, or purchase of a new building?

• To insure suitable office facilities for the operation and conduct ofthe business of OCBA in the 21st Century.

• The new owner of the building, Washington Mutual Insurance, will require additional office space within its building.
• Upon expiration of the existing lease, rent on any extended term of the lease would be prohibitively expensive if present market conditions continue, or Washington Mutual Insurance will not negotiate a renewal term.

• Retain a consultant to conduct a feasibility study immediately after the first of the new year, 1999.

• Either (a) successful renewal of a long term lease of the existing facilities on favorable terms and at a reasonable and acceptable monthly rental amount; (b) successful long term lease of new facilities on favorable terms and at a reasonable and acceptable rental amount; or (c) purchase of suitable office facilities.

• How should OCBA address strategic planning issues in the future?
  

• Insure that all strategic issues confronting the Bar Association are properly addressed in a timely manner.

• Strategic Planning is essential to the successful and efficient operation of the OCBA.
• Strategic Planning should be an integral and on-going part of OCBA activities.

• Establish the Strategic Planning Committee as a Standing Committee of OCBA with membership to consist of the Executive Committee, and OCBA members at large appointed by the President for staggering terms of not more than 2 years.

• The Strategic Planning Committee will make at least quarterly reports to the Board of Directors.

• How can OCBA encourage participation and develop future leaders of the Bar?

• Identify, encourage and train the future leadership of the OCBA.

• OCBA does not currently have an adequate program for the development of significant numbers of future leaders of the Bar.
• Leadership training should be part of every organization.
• OCBA needs an institutional leadership program.

• Implement a new leadership training program.
• Provide adequate funding for leadership training.
• Support the Young Lawyers Division.

• Assess number of persons who participate in the leadership training program and track their ascension to leadership roles in the OCBA over time.

• How should OCBA increase non-dues revenue?
• What is an acceptable ratio of non-dues revenue to dues revenue?

• Increase non-dues revenue.

• Non-dues revenue helps to keep membership dues stable.

• Identify new sources of non-dues revenue.
• Implement new programs to increase non-dues revenue.

• Determine the increase in percentage and amount of non-dues revenue collected by OCBA over time.

STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE
TASK FORCE “F” FINAL REPORT
PROFESSIONALISM/CIVILITY/ETHICS
Donna Bashaw, Chair

• To insure the highest quality professionalism, civility, ethics in the practice of law.

• Professionalism and civility by and between attorneys is on the decline.
• Continuing legal education concerning these issues should be provided by bar members.
• The OCBA Ethics Committee is a valuable resource for bar members and for the community and it adds stature to the OCBA.

• Rejuvenate and strengthen the OCBA Professsionalism and Ethics Committee to educate OCBA members on ethical issues and matters of professionalism, and to promote civility.
• Provide continuing education of the bar in areas of professionalism, civility and ethics.
• Review and revise the OCBA Goals of Professional Conduct, and widely disseminate (perhaps along with the annual dues statement).
• Conduct survey of the bench and bar to determine what observations they fhave made regarding the professionalism, civility and ethics on the part of bar members.
• Publish relevant articles in the OC Lawyer Magazine and communicate findings and observations to the membership.
• Send representatives to local law schools to talk about professionalism, ethics and civility.

• Observable improvement in professionalism, civility and ethicalconduct of lawyers practicing in Orange County.

STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE
TASK FORCE “G” FINAL REPORT
PROFESSIONALISM/CIVILITY/ETHICS
Thomas Pistone, Chair

• To improve the justice system

• The evaluation of candidates for contested elections not only benefits the administration of justice, but is also a valuable public service.
• OCBA members should be provided a place where they can register concerns and complaints about court administration without directly approaching any particular judge.

• Judiciary Committee to provide a review of judicial candidates for contested judicial elections using the procedures approved in 1998, with appropriate modifications based on the experiences of 1998.
• Continually review generic problems involving the administration of justice.

• Timely evaluation of judicial candidates and dissemination of the results in accordance with approved procedures.
• Substantive improvement in identified generic problems identified by OCBA members.