A Year of Learning and Leadership
By Shawn Shepard
Shepard Writing & Communications
[email protected]
Every March, the Atlanta Bar
Association president-elect joins
the executive director for the first
of four conferences to hone leader-
ship skills and educate bar leaders
about issues facing voluntary bar
associations today. The confer-
ences, including the American
Bar Association Bar Leadership
Institute (BLI), the National Asso-
ciation of Bar Executives (NABE)
and National Conference of Bar
Presidents (NCBP) converge at the
American Bar Association’s Annual
and Mid-Year Meetings. In addition,
the Conference of Metropolitan Bar
Associations (COMBA) provides of-
ficers and executive staff with prac-
tical training and an opportunity for
networking throughout the year.
The American Bar Association Bar
Leadership Institute is a three-day
conference specifically designed
to equip presidents-elect with the
18
April/May 2019
techniques and skills essential to
bar leadership. The timing of this
March event is significant, as the
program provides the Atlanta Bar
President-elect important onboard-
ing information prior to the start of
the presidential term in June. Be-
fore assuming the mantle of presi-
dent, a president-elect may not be
fully aware of the challenges and
expectations that go accompany
the role.
“The good news is that by the time
someone ascends the presidential
ladder, they’ve been on the board
for several years. That said, that
experience doesn’t completely
prepare them for the multitude of
things they have to do as presi-
dent,” said Executive Director
Terri Bryant. Although they arrive
at the conference with substantial
leadership skills, the attendees are
nevertheless eager and maybe
even a bit apprehensive. “Most of
the presidents I’ve seen are taking
notes. It’s a really great use of the
president’s time and a great use of
the bar’s resources.”
In addition to providing training, BLI
gives presidents-elect the chance
for peer-to-peer discussion. These
connections have the ability to pay
dividends throughout the year as
the president weighs strategies
and opportunities for the bar as-
sociation. Bryant recalled one such
example involving outgoing Atlanta
Bar President Nicole Iannarone.
“The Allegheny Bar Association is
a very prosperous bar association,
and the president of that bar is an
executive director at a school of
law. Our president is also a profes-
sor at a school of law. When they
met, they realized they had a com-
mon link in the way education and
development of law students can