THE VIRTUAL FUTURE OF THE ABA
HON . DAN TRAYNOR ABA Delegate
Like many other gatherings , the American Bar Association ( ABA ) Annual Meeting was held virtually . The House of Delegates met over two days in early August to consider dozens of resolutions relating to the legal profession and the issues of the day .
The virtual platform had to be heavily scripted . The broadcast was at times clunky and lacked the spontaneity and camaraderie of an in-person meeting . However , the online platform permitted instantaneous ( and accurate ) voting on each and every measure . Instead of resolutions being declared “ passed ” or “ failed ” on the basis of an uncertain voice vote , each member voted online and a total vote was given for each matter under consideration .
The voting process was one of the best aspects of the virtual House of Delegates meeting . While an end to the pandemic may mean a return to in-person meetings , I expect the instantaneous voting method will remain .
At the end of August 2020 , ABA Treasurer Kevin L . Shepherd of Baltimore , noted a $ 4.7 million variance to the ABA budget that can be directly related to the pandemic . Most of the shortfall is attributed to reduced meeting and travel revenue .
While the organization also experienced a corresponding reduction in meetings and travel expenses , the largest impact to ABA financials was due to the cancelled in-person meetings between March and August . Book sales were also down , as the annual meeting and section meetings are popular venues for such transactions .
For several years the ABA has been promoting online CLE offerings and expanded website content . In fact , more than 600 CLEs are available free-of-charge to ABA members . Various ABA entities ( sections / divisions / forums ) offer even more seminars beyond an online pay wall . And these allied organizations add more content every week .
Once the pandemic hit , various ABA entities readily pivoted to virtual meetings . For example , the Business Law Section ’ s fall meeting was held virtually and free of charge to its members . Attendance was spectacular , with 4,000 participating .
The online format allowed a less condensed and flexible schedule , where seminars were live and available later in a recorded format . This permitted members to attend every session , even when some breakouts were scheduled at the same time .
The pandemic has had a positive impact on utilization of the ABA website . ABA webinar registrations increased 592 percent from 2019 to 2020 . Similar increases were noted in total online registrations on the ABA website . The ABA also observed a dramatic increase of 365 percent year-overyear of new members who registered for a free member benefit program within two months of joining . The pandemic may have pointed the way for the ABA to increase membership and member benefits .
The ABA ’ s Board of Governors expressed a strong desire to meet in-person . Nevertheless , most expect the mid-year meeting in February 2021 will likely be held virtually , like the annual meeting . The in-person format may not return until the 2021 Annual Meeting in Toronto , Ontario .
Online meetings require the expense of an online platform and bandwidth . But travel , food , and meeting accommodations are avoided . As a result , virtual meetings should be less costly for the organization to hold . Thus , many expect the ABA to use virtual formats for future meetings . A virtual format may be a likely substitute for future mid-year meetings , which were scheduled to go away for budgetary reasons by 2024 .
Virtual meetings may also be scheduled and held on shorter notice or for a limited time . Some in ABA leadership have expressed a desire to have more frequent meetings , which would be held virtually . It is believed that such a schedule may be more desirable for younger lawyers with billable hour expectations at work and family commitments at home . It may also allow the ABA to respond more quickly to issues of the day .
The ABA ’ s Board of Governors continues to examine and implement organizational realignment , primarily driven by a need to reduce the budget . The Practice Forward Group is evaluating the ABA ’ s relationship with sections and divisions .
While the goal is to increase membership , it is likely the 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting will be a forerunner for the ABA ’ s future as a more streamlined and sophisticated national organization .
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