If you haven't already, check out this episode of the State Bar of Michigan’s On Balance podcast, which features Jack Newton, founder and CEO of Clio, one of the pioneers of cloud-based practice management. In this episode of On Balance, guest hosts Laurence Colletti, Robert Mathis, and Samantha Meinke talk to Jack Newton about the 2018 Legal Trends Report and what it reflects about the legal industry. They discuss the data that’s included in the report and how attorneys can use this information to improve the business side of their practice. On Balance, on the Legal Talk Network, delivers useful... Continue reading

The State Bar of Michigan will dedicate our 41st Michigan Legal Milestone, commemorating the fact that Michigan's government was the first in the English-speaking world to outlaw capital punishment for murder and lesser crimes from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesday, November 6 at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center in Detroit. The event will start with a reception with hors d'oeuvres from 4-5 p.m., followed by a program featuring a panel of speakers. Speakers include: Jennifer M. Grieco, President of the State Bar of Michigan Janet K. Welch Executive Director of the State Bar of Michigan Brian C. Summerfield Partner at... Continue reading

To complete your annual disclosures and pay your 2018-2019 dues online with a debit, credit card or e-check, go to e.michbar.org and log in using your member login and password. More information. Continue reading

In an effort to help the implementation of new limited scope practice rules, State Bar volunteers and staff have launched an online peer discussion and support group to encourage conversation among limited scope practitioners, judges, those who want to learn more about limited scope practice, or those who are thinking about trying it out. The discussion group is designed to encourage users to conduct open and respectful conversations, share experiences, ask questions, identify best and creative practices, collaborate with a community of like-minded professionals, and otherwise help in the successful implementation of the new rules in Michigan. Sign up for... Continue reading

The SBM member area website has recently been updated to conform to new and improved security standards. The upgrade requires all passwords to meet minimum requirements that will help to protect your information. Your password must now contain at least seven characters with at least one number and at least one letter. If your password does not meet these requirements, go to the forgot username/password page to reset your password. If you need further assistance, please contact our member services team at (888) 726-3678 Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. EST, or email sbmaddressfix@michbar.org. It is especially important that if... Continue reading

The State Bar of Michigan is offering an app to help you create the perfect, personalized SBM NEXT Conference experience for you. The new app will allow you to create a custom schedule and set reminders for events and educational sessions, and also receive alerts about last-minute event changes. New features also allow you to take photos and notes during events and save them right inside the event in the app, automatically organizing them for you and making them easy to find in the future. A new, interactive map feature in the app will allow you to navigate from your... Continue reading

Nicole Black, Legal Technology Evangelist for MyCase, will provide a plenary session for the educational tracks at State Bar of Michigan NEXT Conference at 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 28. Black is an author, journalist and legal technology evangelist at MyCase. She is the nationally recognized author of “Cloud Computing for Lawyers,” and co-authored “Social Media for Lawyers: the Next Frontier,” both published by the American Bar Association. She also co-authored “Criminal Law in New York,” a Thomson Reuters treatise. She writes regular columns for The Daily Record, Above the Law and Legal IT Pros; has authored hundreds of articles for... Continue reading

Get the top tips for presenting your summary disposition motion, learn to effectively write your appellate brief and make your argument and see the view from the criminal bench directly from some of Michigan’s top jurists. Genesee County Circuit Court Judge Joseph Farah, Kent County Circuit Court Judge Christopher Yates, Ottawa County Circuit Court Judge Jon Hulsing and Muskegon County Circuit Court Judge Timothy Hicks will give you best practice advice for presenting summary disposition motions. John Bursch and Michigan Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Clement will provide smart drafting techniques and strategies for presenting your best arguments in appellate briefs.... Continue reading

Jack Newton, CEO and Founder of Clio, will kick off the State Bar of Michigan NEXT Conference with a keynote address at 9 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 27. Newton is a pioneer in cloud-based practice management with more than 150,000 legal professionals in 130 countries depending on Clio’s software every day. Newton has been recognized as EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year, and Clio has been named to Deloitte’s Best Managed Companies, the Deloitte Fast 50, Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures and more. Newton has spearheaded efforts to educate the legal community on issues surrounding cloud computing, including security, ethics and privacy,... Continue reading

SBM Board of Commissioners Five attorneys — Lisa J. Hamameh, Thomas H. Howlett, Joseph P. McGill, Dana M. Warnez and Erane C. Washington — won contested seats in this year’s Board of Commissioners elections. All will serve three-year terms expiring at the close of the 2021 NEXT Conference. Dana M. Warnez was elected to serve District D, representing Macomb and St. Clair Counties. She concentrates on probate and estate planning, drafting and administering trusts and real estate matters at Schoenherr, Cahill & Warnez in Center Line. Erane C. Washington was elected to serve District G, representing Jackson and Washtenaw Counties.... Continue reading

The growth of online for-profit matching services raises questions about attorney ethics. A proposed advisory opinion by the State Bar of Michigan Professional Ethics Committee concludes that participation in a for-profit online matching service that matches prospective clients with lawyers for a fee is not ethically permissible if the attorney’s fee is paid to and controlled by a non-lawyer and the cost for the online matching service is based on a percentage of the attorney’s fee paid for the legal services provided by the lawyer. The proposed advisory opinion says that a Michigan lawyer participating in this business model: Violates... Continue reading

The State Bar of Michigan Next Conference will take place Sept. 26–28 at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids. Have fun, make connections, and recharge your law practice at the 2018 NEXT Conference. In just a day and a half, you’ll engage with experts whose sole goal is to help you save time, save money, and increase your bottom line. This year the popular Judicial Perspectives educational track will return, featuring Michigan Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Clement, Kent County Circuit Court Judge Christopher Yates, Ottawa County Circuit Court Judge Jon Hulsing, Muskegon County Circuit Court Judge Timothy Hicks, Genesee County Circuit... Continue reading

June 19, 2018 • Michael Franck Building, Lansing This half-day ethics seminar features presentations on how to manage lawyer trust accounts, including how to effectively use forms, checklists, and other recordkeeping resources. The seminar, which is open to lawyers and their staff, is an excellent way to learn how to comply with Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct 1.15 and 1.15A. Participants will receive practical information as well as materials prepared by presenters: SBM Professional Standards Division Director Danon Goodrum-Garland, SBM Assistant General Counsel Nkrumah Johnson-Wynn, Professional Standards Assistant Division Director Alecia Ruswinckel, and Attorney Grievance Commission Senior Associate Counsel Rhonda... Continue reading

The latest episode of the State Bar of Michigan’s On Balance podcast features Lea Ann Sterling, a Traverse City attorney who owns and manages Sterling Law Office in Empire and Gaylord and wrote award-winning pictorial guidebooks Historic Homes of Olde Town, Columbus, Ohio, and Historic Cottages of Mackinac Island. Hosts JoAnn Hathaway and Tish Vincent discuss with Sterling how she took her law practice from survival mode to a stage-one business. On Balance delivers useful and entertaining ideas on managing life as a lawyer. To subscribe in iTunes, follow two easy steps: 1. Using your mobile device, click on this... Continue reading

In mid-September, we hope you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the changes we’re making to streamline the process you will use to complete your mandatory disclosures and pay your annual dues. This year, you will be able to complete your mandatory disclosures online and either pay your dues online or mail your check to our lockbox. As a reminder, you will be receiving notification by email in mid-September to complete your mandatory disclosures and pay your dues. Make sure you keep your email address up to date with us, so you will receive that email notification. If you change jobs, Supreme... Continue reading

Electronic ballots for the 2018 State Bar of Michigan elections will be distributed via email on May 25. SBM members who do not have an email address on file will receive a paper ballot. Online voting will end at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, June 15, and paper ballots must be received postmarked no later than June 15. There are contested races for the Judicial Tenure Commission, the Board of Commissioners in Districts D, G, H, and I, and the Representative Assembly in Circuit 7. Unless your address on file is in one of the circuits or districts where there is... Continue reading

SBM members can now save 15% on ABA books. The discount applies to all regularly priced book purchases at the ABA web store. Simply use the special discount code MICHBAR at checkout. To start saving 15% on your ABA book purchases visit www.ShopABA.org or call (800) 285-2221 and use the special discount code MICHBAR. Continue reading

The State Bar of Michigan mourns the loss of its 38th president, Wallace D. Riley, who died May 17 at the age of 90. “Wally Riley leaves a legacy of extraordinary accomplishments,” SBM Executive Director Janet Welch said. “To most people, his service as president of the American Bar Association and the State Bar of Michigan might stand out as his signature achievements, but to those who knew him best, his most defining legacy was his devotion to his cherished wife, Dorothy, and his partnership with her on her path to becoming a pioneering icon in her own right in... Continue reading

Note: If you tried to volunteer and experienced technical issues, please try again! Complete the application before June 7 in any web browser except Internet Explorer. The application is not fully functional in Internet Explorer. You are invited to apply to serve in one of the many volunteer opportunities offered by the State Bar of Michigan. We offer short-term, fast-moving opportunities to serve on innovative work groups and longer-term, more in-depth opportunities to serve on traditional standing committees. We have revised the volunteer application process to make it more streamlined, straightforward, and deliberate in order to help you quickly and... Continue reading

The following individuals and organization will receive 2018 State Bar of Michigan awards at a banquet on Sept. 26 at the SBM NEXT Conference in Grand Rapids. 2018 State Bar of Michigan Award Recipients: Roberts P. Hudson Award: Bruce A. Courtade and Julie I. Fershtman Frank J. Kelley Distinguished Public Service Award: Hon. Marilyn J. Kelly and Robert P. Young Jr. Champion of Justice Award: Miriam J. Aukerman and Robert J. Heimbuch John W. Reed Lawyer Legacy Award: Professor Lawrence Dubin John W. Cummiskey Pro Bono Award: Charles “David” Jones Kimberly M. Cahill Bar Leadership Award: Women Lawyers Association of... Continue reading

For many years, the Bar's Practice Management Resource Center has offered a lending library that ships printed copies of books upon request. As an enhancement to that service, a free online library is now available that allows members to download e-books and audio books to office computers, laptops, smartphones, and tablets. Unlike the lending library, which requires return shipping, the downloadable library items are free to members and will automatically delete after the designated lending period expires. Topics include business and client relations, career transitioning, financial management, technology how-to publications, self-help books, and The Nutshell series. To browse titles in... Continue reading

If you're interested in participating in a community event on or near Law Day this year, you can find an event in your local area on our Law Day Calendar of Events. In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower designated May 1 as Law Day. This day is an opportunity to strengthen our great American heritage of liberty, justice, and equality under the law. The State Bar of Michigan joins various local bars, businesses, schools, and other organizations in conducting programs associated with improving the public's understanding of our justice system. Don't see your local Law Day event listed on our... Continue reading

The State Bar of Michigan will present “Tips and Tools for a Successful Practice” from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1, at the State Bar’s Michael Franck Building in downtown Lansing. The semi-annual seminar features presentations on how to maintain mutually beneficial client relationships, draft effective fee agreements, manage lawyer trust accounts, analyze ethical issues, and use innovative techniques and technology for law office management. The seminar presents an excellent opportunity for solo practitioners and new lawyers to obtain ethical guidance and practical information from colleagues who have successfully implemented law office management techniques and utilized economically-priced... Continue reading

The State Bar of Michigan’s fourth annual Brunch for Bars will take place at 10 a.m. on Sunday, April 8, at the Fort Shelby Double Tree Hotel in Detroit. This year’s brunch will feature a presentation about the W. K. Kellogg Foundation’s Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation project across the United States and in four Michigan communities: Battle Creek, Flint, Kalamazoo and Lansing. The TRHT project is a community-based process to plan for and bring about transformational and sustainable change and to address the historic and contemporary effects of racism. The State Bar of Michigan Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee... Continue reading

2017 was the most successful year yet for the State Bar of Michigan Circle of Excellence! More than 60 firms and corporations, all committed to access to justice, appeared on the 2017 COE. The State Bar of Michigan invites all law firms and corporations with two or more attorneys to apply for the 2018 Pro Bono Circle of Excellence recognizing each firm that fully complied with the State Bar’s Voluntary Pro Bono Standard in 2017. The application deadline is April 13. The Voluntary Pro Bono Standard calls for attorneys to annually take three pro bono cases, devote at least 30... Continue reading