As the title implies, I have many reasons for not belonging to the Illinois State Bar Association. To detail all of them would be very time consuming and probably just piss me off even further. But here is Reason # 37.
I have written articles for various publications for the ISBA, at their request. Every time I do so, someone at the organization finds out I am not a member and starts sending me junk mail. Most recently, I received a letter giving me a six month "trial membership." I do not know why ISBA thinks they know more about my professional life than I do and what I need to advance my career. I am an educated, intelligent, vastly experienced lawyer who has a very specialized practice. I think I am perfectly capable of deciding which organizations would benefit me and which would not.
Anyway, Reason # 37. ISBA wastes paper, time, and money. Now, I realize lawyers are the worst offenders when it comes to unnecessary paper usage. But this is ridiculous. Every morning, I come into my office and look through my mail. Every day during my six month "trial membership," I have received a flyer (a large, two-color, multi-fold, fancy-sealed flyer) advising me of some upcoming CLE class, most of which have absolutely nothing to do with my practice area. As I said, I have written articles for these people - the topics I write about should provide a clue. In addition, the type of law I practice is abundantly clear from the name of my office, which is printed underneath my name on each one of these flyers. Another clue. Or, they could get the message by the fact that I have NEVER joined their organization and have NEVER attended one of their CLEs.
Here is a list of the flyers I have received just in the last two weeks:
- Drafting and Negotiating Commerical Contracts for Larger Corporations: An Insiders and Outsiders View
- From Legal Practice to What's Next: The Boomer-Lawyer's Guide to a Smooth Transition (ummm . . . HELLO? I am in my 30s. They could figure that out by my bar admission date or my birthdate. I am not a baby boomer.)
- Back to Basics: The Fundamentals of Starting a Business
- Education for Attorneys in Child Custody Matters
- 2007 Labor and Employment Update: Recent and Proposed Amendments and Case Law
- Civil Practice Update
- 2006/2007 Developments in State and Local Tax
- Fundamental Estate Planning for Modest Estates
- Effective Legal Writing
- 42nd Annual Illinois Traffic Court Conference (yuck, yuck, yuck, and yuck.)
- Probate GAL Training
- Nuts and Bolts: Representing Your Client in Driver's Licensing Issues at SOS
- What Every Lawyer Should Know about Intellectual Property
- Family Law Update
- Civil Practice and Procedure Update
- Uninsured/Underinsured: The Necessary Basics
- Tort Law Update
- Ethics and Professionalism for Government Attorneys
- Mediation for Illinois Family Courts
- Overview of the Pension Protection Act of 2006: Its Impact on Defined Benefit Plans
Out of these 20 flyers, there are maybe two that apply to be, and those only in the most general sense. I am sure each one of these is absolutely perfect for a number of lawyers in Illinois. But sending flyers to each lawyer in Illinois for each CLE class is simply a waste of paper, money, time, and energy. There is no lawyer that would possibly be interested in attending every one of these classes. Even the American Bar Association, in their never-ending spending and glossy magazine wastefulness, asks each lawyer to choose three practice areas and only sends information about those areas to interested attorneys.
Come on ISBA, get your act together. Stop killing trees. Maybe you should put some of that flyer money into Legal Aid funds or law school scholarships. Keep in mind, you will never receive any of my money to further your wasteful efforts. If I want to take one of your CLEs, I'll call you, don't call me.
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4 comments:
On a somewhat related note (saving a tree) my son came home from school and was going on about why logging was bad. I don't know if the teacher only taught one side of the equation, or if he was daydreaming and only selectively remembered.
So I took the time to explain that, while yes, clear cut logging is bad- the taking out of an entire forest, selective logging is good, where they cut out select trees or small plots; after which new trees are planted. Trees are a renewable resource.
I didn't get into the whole political debate about logging in national forests, or the Amazon, or anything like that, but I felt he was being ever so slightly brain washed.
Basically, I just disagree with the teacher's politics, if that is really what she was pushing.
I also pointed out to my young son the beautiful hard-wood flooring that he was standing on and that his pinewood derby car is made out of wood.
Cutting down a tree is not a bad thing, in and of itself.
I agree that cutting down trees to make things such as furniture, hardwood floors, and other durable and reusable items can be acceptable. (I also live in a house with hardwood floors.) My problem has always been with paper consumption in particular. Think of how much paper we throw away everyday.
My point was really to bring more attention to the general paper-wasting of the legal profession. Why does the Court of Appeals require 15 copies of briefs (often more than 50 pages long, printed on only one side of the paper) and an electronic copy on a disc? At the outside, only 6 of these copies are used. When the case is over, the remainder are thrown away.
Sure, the courts have gone to what passes for electronic filing, but it isn't really. All judges still require a paper copy be served on them in addition to the electronic copy.
So, why do I blame the ISBA? I can't opt out of partipation in the court system. I can opt out of participation in the ISBA.
Oh, it's not just the legal profession. I got TONS of free magazines here at work. Heck, they get mad when you try to cancel them, even though you've told them three times that the magazine doesn't relate in the slightest to your business and you won't be reading it.
I feel bad for the advertisers, because they're the ones getting screwed by the false subscription numbers.
Not only is it wasteful, it really makes my trash can heavy.
Speaking of useless and wasteful publications, six AT&T phone books were delivered to my work today.
We need one; maybe two- for the dudes who don't know how to use Google.
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