NCBA Establishes Satellite Offices
Article Date: Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Written By: Russell Rawlings
The North Carolina Bar Association, in an effort to better serve its members in central and western N.C., has established satellite office and meeting arrangements in Charlotte and Greensboro. The agreements coincide with a generous opportunity to utilize available space at North Carolina’s two new law schools: Charlotte School of Law and the Elon University School of Law in Greensboro.
The agreements also mesh perfectly with the NCBA’s new strategic plan, Momentum 2010, calling for an expansion of off-site meetings, continuing legal education programs and special events beyond the confines of the N.C. Bar Center in Cary.
“The North Carolina Bar Association is grateful for this opportunity to expand our presence in the Charlotte/Mecklenburg area and the Triad region,” said NCBA President Clark Smith of Lexington. “We are equally grateful for the outstanding relationships that we already enjoy with the students, faculty and administration of the new law schools in Greensboro and Charlotte.”
The NCBA was an active participant in the orientation programs for the founding classes at both new law schools in August.
“Our ability to maintain office space and access meeting space at the new law schools will greatly enhance our ability to serve our members and better utilize the time, energy and expertise of our volunteers,” Smith added.
The driving factor behind this endeavor, said Executive Director Allan Head, was providing a more convenient way for member participation in section, division and committee meetings.
“Technology today, via Web conferencing for example, allows for more reliable and interactive participation than phone and video have provided to date,” stated Head. “Busy lawyers want to volunteer, to serve the public and the profession, but we have to make the opportunity more easily accessible.”
Combined with the expansive facilities of the N.C. Bar Center in Cary, the NCBA is now capable of maintaining a visible presence in North Carolina’s three largest cities and counties and its three most recognizable metropolitan areas – the Research Triangle, the Piedmont Triad and the Charlotte Metropolitan area (sometimes referred to as Metrolina).
More than 10,000 NCBA members – better than three-fourths of the association’s in-state members – are based in these three metropolitan areas.
Details are still in the development stages regarding the specifics of both satellite relationships, although some events have already been scheduled and various meetings have taken place. CLE programming is expected to commence on a regular basis at both schools beginning in December.