Alabama State Bar members have access to valuable educational programs and select discounts on products and services to benefit both your practice and work-life balance, as well as invaluable resources, contacts, ideas and information to enhance your professional success. The ASB is committed to maximizing networking opportunities, professional development and advocacy for the interests of Alabama’s legal community.
As your partner in the profession, the Alabama State Bar encourages its members to take advantage of educational offerings and networking opportunities as well as volunteer opportunities to support attorneys’ commitment to pro bono service. Attorneys interested in advancing their careers can use their ASB involvement to keep current and connected with colleagues in all areas of the law.
Here is an overview of your key member benefits:
Casemaker is a free, Internet-based legal research service available to all Alabama State Bar members. In addition to Alabama case law beginning with 1 So.2d, the Alabama Code, constitution, rules of court and Administrative Code and regulations, Casemaker also contains a federal database with U.S. Supreme Court cases, case law from the federal circuit and many federal district courts, U.S. Bankruptcy Court opinions, Federal Court rules, the U.S. Code, and the Code of Federal Regulations. And because Casemaker is the product of a multi-state consortium of bar associations, it also contains cases and statutes from all 50 states. Casemaker is continuously adding information to its databases, so it’s a great method for doing legal research and allows many lawyers and firms to do without expensive monthly packages from other research providers. CONTACT: 334-269-1515 ext. 2242
The Practice Management Assistance Program serves as a clearinghouse for the collection and dissemination of information about the effective management of the modern law office. This program was created to serve the needs of solo practitioners and lawyers practicing in small firms, and to protect the public from lawyers whose management skills are not adequate to allow them to deliver competent legal services in a timely manner.
Information is distributed through PMAP’s lending library containing books and audio and video programs. The program also provides information on management issues such as attorney compensation, billing, business planning, client relations, employee relations, ethics and professionalism, loss prevention, marketing, retirement planning, and technology. PMAP provides this information through on-site visits to law offices, or via telephone and e-mail helplines. PMAP also handles the sale of discounted American Bar Association publications, particularly those of the Law Practice Management Section. CONTACT: 334-269-1515 ext. 2242
DISCOUNTED ABA BOOKS AND CLE MATERIALS
The Alabama State Bar, through an arrangement with the American Bar Association, now offers a full selection of materials from the ABA Web Store, including great books on law firm finance, management, marketing and technology produced by LPM Publishing, at a 15% discount.
To start shopping, just follow these easy steps:
1. Visit the ABA Webstore (http://www.abanet.org/abastore/index.cfm) and select the publications you wish to purchase.
2. Click "check out" when you have finished shopping.
3. Enter your credit card billing information.
4. Enter/verify shipping information.
5. Choose shipping method.
6. When prompted, enter source code PAB5EALB to get your 15% discount.
7. Once your order has processed, you will receive notification by email.
8. Orders will be shipped directly from the ABA within 7 to 10 business days.
A library of formal ASB Ethics Opinions is available online at www.alabar.org. You can search these opinions by number, year issued, ethical rule, subject matter, or keyword. Formal ethics opinions are issued by the ASB to assist members in interpreting their ethical obligations in specific circumstances. Formal opinions are the result of study and analysis in response to requests from members.
Informal ethics opinions are provided by phone and only to the attorney requesting the opinion. These opinions are not published. Such opinions can help members analyze a situation involving their own prospective conduct, apply the proper rules and reach an ethically sound decision. Calls requesting this kind of opinion are confidential and any advice given is intended for the education of the inquirer and does not represent the official position of the Alabama State Bar. CONTACT: 334-269-1515 ext. 2184
Lawyers who have been admitted to practice for five years or less often do not have the hard business and accounting skills necessary to plan for, open and operate a small business such as a law practice. The ASB has arranged with the Birmingham and Mobile chapters of the Association of Legal Administrators as well as ALA’s at–large members around the state to provide one-on-one counseling in law firm management. Services are coordinated through the bar’s Practice Management Assistance Program. CONTACT: 334-269-1515 ext. 2242
Many Alabama citizens need and can aff ord to pay for the services of a lawyer, but don't know how to locate one. But we have the answer. It’s called the Lawyer Referral Service. The Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) can provide you with an excellent means of earning fee-producing work, so it’s hard to believe that only three per cent of Alabama attorneys participate in this service!
The state bar’s LRS was created in 1978. Lawyer Referral Service members are private attorneys who charge their regular rates. Beyond the initial half-hour consultation fee (maximum - $50 or at no charge), the fee arrangement is between the lawyer and the client. The fee for state bar members who join the LRS is $100. Panel members are asked to remit fi ve percent of the legal fees they collect on referrals that reach $1,000 to $5,000.
Being a member of the LRS is an ethical and inexpensive method of marketing your practice. Qualifi ed attorneys with malpractice insurance and without an ongoing disciplinary case may choose to list up to 10 areas of legal practice. All referrals are made on a rotating basis, with each sub-panel rotating independently. Since clients select the geographical area they prefer, there may be minirotations within the overall rotation for some sub–panels. CONTACT: 334-269-1515 ext. 2140
The GEICO Auto Insurance Program offers members quality car insurance with complete 24-hour sales, policy, and claims service. As an ASB member Bar, you may qualify for an additional member discount off GEICO’s already low rates.
Call 1-800-368-2734 for a free quote or go online.
AD&D, BUSINESS OVERHEAD, DISABILITY, TERM LIFE AND MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT
Through its Administrator, ISI Alabama, a division of Insurance Specialists, Inc. (ISI), the Alabama State Bar endorses a variety of insurance programs including:
- Disability
- Term Life
- Business Overhead
- Accidental Death and Dismemberment
- Medicare Supplement
These plans offer Association based products through which applicants receive discounted rates as a benefit of membership in the Alabama State Bar. Underwriting and coverage issue is simplified, with programs of the highest quality backed by the leading carriers writing in the nation. These endorsed plans are all available to ASB Members, and most are also offered to Member spouses, employees, and eligible family members. ISI Alabama may be accessed toll free for Sales at 1-888-ISI-1959 and for Service at 1-800-241-7753, or you may click here to access this Member Benefit online.
*NEW MAJOR MEDICAL INSURANCE
The Alabama State Bar endorses ISI Alabama, a division of Insurance Specialists, Inc. (ISI) as its Health Plan Administrator. Through ISI, Members may obtain online quoting for all major Non-Blue admitted carriers in Alabama which maintain industry ratings of A- or higher. By quoting online, Members may self structure major medical plans to their individual needs, with rates provided in seconds.
Included among Member options is access to a new Association Major Medical Program underwritten through the WORLD Insurance Company. This Plan offers two products. Both provide catastrophic coverage, but are offered through different funding models, a Co-Pay Plan and a Health Savings Account (HSA) Plan. The WORLD Affinity Advantage Co-Pay Plan permits the insured to adjust premium by varying deductible and co-pay amounts, choosing in-network or out-of-network care providers, and adjusting lifetime and /or annual coverage maximums.
The HSA Plan provides a tax-free method for funding health expenditures. It is based on a high deductible insurance package which varies only in lifetime and / or annual coverage maximums. This model is frequently recommended as a financial planning tool. All ASB Major Medical Programs are underwritten, meaning that the availability of the insurance is not guaranteed. However, ISI Alabama, as our Health Plan Administrator assists all Members, regardless of insurability issues, in procuring coverage. Although all of these major medical products are offered as catastrophic coverage, optional Wellness Coverage may be purchased to assist with routine and preventative care. For more information on these products or about ISI Alabama, click here.
LONG–TERM CARE INSURANCE – BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF ALABAMA PREFERRED LTC
The Alabama State Bar endorses the Preferred LTC Plan from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama as its chosen long-term care provider. This member benefit offers you and your family protection against the high costs of care-giving from one of the most trusted names in health care. It fills the gap you currently have in benefits...health insurance, disability insurance, Medicare and Medicare supplements do not pay for long-term care.
The cost of long-term care is extremely high – currently ranging from $30,000 to over $100,000 a year in Alabama depending on where care is provided (assisted living facility, home care, adult day care or nursing home). A Preferred LTC long-term care policy will protect your assets, take the burden of care-giving off of your family and provide you with choices (pays for care at home, or in an assisted living facility, adult day care facility and/or a nursing home – your choice).
As a bar member you receive a group discount and can take advantage of limited underwriting requirements. Family members also receive a group discount. Premiums are based on age and can be deducted 100% off taxable income on your state income tax return. Premiums can be set up through bank draft or billed on an annual, semi-annual, quarterly or monthly basis. For more information and a personalized quote call (334) 213-6609 or toll-free (866) 435-6669, or review your bar benefits online at www.preferredltc.com (select Group Coverage, then enter Group Code A1349001).
For complete, exclusive information for state bar members, visit Blue Cross Blue Shield online at www.bcbsal.org/webapps/ltc/ or call 1-888-651-5485. don't clip coupons
FedEx Discounts
ASB has teamed up with FedEx to help boost your bottom line. Members are now eligible to receive valuable discounts of up to 26% on select FedEx® shipping and business services. There are no costs and no minimum shipping, copy or print requirements to take advantage of this great new member benefit.
ASB members can save:
- Up to 26% on select FedEx Express® services
- Up to 12% on select FedEx Ground® services
- Up to 20% on select FedEx OfficeSM business services
For more information or to enroll, please go to www.1800members.com/alsb or call 1-800-MEMBERS, your dedicated shipping program administrator at 1.800.636.2377 (8 a.m.–6 p.m. EST, M-F).
The ASB maintains an online database of active members. Information available online includes name, address, telephone, FAX, e-mail, date of admission to the bar, and law school attended. CONTACT: 334-269-1515 ext. 2120
POINT. CLICK. FIND WHAT YOU NEED
The Alabama State Bar’s Web site, www.alabar.org, is your complete resource for quickly finding information that can improve your practice, connect you to other attorneys and update you on the latest information from the bar. From CLE information to links to all ASB programs, everything is easily accessible. CONTACT: 334-269-1515 ext. 2218
It’s not only your professional obligation as a lawyer – it’s the right thing to do. Through the Volunteer Lawyers Program you can sign up to help meet the legal needs of those who cannot afford legal services. With one of the highest percentages of volunteer lawyers in the nation, this exemplary program truly makes a difference in the lives of Alabama’s citizens. CONTACT: 334-269-1515 ext. 2246
Expand your professional contacts. Increase your expertise. Share ideas. As a member of the Alabama State Bar, you have the opportunity to join one or more of the 22 practice sections that focus on a particular area of substantive law. Each section draws its membership from lawyers and judges with common professional interests. Sections address professional development, improvement of laws and continuing education in a variety of substantive legal fields. The sections also have sub-committees which tackle specialized single legal issues that may be part of the overall section jurisdiction. These groups publish materials dealing with their field of expertise, much of which is not available through commercial publishers. In addition, they sponsor conferences, seminars and institutes, monitor legislation, conduct studies and make policy recommendations to the Board of Bar Commissioners.
You may also request appointment to serve on a committee or task force to share your interest and expertise with others in order to focus attention on significant issues facing the organized bar in Alabama and lawyers across the nation. CONTACT: 334-269-1515 ext. 2162
SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS
Keeping up with your continuing legal education requirements is easy with free information on all CLE program topics and locations statewide available at www.alabar.org, the ASB’s Web site. You can also supplement your CLE credits by attending the Alabama State Bar’s Annual Meeting. The annual meeting is where you will find a vast array of CLE choices presented by nationally renowned speakers as well as high quality educational programs offered by the various sections.
If you are looking for a CLE seminar to fit a particular need or a particular location, you may call the CLE department for approved programs or look here for current programs. Programs can be identified either by location or specialty area. Information is available at (334) 269-1515 or visit the CLE Calendar.
The CLE Express was developed to provide ASB members with up-to-date CLE information. Sign up for the Blue Line and we will send you an email every time a seminar that meets your needs is approved. Sign up for the Red Line and we will notify you when your CLE transcript is updated. Learn more about CLE Express. CONTACT: 334-269-1515 ext. 2176
Each month, you can keep up with the latest news and developments in the legal profession through publications of the Alabama State Bar. From substantive articles and official notices contained in The Alabama Lawyer magazine, to the popular and easy-to-read Addendum online newsletter, the ASB helps you stay informed while learning about new programs and projects geared toward making your legal life easier. Your practice management and technology news comes direct to your inbox each month with Law Practice Today, published by the American Bar Association’s Law Practice Management Section. State Bar members receive notice of each new edition via e-mail and there’s no subscription cost.
GIVE CLIENTS SOMETHING GOOD TO READ
What better way to help your clients understand the law than by off ering them free legal information right in your offi ce? The Alabama State Bar has produced a series of public information brochures that discuss the most frequently asked legal questions. Pamphlet titles include: “Lawyers and Legal Fees,” “Last Will and Testament,” “Legal Aspects of Divorce,” “Alabama Court System,” “Law as a Career,” and “Consumer Finance,” to name just a few. Two of the pamphlets are also available in Spanish.
These informative brochures are available for purchase at cost and may be ordered through the publication order form printed in The Alabama Lawyer magazine or online. CONTACT: 334-269-1515 ext. 2126
Did you know that trained and experienced attorneys throughout the state are available to mediate fee disputes between lawyers and clients as well as between attorneys in the federal district in which they practice? You can resolve fee disputes in an informal, quick and out-of-court environment by contacting the ASB’s Fee Dispute Resolution Program. CONTACT: 334-269-1515 ext. 2176
KEEP UP TO DATE WITH LEGISLATION
During each legislative session, the ASB publishes a weekly report prepared by the ASB’s legislative counsel which summarizes and tracks legislation of interest to lawyers and the profession. You can find it online at www.alabar.org.
Few occupations are as stressful as the practice of law. Long hours, rigorous competition and high stakes determined by win-lose scenarios are enough to wear down the most competent and energetic lawyer. Prolonged periods of stress can lead to inappropriate means of coping, causing depression, relationship issues and major health problems. The Alabama Lawyer Assistance Program is committed to ensuring that members in need are given access to help. Our services are strictly confidential. If you are feeling overwhelmed with stress or depression or need help for an addiction problem for yourself or someone you know, give us a call. You are not alone. For more information visit www.alabar.org. CONTACT: 334-269-1515 ext. 2238
The Alabama Lawyer Assistance Foundation is a nonprofit [501(c) (3)] corporation under the management of an elected board of directors. The purpose of the foundation is to assist Alabama lawyers in paying for addiction, depression or other types of mental health treatment. ALAF is not a giveaway, but an opportunity to help lawyers help themselves. A revolving loan fund offers lawyers in need the opportunity to get treatment. Repayment is expected once the lawyer is back on his or her feet, so money will be available to aid the next lawyer in need. For more information, or to make a tax–deductible donation to ALAF, visit www.alabar.org/alap/foundation.cfm. CONTACT: 334-269-1515 ext. 2238
Even if you don’t live in Montgomery, you are never far from “home” when business brings you to the state capital. That’s because as an ASB member you have full access to the bar’s four conference rooms (which can accommodate six to 30 persons), as well as a visiting lawyer’s office available for business or client use. Wireless Internet access is now available in all of the public meeting rooms at the state bar. You can also schedule the use of the state-of-the-art videoconference facility located in the state bar. CONTACT: 334-269-1515 ext. 2162
THE ANNUAL MEETING AND LEGAL EXPO
If you enjoy the fellowship of other lawyers, then attending the Alabama State Bar’s Annual Meeting and Legal Expo is worth marking on your calendar. This is the best chance you have during any 12–month period to earn CLE credit, learn from unique educational programs, network with other lawyers, see the latest products and services for the modern law practice, and enjoy family recreational activities, too. CONTACT: 334-269-1515 ext. 2240
Savings on products and services you want and need are offered to ASB members through a variety of options. PennyWise offers a large selection of office supplies in addition to low prices and fast delivery. Bar members can save an additional 4-11 percent off PennyWise's already discounted prices. Brands like 3M, IBM, Rolodex, Bic, and hundreds more are offered at a fraction of their regular selling price. PennyWise also offers the largest office product network in the nation. The electronic catalog allows members to order 24 hours daily, seven days a week. Members can also order by mail, toll-free phone or fax. For more information on the program and a full-color catalog, call 1-800-942-3311 or visit PennyWise online. Be sure to tell them you are a member of the Alabama State Bar. CONTACT: 334-269-1515 ext. 2242
CoreVault™ assures ASB members that their important data will be backed up in a secure, reliable and cost-effective manner. CoreVault’s online services allow individual attorneys to back up their electronic data, which is a major area of vulnerability for many practicing lawyers today. CoreVault™ also offers tiered storage platforms designed to help larger law firms manage their data and costs effectively on a long–term basis. This service is of particular value to solo and small firm practitioners who do not have a dedicated IT department. To obtain a customized quote, e-mail sales@corevault.net or call 866-609-4ASB. At the ASB call 334-269-1515 ext. 2242.
THINKING ABOUT RETIREMENT?
ABA Retirement Funds offers tax-qualified retirement plan services to qualified legal professionals. This includes full-service, cost effective retirement plans such as 401k and profit-sharing. Corresponding services include plan design, administration and fiduciary oversight. Program eligibility is open to any law firm or practitioner that has at least one partner or shareholder who is a member of the ABA, or a state or local bar association represented in the ABA’s House of Delegates. To find out more, go to www.abaretirement.com or call 1-877-826-8901
Legal Directories Publishing (Alabama edition) – Contains addresses and phone numbers, a roster in alphabetical order and by county, includes guide to county, state and federal offices plus departments of the U.S. and Alabama government, complete digest of courts, professional associations including ASB officers, committees and sections. Published by Legal Directories Publishing Co. Available as hard bound edition or electronic version. For information: www.legaldirectories.com
Legal Software – Get a Member Discount
As an Alabama State Bar member, you are eligible to receive a 10% discount on legal software for time & billing, trust account management, family law and real estate.
Law firms nationwide have used Easy Soft’s legal programs since 1988 to increase their office productivity. To find out more and download a free trial, click on a link below.
- Legal Billing Software: Capture all billable hours/expenses, generate bills and manage collections effortlessly.
- Trust Account Management: Efficiently manage client funds and generate required reports including three-way reconciliation report. The program helps you comply with Rule 1.15 of the Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct.
- Family Law Software: Create tax optimized divorce settlements in minutes. Evaluate various scenarios, such as disposable income after alimony/child-support, alimony buyout, pension value, etc.
- HUD Settlement Statement: RESPA compliant HUD software includes HUD-1, HUD-1A, disbursement checks, 1099-S reporting and trust accounting interface.
For questions or to place an order, call Easy Soft Legal Software at 800-905-7638. Mention your ASB membership number to get your special discount.
AirMed International is the country’s leading air ambulance company, offering unparalleled medical care and bedside-to-bedside transportation on a worldwide basis. With over 15,000 missions flown, AirMed’s state-of-the-art medical jets are equipped to pick you or your family up from any hospital around the globe and transport you to the hospital of your choice. Along the way, the most experienced and respected medical team in the air will treat you. AirMed is also on call for you, 24/7, with answers to even the simplest medical questions. Simply put, AirMed gets you back home if you’re hospitalized while traveling. And an AirMed membership doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. In fact, it could save you one. Accidents and illness can happen anywhere, anytime and being prepared with air ambulance coverage has never been more important. Find out more about the AirMed membership program and receive the discounted pricing offered through the Alabama State Bar.
