SBM Blog

SBM Digital Library Offers Over 500 Free Resources

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 the digital library, visit the SBM Practice Management Resource Center Lending Libraries. Stay caught up with what the PMRC is doing by following them on Twitter @MIStateBarPMRC.

Get a Discount on ABA TECHSHOW

As a member of the State Bar of Michigan, you get a special $150 discount if you register for 2018 ABA TECHSHOW, which will take place March 7-10 at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago. Register online using the discount code EP1812.

ABA joins SBM, State Bar Associations and CloudLaw, Inc. to Expand Online Legal Network

The American Bar Association has joined the State Bar of Michigan, CloudLaw, Inc. and several other state bar associations to create a national online legal network that consumers can trust to find lawyers.

By joining together for the first time in this type of effort, the ABA and other state bars will leverage their combined expertise to create a dynamic, comprehensive, national online network. The network will offer easy-to-use lawyer search, topical legal information and quick connections between legal professionals. The lawyer search platform hosts some 90,000+ lawyer profiles and receives half a million quarterly visits. Combined with the ABA partnership and the scheduled participation of additional state bars, the network expects to reach over half a million lawyer-members by the end of 2018.

"While the online market for legal services has been exploding with confusing and in some cases very questionable options for consumers, CloudLaw has been carefully building the foundation for a credible, convenient alternative backed and developed with the collective input of state bar associations," SBM Executive Director Janet Welch said. "The current CloudLaw network has quietly been benefiting Michigan lawyers and the public for over two years, and its value will increase tremendously over time. The addition of the expertise of the American Bar Association is a crucial step forward."

"The American Bar Association is excited by the opportunity to collaborate with state bars to provide consumers with greater access to lawyers," said Linda A. Klein, President of the American Bar Association. "Technology can only do so much and people still need lawyers to help them solve their problems. We believe that the CloudLaw directory will allow potential clients to find the lawyer they need."

The expanded network will function as a central, searchable hub, while offering the same ethically focused and user-friendly features as the current CloudLaw network. In connection with the launch, CloudLaw will also rebrand the site domain name from zeekbeek.com to cloudlawyers.com.

"Today is a significant step forward in bar associations revitalizing their traditional role by providing a credible and ethically compliant marketplace to deliver legal services on the Internet," CloudLaw, Inc. CEO and President Robert Aicher said. "CloudLaw is proud to be the provider facilitating this online evolution."

SBM Members: You Get a Discount to ABA TECHSHOW

State Bar of Michigan members get a special $150 discount to ABA TECHSHOW, which will take place March 15-18 at the Hilton Chicago. To get the discount, register for ABA TECHSHOW and use this discount code: EP1701. 

For more than 30 years, ABA TECHSHOW has taught lawyers how to make technology work for them. If you attend, you'll network with legal technology experts from around the globe, learn to practice more competently and gain an understanding of how to more effectively provide service to your clients. 

Learn more or sign up for ABA TECHSHOW. 

Casemaker and vLex launch partnership

Casemaker and vLex have formed a joint licensing partnership, giving Casemaker customers access to vLex's international case law searches and materials, and giving vLex customers access to Caskemaker's collection of U.S. federal and state case law, CaseCheck+ negative citator system, codes, statute annotator, specific jurisdiction courts, administrative law, federal and state regulations, statutes, court rules and constitutions. 

Every member of the State Bar of Michigan gets free access to Casemaker, which normally costs hundreds of dollars a month, as a benefit of his or her membership in the State Bar of Michigan. 

Access more information about Casemaker and/or log in to Casemaker directly from the State Bar of Michigan website. 

Join the State Bar for a Town Hall Meeting

Join the leaders of the SBM 21st Century Practice Task Force from 1-4 p.m. on Friday January 29 to discuss the future of the legal profession at a town hall meeting.

The 21st Century Practice Task Force was created in March 2015 to make recommendations on how the State Bar can best serve the public and support lawyers' professional development in a rapidly changing legal marketplace. Since then, over 150 SBM members have developed more than 100 ideas to move Michigan forward toward the best possible legal future.

Now it's your turn!

The State Bar invites you to attend, in person or virtually, a town hall meeting to learn more about why the task force was formed, and offer your insights, ideas, and concerns. If you want to attend in person, make a reservation by e-mailing [email protected]. The State Bar is also arranging live-streaming and virtual participation. If you are interested in virtual participation, e-mail [email protected].

Learn the legal issues involved with KickStarter and Indiegogo in September

How much do you know about the legal issues involved in crowdfunding?

If you've heard about sites like Kickstarter and you've wondered about the legal ramifications of utilizing them, you're in luck.

The SBM Arts, Communication, Entertainment & Sports Section will host a program called "Crowdfunding: The Next Frontier of Financing Start-Ups & the Legal Issues Associated with It" from 11 a.m. to noon on Friday, September 19 at the SBM Annual Meeting at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids.

A panel moderated by Todd Redden will discuss legal issues related to crowdfunding on such websites as Kickstarter and Indiegogo, peer-to-peer lending and equity crowdfunding through the JOBS Act.

To attend the session, register for the Annual Meeting.

Posted by Samantha Meinke

Learn to find great tech at a low price at the SBM Solo & Small Firm Institute

Noted technology cheapskate journalist Rick Broida will teach attorneys at the State Bar of Michigan 2014 Solo & Small Firm Institute how to find great deals on technology that lawyers need. And, as you can see from the You Tube clip below, he's not afraid to let lawyers know what technology is unnecessary and overly expensive as well.

Join the State Bar of Michigan and Institute for Continuing Legal Education September 18 and 19 in Grand Rapids for this year's Annual Meeting and Solo & Small Firm Institute. Scholarships are still available for slots at the Solo & Small Firm Institute. For more information about scholarships, contact Stephanie Fisher via snail mail at 1020 Greene St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1444.

Posted by Samantha Meinke

Learn to use Prezi for presentations during your lunch break next Tuesday

State Bar of Michigan Practice Management Advisor Diane Ebersole will lead a Tech Tuesday Practice EZ Lunch and Learn seminar on "Prezi for Presentations" at noon Tuesday, July 8 at the SBM Michael Franck Building in Lansing. 

Prezi is a relatively new presentation software application that approaches presentation design from a totally different concept than the linear approaches of PowerPoint and Keynote. Anyone can try out the web-based version of the application for free. 

Register online for the seminar for $25. Soup by Zoup! will be provided for all those in attendance. 

Posted by Samantha Meinke

State Court Administrative Office and 36th District Court Start Income Tax Garnishment Pilot Program

The Michigan Supreme Court issued an order yesterday stating that the State Court Administrative Office and the 36th District Court have developed a pilot program to automate the process of issuing writs for income tax garnishment.

The 36th District Court will begin operating the pilot program immediately through a web-based system called GarnIT.

Administrative Order 2014-13 outlines in detail the procedures associated with transmission of requests and writs through GarnIT and the rules designed to address issues unique to the implementation of the program.

The program will run through Nov. 30, 2014.

Posted by Samantha Meinke