SABA: YOUR Bar Association

By Victor H. Negron, Jr.,
Immediate Past-president

From the time I began actively participating in the committees of the San Antonio Bar Association (SABA), it became apparent that SABA’s leadership was always on the lookout for ways to help and serve our members; however, the current board has recently decided to ramp up our efforts to make sure that the needs of the SABA membership are being adequately met.

SABA is in the process of taking a close look at the benefits we currently provide, as well as any new benefits we feel our membership would appreciate and use.  In this economy, especially, our members are looking to get “more bang for their buck.”  A few of the current benefits that come with membership in SABA are:

• The most inexpensive CLE, especially when compared to CLE programs offered by the Austin, Dallas and Houston bar associations
• Inexpensive dues structure as compared to those same bar associations
• Discounted member rates for convenient and high-quality CLE programming
• For the cost of a meal at our monthly SABA luncheon, you get 0.75 hours of CLE
• Receipt of the monthly Subpoena newsletter, keeping you apprised of the various activities and projects of SABA
• Receipt of the bimonthly San Antonio Lawyer magazine, with articles and updates written and edited by SABA’s all-volunteer editorial board
• The above publications available in digital format
• Comprehensive legal events calendar
• Award-winning pro bono program, providing opportunities for both mentors and volunteers, and a great way to learn more about family law!
• The “Briefly” section of the Subpoena, the free-of-charge announcement section of the SABA newsletter
• For experienced attorneys, the chance to act as a mentor for a new attorney; and for those new attorneys, the opportunity to be mentored by an experienced attorney in your field(s)
• SABA’s Sections provide specialized information for attorneys based on substantive practice areas, settings and career stage. You can choose membership in one or more of SABA’s 12 active sections
• SABA’s 20 committees cover fee disputes (a real arbitration panel), unauthorized practice of law, CLE Publications, District and County Courts and Medical-Legal Liaison.  These committees, to name a few, are a real opportunity to play an important role in shaping San Antonio’s legal community!
• Listing in the SABA Pictorial Directory (one of our most popular free benefits!)
• Availability of the SABA mailing list at a discounted rate for law firm announcements or address changes
• Annual Law Day Luncheon with distinguished speakers, and the Installation Gala, which is usually in September, for a chance to mix and mingle with fellow attorneys and listen to local bands, such as our own Court Jesters
• The best networking at SABA-sponsored events
• Coming soon: online access to our membership directory

I am proud that SABA boasts a membership of attorneys from all walks of life, all areas of practice and at all stages of their careers.  Our committees and sections provide much of the heavy lifting for SABA, and we encourage every member to find the committee(s) that provides the best fit for his/her career goals.  Many of my friendships have been forged with lawyers I would probably never have come in contact with because of my SABA membership: corporate attorneys, transactional lawyers, government attorneys, contracting lawyers, and on and on.  The good news is that SABA is always on the lookout for new ways to serve our membership.

A recent focus group was conducted that pulled a sampling of attorneys — members and not, newly licensed and experienced — from Bexar County to help the SABA board to better understand what could be improved upon.  The results of this focus group have been presented to the board where lengthy discussions have resulted in many of the focus group suggestions being considered, and we are proud to say that at least several will be implemented within the next year.  We appreciate the feedback the constructive criticism.  We have taken it to heart, and we always welcome your thoughts and opinions.  Please remember that all of our meetings have an “open door policy,” and we welcome anybody to attend and discuss issues and concerns with our board.

To our current members: thank you for being part of a bar association I know you can be proud of.  To our prospective members: be a part of an organization that is truly there to serve YOU, and whose members take pride in thinking of new ways to do so.
To join, please complete your application, (you can do it online, too!) and send it in with your dues. If you act quickly, you can be included in our 2010 directory.  I hope to see you at one of our future bar luncheons.