It was just over three years ago that the COVID19 Pandemic became part of our lives and everyone who could be was sent home to work remotely. At first, we grappled with how to change the way we do the work in order to continue providing programming to our members (also working remotely). Lucky for us, we were already streaming our Section meetings and CLE offerings so all it took was a period of time to adjust our systems and protocols to be able to provide remote access for those working from home. Fast forward three years — almost all of our events including Section and Committee meetings, CLE offerings, New Lawyer Division meetings and events are available either totally remote or in a hybrid format.
Today, according to the ABA 2022 Practice Forward Report, “Where Does the Legal Profession Go from Here?” 87% of lawyers say their workplaces allow them to work remotely and although they recognize remote work improved their work life balance and has provided time to focus on their mental health; many also report a decrease in professional networking and quality relationships with co-workers.
Are you finding that you are losing your connection to colleagues through increased remote work? If so, KCBA is here to help build back those relationships with peer-to-peer engagement and networking opportunities. Each day working for KCBA I strive to learn something new, meet a new member or take a few minutes to visit with staff who are in the office. Last month we launched the new website and I have been learning every day how this new solution will allow for better member engagement, and it will streamline old processes. I was very excited to learn how to utilize our new E-Communities platform for one of our committees. Instead of sending out multiple emails with large attachments, we are able to post the packets for committee members to read online or to download to their systems; making it easier for our members.
If you haven’t done so already, I encourage you to check out your “My KCBA” page on the website. This is where you receive notifications of upcoming events with additional access to your personalized E-communities. If you are a Section member or participate in any KCBA Committees, these E-communities are your new hub for information about the Section or Committee offerings including a member directory with emails and phone numbers, a calendar for Section/Committee events and related announcements. This new E-community platform helps Section/Committee members share files, photos, videos and participate in group messaging and listservs.
In addition to our new methods to connect online, KCBA is expanding our ways to connect in person with new events and activities. If you haven’t already read the President’s column on page 2, please do. Tahmina’s article reminds us to come out in person and re-connect with our colleagues at the ‘Breakfast with Champions’ event on May 9th. In addition, she provides interesting information about the history of Law Day on May 1st and announces KCBA’s plans to provide opportunities to engage in conversations regarding civility in our communities. Watch for announcements in News & Events and social media if you are interested in joining the conversation.
This past September, the Seattle Mariners ended their playoff drought and KCBA members were there to watch the 2-1 win over the Oakland Athletics, advancing the Mariners to the post-season for the first time in 21 years. The outing was such a smashing success we decided to continue offering Mariners nights for members. On April 14th we gathered again at the ballpark to watch the Mariners bring home a win. It was quite a coincidence when the giveaway that night was the bobblehead celebrating the September win. Entitled “The Clinch, it must be destined.” This time instead of watching a walk-off home run to win the game, we watched our KCBA family featured several times on the Jumbotron as we waved our King County Bar blue foam fingers and cheered on the team. These events are a great way to bring your family and friends to the ballpark while also providing an opportunity to engage with your fellow KCBA members. If this sounds like fun, mark your calendars and join us when we return to the ballpark August 11th as the Mariners play the Baltimore Orioles. See you then!
Kathleen Jensen is KCBA’s Interim Executive Director. She can be reached by email at (kathleenj@kcba.org) or phone (206.267.7053).
