During my 16 years of practice, I have been involved with four different bar associations. With each new membership, I became more involved in the bar association. What I have realized is that the more involved I have been with my local bar association, the more I have gotten out of my membership. As the current membership chairperson for the Chester County Bar Association, I feel it is important not only to recruit new members, but also to retain current membership by offering something for everyone. While it is never too late to become an active participant in your local bar association, I believe that to reap the most opportunities, you should get involved in your local bar association as early in your career as possible. Below, I offer my top 10 reasons why you should not only join, but also be involved in, your local bar association.
Meet Young Lawyers
Every bar association I have been involved in has had a young lawyers division that has its own meetings and sponsors its own events. Whether you practice in the county you grew up in (and therefore know a lot of people), or are brand new to the county (and do not know anyone yet), the young lawyers division of your local bar association provides you with the opportunity to meet new people just like you. Connecting with other young lawyers is particularly helpful if you work at a smaller firm where you may be the only “young” lawyer.
