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              The Section of Business Law has instituted a Business Law Advisors Initiative, which aims to facilitate discourse between Section members and outstanding attorneys in the profession.  Each Business Law Advisor serves a two-year term and will engage in a broad range of Section activities such as mentoring and participating in panels.  One of the members of the first class of Business Law Advisors is Paul J. Polking.  Until his recent retirement from Bank of America, Mr. Polking served as Executive Vice-President and General Counsel for Bank of America Corporation and was responsible for providing legal representation to the corporation and its subsidiaries.  Mr. Polking joined the company in 1970 as an Assistant Vice-President and attorney and was promoted to Executive Vice-President and General Counsel in 1988.  Mr. Polking earned a Bachelors of Science degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Doctorate in Law degree from Notre Dame Law School.  He served as an Officer in the United States Navy and was an attorney in the legal department of the Office of Comptroller of the Currency from 1966 to 1970.  He is a member of the Bar in the States of North Carolina and Iowa and the Bar of the United States Supreme Court.

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        This article summarizes responses received to a rainmaking questionnaire on advice for young, and not so young, business law practitioners on building and expanding your practice.  The number one piece of advice that rainmakers have for attorneys attempting to build a business law practice with regard to marketing is to perform quality work.  Many areas of business law are highly specialized with a large portion of the business coming through referrals from other lawyers and clients.  Therefore, above all else, a young attorney must focus on competence of practice.  This includes always being thoroughly prepare d for each and every case or transaction irrespective of how large or small.  As one rainmaker noted, the "best marketing advice ever created is the constant pursuant of excellence."

        It is also important to develop a personal vision for how you want your practice to evolve.  While you can certainly learn from experienced attorneys, it is important to develop your personal vision, style and business plan.  Write your business plan down and continue pushing to meet the goals of your vision.  Be flexible and continue striving to be the best at what you do.

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         One of the goals of the Young Lawyer Forum is to provide a pathway for young lawyers to grow into leadership positions in the Section of Business Law.  In an effort to promote the Section’s pathways to leadership, the YLF will highlight young leaders who have risen to leadership positions within the Section of Business Law.  For our first article, we highlight Rew Goodenow, a partner in the Reno, Nevada law firm of Marshall, Hill, Cassas & de Lipkau.

         Rew works in a small firm setting focusing primarily on business transactions and commercial litigation.  Rew helps form large and small businesses, and assists in structuring their business operations with the goal of helping the owners stay profitable, while staying out of trouble and decreasing transaction costs.  Rew previously was active in the ABA Young Lawyers Division, serving as District Representative, a member of the Executive Council, Editor and Chief of "The Young Lawyer", Assembly Clerk, Assembly Speaker, and ultimately liaison to the Section.

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LAW STUDENT PROGRAM: THE INSIDE TRACK ON GETTING IN-HOUSE:  WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THROUGH THE DOOR

Wednesday, March 30, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
followed by a light reception
Vanderbilt University School of Law
Moore Room, 2nd Floor

This is a free program for law students presented by the Committee on Corporate Counsel, the Committee on Diversity, and the Young Lawyer Forum of the ABA Section of Business Law.  This will be a lively panel discussion to learn about in-house practice and the credentials and work experience generally expected for an in-house job, plus what to expect once you’re inside.  There will be ample opportunity to pose that age-old question, “How Did You Land That Great In-House Job?”  The program will be hosted by Vanderbilt University School of Law.  Interested students should RSVP by March 23, 2005, to jolene.yee@ejgallo.com.

Our distinguished panel includes:

• JANE HANNER ALLEN, Founder, Counsel on Call
• MICHELLE GALLARDO, Office of General Counsel, Ford Motor Company
• PETER H. KESSER, Shareholder, Baker Donelson, Memphis, TN  
• MARI VALENZUELA, Corporate Counsel, Microchip Technology, Inc.
• WILLIAM (BILL) YOUNG, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance and Risk Officer of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee 
  

Moderated by JOLENE A. YEE, Assistant General Counsel, E. & J. Gallo Winery and Co-Chair of the Corporate Counsel Committee

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            After its successful debut last year in Seattle, the Institute for the Young Business Lawyer is travelling cross-country for an encore in Nashville!  The Institute is an exceptional opportunity for young business lawyers who want to learn the basics of new practice areas, would like to get more involved in the ABA, or who just want to make new friends and expand their professional networks.

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        Looking for a great opportunity in Nashville to spend time with friends, both old and new, and do some public service at the same time?  Then look no further than the “Hands-On” Public Service Project co-sponsored by the Section’s Young Lawyer Forum, the Committee on Pro Bono and the Committee on Business and Corporate Litigation Subcommittee on Pro Bono and Public Service.

        On Saturday, April 2 from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., volunteers will spring clean the Campus for Human Development, which provides emergency shelter to individuals in need during the months of November through March.  While staying at the shelter, residents have access to services such as showers, telephones, drug and alcohol counseling and GED programs.   Section of Business Law volunteers are needed to move furniture, wash walls and floors, and hang notices and pictures that have been displaced during the winter months in the Day Services Area.   The center will provide cleaning supplies and asks that our volunteer group wear appropriate clothing and closed toe shoes.

        This project builds upon the Section’s tradition of providing public service at the ABA Annual Meeting for the past four years.   Interested volunteers should meet in the lobby of the Nashville Hilton at 8:45 a.m. on April 2.  The Center is only 10 minutes from the hotel and is located at 532 8th Avenue South.  For more information about the project or the Center, contact Project Coordinator Kendall Butterworth at (404) 249-3388 or Kendall.butterworth@bellsouth.com.  Please pack your work clothes and join us!

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Michelle M. Gallardo, mgallar3@ford.com
Timothy M. Lupinacci, tlupinacci@mcglaw.com

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