Bar associations are constantly being faced with changes these days. Whether it's new technologies they can use to better communicate with members, or different attitudes coming from members based on what they expect from the association, there is pressure to update, upgrade, or just plain try something new.

Bar Executive recently asked some association executives to talk about one new project or idea their bar implemented in the past year or so. Here's what your fellow bar execs had to say.

¥ Susan Andres of the Alabama State Bar talks about a new position that will help the bar beef up its Web offerings.

"After having Web content management a part-time position in our communications department - my assistant handled this and did a great job, but we nearly killed her doing it!- we have now created a full-time position for a Web Administrator. The catalyst for making this decision was when we recently went to an on-line bar directory for the first time. The number of hours required to do the job we envisioned far exceeded our projections. With our firm belief that the Web will be our major communication tool in the future, we have just hired someone with both computer and graphic design skills to take us where we want and need to go. We will now also be able to honor the requests of many of our sections to provide them with their own Web site and be able to assist them in maintaining those sites. We feel our Web site serves our members in so many ways now - and can't wait to be able to keep expanding those services!"

¥ Dan Wise at the New Hampshire Bar Association reports on a small project that may pay some big dividends.

"The legal services department has begun a modest program that utilizes simple desktop publishing software such as Publisher to create seasonal greeting cards to send to Pro Bono panel members to, cleverly and gently, ask them to take Pro Bono cases. The Pro Bono people believe the idea is having results --while it might be hard to determine whether there have been increased referrals, there no doubt has been increased good will since the Bar pro bono department is giving members an unexpected smile as it pitches for continued volunteerism."

¥ The Maryland State Bar Association joined the ranks of those bars offering e-newsletters, notes Janet Eveleth.

Bar Briefs is a monthly newsletter whose content is gathered from all the association's departments, according to Eveleth. There are legislative updates, a message from the president, a calendar of upcoming events and other association-related information. Members may opt-out of receiving Bar Briefs, but very few have.

Eveleth says it's important to get contributions from as many departments as possible, and adds that establishing and sticking to deadlines even if it means that someone's news item doesn't make it into the issue. It is key to a smooth flow of information.

¥ The North Carolina Bar Association ran its first-ever legislative day, where lawyers met with legislative leaders and other key lawmakers, says Michelle Frazier.

"We wanted to make members aware of how they can influence the process", Frazier says. Those who attended were primarily from the Young Lawyers Division. Speakers included the House speaker and Senate minority leader. Frazier says bringing in high-quality speakers helps to attract attendees.

¥ The Connecticut Bar Association recently went through installation of a new association management system, says Tim Hazen.

The association had outgrown its previous AMS, Hazen says. The bar considered a custom system, but "didn't want to depend on some guy in his garage" for support and updates. A group of five CBA employees spent months evaluating solutions, and finally settled on one.

The bar set a deadline of 14 weeks for conversion of their existing data and installation of and training on the new system, so that dues invoices could be sent using it. Miraculously, the company doing the work finished on time and stayed on budget.

Hazen advises others planning such a switch to perform "an exhaustive search" at all the options, and to involve all departments in setting the requirements. "Ask them what's lacking and what they would like."