Looking for a few good volunteers
When Debra Bowen was a private attorney handling land use and environmental
issues, she joined the State Bar’s Public Law Section, eventually serving
on its executive committee. Elected to the state Assembly in 1992, Bowen
said her time on the “excom” was “part of what led me to
carry a piece of legislation that probably was one of the most important things
I’ve done — the bill that put the legislature’s information
online.” That measure made it much easier for people interested in the
work of the state’s lawmakers to get information.
While Bowen’s experience as a State Bar committee member-turned-lawmaker
may have been more dramatic than most volunteers’, she does share with
them the allure of interesting work and meeting and networking with many people. “It’s
a great way to get involved, particularly for somebody who wants to do something
to further the law,” said Bowen, now a state senator.
If you are looking for a chance to make a difference, the State Bar currently
is seeking applicants for 150-200 positions on more than three dozen committees,
commissions and boards for the 2006-07 committee year. Would-be volunteers
have a wide range of options, from committees dealing with access and fairness
issues, to executive committees focused on particular areas of the law, to
legal specialization advisory commissions. Some committees require special
qualifications.
The application deadline is Feb. 1 and terms, mostly for three years, begin
next Oct. 8.
“We are looking for people from all practices, for geographic and practice
diversity as well as gender and ethnic diversity,” said Ray Aragon, a
vice president of the State Bar Board of Governors and chair of its Volunteer
Involvement Committee. “People shouldn’t shy away because they
feel they haven’t been practicing long enough or they think other people
from their district are volunteering. They should step forward.”
Applicants must be willing to volunteer their time, expertise, experience
and perspective. Although not paid for their services, they are reimbursed
for approved travel expenses such as mileage and airfare.
Nor should attorneys hesitate about applying to the same committee more than
once. Often, there are simply too many qualified applicants for a limited number
of positions, and many committee members are not selected the first time they
apply.
Full descriptions of the available positions are online at calbar.ca.gov (select
the left menu link to Attorney Resources and then to Committees and Commissions).
Attorneys interested in volunteering also can request an application from the
Appointments Office, 180 Howard St., San Francisco, CA 94105; 415-538-2318.
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