Illinois State Bar Association President Paula H. Holderman presented on authentic networking for young lawyers on Nov. 14 at the John Marshall Law School. President Holderman has made issues facing new and young lawyers a key focus of her presidency.Pictured with President Holderman is John Marshall Associate Dean Margaret Frossard (center) and event attendees.

The Joint Midyear Meeting will kick off Thursday night with the opening reception and will be followed by "Pathways to the Academy: Becoming a Law Professor or Administrator." Two Master Series programs will be held on Friday and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel will be the luncheon speaker. New Chief Justice Rita Garman will speak at the Annual Supreme Court Dinner. Register at isba.org/events/midyear/13/reg See you at the Midyear!

By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMCQ. Our law firm is a New Orleans 14-attorney firm that focuses its practice on business representation in both litigation and transactional matters. We have four equity partners. The other ten attorneys are associates. We have been discussing implementing a non-equity partnership tier and how we should handle compensation and other perks. We would appreciate your thoughts and suggestions.A. I believe that the non-equity partnership tier should be meaningful and distinctive - both internally and externally. Consider the following:List non-equity partners as partners on the firm's website and other firm marketing collateral material. If you feel you must make a distinction list the equity members as managing partners.Allow non-equity partners to attend some partner meetings and have input as non-voting partners into management decisions.Allow one non-equity partner to be elected to the Executive Committee as a non-voting partner.Allow non-equity partners to serve on firm committees.Pay dues to a Country or other similar club for the non-equity partner.Tie a portion of the non-equity partner's compensation to a bonus based upon firm performance.While you want to create incentives - status and economic - for the non-equity partnership tier be careful that you don't diminish the desire for future equity partnership.Click here for our partnership blogClick here for articles on other topics

Refine your legal writing skills with this Master Series seminar that teaches you how to draft concise language, avoid ambiguous wording, and identify which information is essential for inclusion in your writing! Gone are the long, flowing e-mail messages with pretty graphics and lots of attachments. Today’s communication – almost 100% electronic – is immediate, brief, clear, and powerful. Designed to boost your instant (or near-instant) message drafting skills, this program examines the ways in which lawyers’ traditional training in writing and communication ill-prepares them for this new age of “short and to the point.” Lawyers are communicating with clients and each other far differently than their mentors did – and far differently than how they were taught in law school – and many need help making the transition. Join nationally acclaimed speaker, Steven Stark, at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers on December 13thas he teaches the principles of good legal writing in these areas: technical writing; memos; letters and e-mails; litigation writing; and contract drafting.The program qualifies for 3.0 hours MCLE credit, including 3.0 hours approved Professional Responsibility MCLE credit.Click here for more information and to register.