ACC Focus on the New Jersey Chapter - 07/04/2008 (Plain Text Version)NJCCA President's Message
by Lee Bream Mid-summer roundup. To the Membership, It is hard to believe that Summer is almost half gone. While I don't want to rush the end of Summer, I would like to remind you of two of our most popular events coming this Fall and give you an advance notice about an exciting national value challenge for legal services. Full-Day Conference. The event will be held on September 18th at the Hanover Marriott on Route 10. This is a valuable and cost-effective way to earn your CLE requirements, catch up on legal issues, and network with colleagues. Besides our usual full slate of substantive programs, we will have some additional surprises for you. Look for upcoming details, including guest speakers. I think you will find one item particularly useful and valuable: we will have a professional photographer available all day to take portraits (head shots). These will be high-quality and digitally retouched photos, not just the usual keepsake snapshot offered at social events. You will need to reserve time at the start of the event. Annual Officers' Induction Dinner. The dinner will be held on November 20th at the Hanover Marriott. We are pleased to announce that the Capitol Steps will be performing. The group is made up of ex-Congressional staffers and their political satire can be hilarious. How better to follow the Fall election. ACC's Value Challenge. The thesis is that many traditional law firm business models no longer deliver what in-house clients need: value driven, high quality legal services that deliver solutions for a reasonable cost. Law firm bills will continue to rise, especially with the ever-escalating salaries for starting associates. All too often the cost of the service does not equate to its value to the client. ACC's Value Challenge will address the challenge of reconnecting value to the cost of outside legal services. The plan is to gather input from interested members to bring about meaningful change and make a real difference for our clients and the profession. Since law firm/client relationships are individual and often local, ACC is requesting Chapter input. With ACC's national support, NJCCA and other Chapters will be holding workshops, seminars, and/or webcasts to gather ideas for change (the more thought-provoking the better). More details to follow. If anyone has comments or questions about any of the above, please email me at lee.braem@evonik.com. Lee Braem
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