Aug. 4, 2010 – The State Bar is changing the Annual Convention format in 2011. The State Bar’s PINNACLE™ Seminars Division will present several multi-day CLE institutes over the course of 2011 - 12, one of which will include special events that were held during the Annual Convention. The institutes, which will be held in various locations around the state, will offer a greater depth of programming and increase the opportunity to socialize and network with colleagues with similar interests. The presidential swearing in ceremony and volunteer recognition event typically held during the May Annual Convention will take place during the June institute. This institute will include the Annual Meeting.

What is an institute?

CLE institutes will look and feel much like smaller versions of the Annual Convention, or perhaps more like the Wisconsin Solo & Small Firm Conference (WSSFC). They will include a vendor/exhibitor mall and social events, similar to the Annual Convention and the WSSFC. Each institute will feature a dinner CLE program with a national presenter speaking about a legal issue that is newsworthy or of broad interest, much like the Annual Convention spotlight CLE programs.

Why the change?

“In post-convention and other survey results, members have consistently told us that they want greater depth of CLE programming directly relevant to them,” says PINNACLE™ Director Bill Connors. “Some members want case law updates and more basic programming, while others are interested in niche topics. For each of the CLE institutes, PINNACLE™ will select two to four closely related practice areas to be the focus audience for the CLE programming at the event, so that we can provide breadth and depth of programming to our members in those practice areas.

“Members also tell us that they enjoy the opportunity to interact and network in social environments that include friends and colleagues with similar professional interests,” says Connors. “By concentrating the CLE programming at each institute on two to four closely related practice areas, we anticipate this will increase the concentration of members with shared professional interests at the social events associated with each institute.

“Currently, two institutes are in the planning stages for next year – the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Institute in May and the Real Estate and Business Law Institute in June. We intend to create one to three more institutes in the second half of calendar 2011 or calendar 2012, which would bring the initial number of institutes to three to five per year,” says Connors.

For more information, contact Bill Connors at (608) 250-6154.