Serve the Profession

Serve the profession and grow your professional connections: The MSBA offers many opportunities for members to get involved in leadership in the legal community. Opportunities are available for short or longer term commitments. 

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The MSBA is the collective voice of the legal profession at the Capitol. Our year-round government relations staff joins with contract lobbyists to advocate vigorously on behalf of our member attorneys and legal professionals. In every budget cycle we work to ensure adequate funding for the courts, public defenders, and civil legal services. We provide technical assistance to legislators and promote attention to issues of interest or concern to the profession. The MSBA promotes an active legislative agenda, working with related stakeholders to advance technically sound, well-grounded policy proposals that reflect our organization’s carefully crafted legislative positions. MSBA sections and committees also engage in the legislative process by proposing legislation that is practice-area specific.

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Recognizing that individual members of the profession generally do not have the time to track proposed amendments to court rules, the MSBA takes on this role. We have often filed comments in response to proposed changes and at times petition the court proactively to amend its rules, including the Rules of Professional Conduct. Filing amicus briefs in cases involving important rules is another component of our work. In addition, an MSBA liaison serves on all of the Supreme Court’s Advisory Rules Committees. 

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The MSBA keeps its members apprised of emerging trends that affect the legal profession. The Future of Legal Education Task Force and the Challenges to the Practice of Law Task Force issued recommendations in 2015 that are in various stages of implementation. 

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The MSBA is committed to the principles of diversity and inclusion. We have requested that the Minnesota Supreme Court collect race/ethnicity data on attorneys during annual attorney registration. The MSBA collects demographic data on its own members to determine how best to allocate resources in targeted recruitment and retention. The MSBA also partners with affinity minority bar associations to assist them in carrying out their mission, and provide socially relevant CLE programs.

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Law schools have come a long way in helping students develop practice know-how, but the MSBA is still the main place where attorneys learn the core value of connecting with other professionals. The MSBA Law School Initiative (LSI) models the value of professional networking. LSI connects students with practicing attorneys by partnering with MSBA sections and other organizations to build events welcoming the newest members of our professional community.  These events include CLEs with volunteer student liaisons, online webinars, and a monthly newsletter that highlights opportunities for writing, publication, section support, and employment. 

• For more information about the LSI, call (800) 882-6722 or (612) 333-1183.