Why, In An Economic Downturn, Is the DC Bar Trying to Kill One Tool That Can Help Lawyers Find Clients and Jobs?

The legal profession is on the skids like never before — though you’d scarcely realize it from visiting a bar association website.  As law firms shed attorneys at an unprecedented rate — 4376 layoffs since January 1, 2008, 2614 in  calendar year 2009, and 700 on a single Black Thursday, one would think that the bar association websites would be on high alert, offering discounted CLEs and networking events and otherwise mobilizing to help unemployed lawyers find work.  Instead, it’s business as usual for the ABA and many other bar associations.  Still, to its credit, at least the ABA isn’t making the current financial crisis any worse for lawyers. 

Would that we could say the same for one of my home bars, DC Bar. Not only is the DC Bar petitioning for a dues
increase when its members are tightening their belts, but the Bar is trying to limit at least one resource that could help lawyers find work by launching an assault to shut down Avvo, a lawyer directory site that allows lawyers to post a robust, professional looking profile on-line for free.

For the full story from Carolyn Elefant’s web site MyShingle click here: