Kathy Evans, President, OSB Board of Governors, has issued the following statement in response to our section’s request for immediate action on the issue of equitable BarBooks pricing among Oregon lawyers:
I wanted to get back in touch with you on the issue of BarBooks following the BOG meeting last week. As you know, at our planning retreat last October, the BOG dedicated itself to the concept of finding a way to make access to BarBooks universal. We continue to strive toward that goal. Specifically:
* The Budget & Finance Committee shared the SSFP Section proposal—that it be deemed an office share group for purposes of BarBooks pricing in 2010—with the BOG as a whole. For a number of reasons, the BOG made the decision that it does not believe that a Section qualifies as an office share, for these purposes.
* The energy, attention, and focus of the BOG this year is on BarBooks on a macro basis. Following the regular BOG meeting, we convened a Joint Committee on Universal Access, which includes the P & G Committee, the B & F Committee and the Member Services Committee—all BOG members save two were present! We are so committed to this concept that one of the decisions made was to continue to meet, as a Joint Committee, at the beginning of each of our meetings, starting in March, until we come to conclusion. How to deliver information and how to price that delivery is at the top of our agenda.
* Our goal is to have a model designed and any issues for HOD action identified by September 2010, with implementation thereafter. Specifically, we’ve asked staff to prepare alternative business plans for the Joint Committee to consider at the March 19th meeting.
* We know we cannot consider the issue of BarBooks in isolation. We’ve asked staff to provide information about ALL bar programs, as well as how our dues compare to other unified bars and the services they provide to their members.
Kathy
