Business Continuity Resources: When Meeting in Person is Problematic

The American Inns of Court have a long-standing tradition of fostering a sense of community and belonging among members of the legal profession. Now more than ever, it is imperative to continue this tradition and maintain the connection between Inns and Inn members.

Face-to-face Inn meetings are the ideal and always encouraged. However - as experience has shown - there are times when in-person meetings are not recommended or possible: illness, natural disasters, venue problems, etc. But this doesn't mean you have to suspend Inn operations completely...there are many ways to get together in a virtual environment, for example:

• Hold a simple conference call using firm or free conference call services.
• Use a virtual meeting platform to add visual interaction (web cams, pre-recorded video, or PowerPoint presentations). Most platforms have some kind of interactive component, such as "hand-raising," polling or chat boxes.
• Consider having your Pupillage Teams record their session, either on their phones, or via a virtual meeting platform. The recording can be shared in a variety of ways.

This compilation of resources (with additional information available on our website) should provide the information you need, but as always, your director of chapter relations is ready to assist you with everything from planning virtual meetings and events to recruiting members and planning online programs.

Chapter Relations Directors

• Wesley Carr: Serving AL, DC, FL, GA, NJ, NY, RI
• Anne Paul: Serving AR, IA, IL, IN, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, ND, NE, SD, TX, WI
• Michelle Runge: Serving CT, DE, KY, MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV
• Caryn Worcester: Serving AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, KS, MT, NM, NV, OK, OR, UT, WA, WY, Japan