CBA Record January 2017

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CBA RECORD 9
time to interact with other members of their
Institute class. Perhaps most encouraging
was the universal interest of this class in
staying involved in the program as Lead-
ership Institute Alumni. They expressed a
willingness to invest the time and energy
needed to help expand and improve the
program for future incoming classes.
So, with one very successful year now
in the books, we are ready to launch the
2017 Leadership Institute with a fresh
crop of young associates carefully selected
by our Leadership committee. We took
the suggestion of last year’s class to heart
when developing this year’s curriculum,
which includes the following nine sub-
stantive sessions:
• The basic skills of effective leadership
• What kind of leader are you?
• Essential time management skills
• How to effectively lead a team
• Advanced public speaking and presenta-
tion skills
• Having difficult conversations
• Overcoming unconscious bias
• Advanced business development skills–
Part I
• Advanced business development skills–
Part II
At the urging of last year’s class, we have
now incorporated eight “cohort” sessions
which will allow students to further dis-
cuss what they have learned during these
substantive sessions as well as to network
with one another. Once again, our faculty
will include leading lawyers and executives
from the corporate, business, government
and private sectors. Participants will receive
substantial CLE credit, dinner at every
evening session, and complimentary tickets
to many premier CBA events throughout
the year.
I was very happy to see that most of the
firms who sponsored participants in the
2016 Class nominated a second associate
for the 2017 class. As the class size must
remain small in order to provide the true
benefits of the program, there will neces-
sarily be more applicants than positions
available. Nevertheless, any young lawyer
who is not accepted in this year’s program
should certainly reapply for next year’s class.
I am confident that as the Leadership
Institute continues to thrive and its grow-
ing alumni class begins to take leadership
positions in Chicago’s law firms, this ini-
tiative will be yet another example of The
Chicago Bar Association developing and
instituting a model program for other state
and metropolitan bar associations around
the country to follow.
If you are interested in nominating an
associate for a future class, or to simply
learn more about the Institute and see the
full curriculum, visit
leadership.
I am very proud to have been part of
the CBA Executive Committee for the
germination, initiation, and now the
growth of the CBA Leadership Institute
into what promises to be a long-standing
and respected cornerstone of our orga-
nization. With programs like this one,
The Chicago Bar Association will remain
relevant, vibrant and an integral part of
our Chicago legal community.
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