Missing Out on Member Benefits?
By Kim M. Keenan

Everyone is looking for ways to spend money more wisely—or spend less money—for necessary services. Lawyers are no exception. In 2008 the D.C. Bar surveyed its membership and discovered only about 20 percent take advantage of membership benefits. Tellingly, when asked what benefits should be added, some members asked for products or services that already were being offered by the Bar. So for the 20 percent who have been “capitalizing” on the Bar’s services, hopefully you will discover additional services. As for the rest of you, who shall remain nameless, let’s see if we can make you an offer you cannot resist.

By way of background, Bar members serving on the Membership Committee work with staff liaisons to create a suite of benefits designed to save members both time and money. As Bar members, committee members are in a unique position to carefully review our current offerings with a view toward improving existing benefits or adding new ones. By leveraging our size—the Bar boasts more than 90,000 members—the Membership Committee is able to secure better deals on products and services of value. Now more than ever, this important standing committee of the Bar provides an invaluable service to the membership as we all seek ways to boost the yield of every dollar we spend.

Key benefits utilized by members include insurance products being offered by Forrest T. Jones & Company, Inc., which include disability, health, and life coverage. GEICO is also a member of our benefits program, and you may be eligible for an additional member discount even if you have an existing GEICO policy. Bank of America offers Bar-branded credit cards and checks as another benefit. Our FedEx benefit, the product of one of our recently added partnerships, also can be used at FedEx Office retail locations, formerly known as FedEx Kinko’s. This product, which is great for small offices, allows anyone to create mega-presentations without mega-costs.

If you have a small- to mid-size office or recently started your own law practice, a number of the Bar’s services can aid in the administration and efficiency of your office, leaving you with more time and energy for the practice of law. Some of these services come from our partnerships with American Bar Association Retirement Funds; Diversified Services Group, Inc. (fee recovery and collections); Elavon, Inc. (credit card and check processing); Office Depot, Inc. (office supplies); Quick Messenger Service, Inc. (courier and line standing); Samson Paper (stationery and letterhead); and Sharp Business Systems (office business equipment). Our newest benefit comes from Carr Workplaces, which provides members near and far with a local spot for meetings and temporary offices. The company also offers virtual office features. Just think, after you participate in the Bar’s free and confidential Practice Management Advisory Service, headed by manager Daniel M. Mills, you can surf the Bar’s Web site at www.dcbar.org to find many of the services you need at a discount. At the end of the day, these services can save you time and money. On a good day, any extra time is money.

Our benefits also provide more personal perks suitable for any member anywhere such as discounts on car rentals from Avis and Budget; purchases from Brooks Brothers clothiers; magazine subscriptions; and discounts on new cars from United Buying Service, Inc. We even have our own travel agency (available at www.dcbartravel.org) for all of your backpacking, snorkeling, and weekend getaway needs, and a fitness facility, The Sports Club/LA, to keep you healthy. Just to show you how much thought the Membership Committee gives to serving you, Framing Success, Inc. offers a special member discount on a custom frame for your D.C. Bar certificate. It also frames diplomas and other commemorative legal certificates.

If the services highlighted here do not convince you, then consider this: For the past few years, our membership benefits providers have contributed more than $240,000 to the Bar’s yearly bottom line! This revenue is used to fund the important activities and work of the Bar such as the Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Program and the Pro Bono Program, neither of which is funded by your Bar dues. So not only do member benefits save you money directly, they also enhance our award-winning CLE Program and support our efforts to serve the community. That’s like spending a dollar and having it work three times as hard for you—and the profession!

Despite the mandatory nature of the Bar, our recently released strategic plan makes it clear that providing high-quality service to the membership is a priority. Hopefully, I have made the case that the time has come for you to take a closer look at your Bar member benefits. Remember to bookmark www.dcbar.org/memberbenefits so you can regularly check the benefits being offered to every member. You may find that you could be saving money just by using your membership card.

When it comes to the Bar, membership really does have its privileges.

For more information on these or other benefits, contact the D.C. Bar Member Benefits staff at memberbenefits@dcbar.org. Kim M. Keenan can be reached at kkeenan@dcbar.org.