[blindlaw] Business Law Section Diplomat, American Bar Association

[Nightingale, Noel]

Blindlaw listsers:

See below opportunity for business law folks.  As I understand it, applications are currently being solicited for a program starting in 2014.

Link:
http://apps.americanbar.org/buslaw/committees/CL715000pub/diplomat.shtml

Text:
Business Law Fellows, Ambassadors and Diplomats: Business Law Section Diplomat
Purpose of the Program

The Business Law Section is committed to encouraging the participation of lawyers with disabilities in Section activities. To do so, the Section has created the Business Law Diplomat Program designed to develop future Section leaders, facilitate the full participation of lawyers with disabilities in Section activities, and draw more lawyers with disabilities into active membership.

Obligations of the Section

The Section will commit financial resources and participation opportunities to the Diplomat. These commitments include the following:

 *   To reimburse expenses, consistent with Section policies, for attendance at the ABA Annual Meeting, the Section's Spring Meeting, and one stand-alone meeting of the committee to which the Diplomat is appointed for each year of their term;
 *   To involve the Diplomat in the substantive work of the committee to which the Diplomat is assigned;
 *   To assign to each Diplomat a mentor within the Business Law Fellows, Ambassadors and Diplomat Committee and a mentor within the Diplomat's committee to help each Diplomat navigate his or her way within the Section and to help insure that each Diplomat's tenure is a success; and
 *   To maximize the opportunities for participation and professional development within the Section.

Obligations of the Business Law Diplomat

Critical to the success of the Program is a commitment by Business Law Diplomats to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them by becoming active participants in Section activities. Their commitments include the following:

 *   To attend the Spring and Annual Meetings of the Section as well as any stand-alone meeting of their Committee;
 *   To continue to be involved in activities of associations or organizations for lawyers with disabilities and to identify substantive areas of common interest in which the Section and the association or organization can coordinate;
 *   To coordinate with the Section's liaison to the ABA Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law efforts to provide broader exposure of the benefits of Business Law Section membership;
 *   To report to the Council of the Section on a bi-annual basis their experience as a Business Law Diplomat; and
 *   To act as mentors to new Business Law Diplomats and other lawyers with disabilities who join the Section.

Business Law Diplomat Application

The Section is no longer accepting applications for the 2012-2014 Business Law Diplomat program. Please check our website in August for the 2014-2016 application.

For more information, please contact Leslie Archer at (312) 988-5630 or leslie.archer at americanbar.org<mailto:leslie.archer at americanbar.org>.

The Selection Process

To be considered for selection as a Diplomat, a person must be a member of the American Bar Association and a lawyer with a physical, mental or sensory disability who has demonstrated a significant interest or contribution in an area of business law. Selection as a Business Law Diplomat is intended to be an honor, which carries a prestige and distinction reflecting the substantive contributions of a business lawyer with disabilities. The Diplomat will be nominated by the Section's Committee on Diversity Chairs, and selected by the Section Officers. The Program will select one Diplomat for a two year term every two years and will fund his/her expenses during that period.

Number of Business Law Diplomats

One Diplomat per year will be selected for a two-year term. If you have any questions, please contact Leslie Archer at 312-988-5630 or by e-mail at leslie.archer at americanbar.org<mailto:leslie.archer at americanbar.org>.

Business Law Diplomats

2010-2012

 *   Jason Goitia
The Goitia Law Firm
Tampa, FL

2008-2010

 *   William H. Grignon
St. Petersburg, FL

2006-2008

 *   Andrés J. Gallegos
Robbins Salomon and Patt Ltd.
Chicago, IL

2005-2007

 *   David S. Caplan
Law Offices of David S. Caplan
Portola Valley, CA