Your CCCBA Membership

Take advantage of everything we have to offer!

The Contra Costa County Bar Association’s mission is to represent its members and to advocate on their behalf; to educate its members and the public concerning the law, the legal profession and the judicial system; to provide a means of communication both among its members and between its members and the public; and to provide services that will support its members in their legal practice.

A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
In keeping with its mission, the CCCBA is committed to assist its members in developing and improving their practice of law by providing information, services, networking opportunities, career development programs, community service opportunities and other resources. Most programs conducted or sponsored by CCCBA and its 21 Sections offer substantial discounts to members.

Lisa Reep, CCCBA Executive Director

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND NETWORKING
Membership in any of our 21 Sections provides opportunities to network with other practitioners who share common interests. We also offer regular opportunities to interface with members of our local bench.

COMMUNITY SERVICE
The CCCBA, with enthusiastic participation from our volunteer members, sponsors myriad community service opportunities. These include our seventeenth annual “Food From the Bar” Drive in the spring (over the past 18 years, our members have donated $820,000 and 53 tons of food, making CCCBA one of the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano’s largest supporters), our ongoing Education Outreach Program with local middle and high schools – including regular court tours during the academic year in both Martinez and Richmond, our regular consumer-focused free legal workshops offered at various public venues throughout the county, our annual Court Scholarship Program and numerous pro bono opportunities in cooperation with local legal services agencies. If you are interested in participating in any of these programs, contact the CCCBA staff at 925/686-6900 or visit our website at www.cccba.org.

CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION
CCCBA, together with its Sections and Committees, offers frequent seminars, courses and forums that fulfill the State Bar of California’s MCLE requirements. These include our seventeenth annual MCLE Spectacular, our most popular and well-attended event, which will be held on November 18th at the Walnut Creek Marriott. We are also pleased to continue our alliance with the State Bar of California. One component is an online consortium comprised of a number of local bars throughout California who have been working together with the State Bar to develop and deliver quality and meaningful online MCLE . Through this alliance, we can deliver hundreds of hours of California State-specific content generated by the State Bar of California and other alliance members. To learn more about this member benefit, visit our website at www.cccba.org. Our state-of-the-art website offers on-line registration and payment for MCLE programs and events, an easy way to keep track of all CCCBA-sponsored MCLE programs you attend henceforth and the means to download our events calendar to Outlook and other standard computer calendaring programs.

LAWYER REFERRAL & INFORMATION SERVICE

The Lawyer Referral & Information Service (LRIS ) provides referrals to attorneys who have met specific experience requirements for membership. Nearly 5,000 client consultations are scheduled with members of our LRIS each year through both our phone-based service and the Internet. Close to $1.5 million in attorneys’ fees were collected by our LRIS panelists during the 2010 calendar year. Special malpractice insurance rates are available for solo practitioners participating on our LRIS . For information on LRIS membership and malpractice insurance, call (925) 686-6900 (Please refer clients to 925-825-5700).

PUBLICATIONS
You will notice a lot of positive changes in the way we communicate with our members this year. In addition to receiving six print issues of our highly regarded magazine, Contra Costa Lawyer, which now features a colorful and more professional-looking design, members will continue to receive our annual pictorial Membership Directory. With the environment in mind, and to cater to our entire membership (half of which prefer a hard-copy magazine, the other half of which prefer to receive everything on-line), we offer the option of receiving Contra Costa Lawyer via US Mail or in a new html-based “real” online magazine format. In months we do not produce our magazine in print, it will be available online and will include timely information, articles and valuable resource links to enhance your practice.

E-mailed “News & Upcoming Events” broadcasts are also sent to our members every Tuesday morning. Upcoming events are linked directly to our website and calendar where you can register and pay for events online. We are confident you will consider these weekly broadcasts and our website extremely valuable resources.