Creative CLE Strategies to Attract Solo and Small Firm Attendees

Presented By:

Lucas Boling Missouri Bar

Jefferson City, Missouri

Alexandra Wong The Law Society of Upper Canada

Toronto, Ontario

Presented at: ACLEA 51st Annual Meeting

August 1-4, 2015 Chicago, Illinois

Lucas Boling MissouriBar

JeffersonCity,Missouri

Lucas Boling  is The Missouri Bar's Director of Membership Services and Law Practice Management. His 

duties include coordinating The Missouri Bar's Annual Solo and Small Firm Conference and co‐planning 

the  annual  lex  |  PORT  Tech  Expo.  From  2007  to  2012,  he was  the  CLE  Programs  Attorney  for  The 

Missouri Bar ‐ MoBarCLE.  

Prior  to  joining  The Missouri  Bar  staff,  Lucas  was  Deputy  Director/Acting  Director  of  the Missouri 

Division of Workers' Compensation. He is a former Missouri Assistant Attorney General and served as a 

staff  attorney  for  the Missouri  Labor  and  Industrial Relations Commission.   His  legal  experience  also 

includes two judicial clerkships and private practice. Lucas earned a B.A. in Political Science, magna cum 

laude, from Truman State University and a J.D. from the University of Missouri ‐ Columbia School of Law. 

In 2013, he was elected  to serve as a director on ACLEA'S Executive Committee. Lucas co‐chaired  the 

planning  committee  for  ACLEA's  48th  Annual Meeting  in  Denver.  He  is  a  past  co‐chair  of  ACLEA's 

Distance Learning Committee and the State/Provincial Bar Special Interest Group. 

  

AlexandraWongTheLawSocietyofUpperCanada

Toronto,Ontario 

Alexandra is a Program Coordinator with the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) department of 

The Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC). In the last 9 years with the LSUC she has been responsible for 

coordinating over 100 CPD programs.    As a member of ACLEA  since 2008, Alexandra  contributes her 

expertise  in CPD planning  and development  to her work on  the ACLEA  San Diego  and Chicago 2015 

Planning Committees, Online Community Special Committee and the In the Loop Newsletter Committee. 

In addition  to her CPD expertise Alix has a Law Clerk designation  from The  Institute of Law Clerks of 

Ontario and Bachelor of Arts degree  in Urban and Economic Geography and Business Administration 

from the University of Toronto. 

  

Creative CLE Strategies to Attract Solo and Small Firm Attendees Alexandra Wong, The Law Society of Upper Canada Introduction The Law Society of Upper Canada is mandated to regulate all lawyers and paralegals in Ontario. When developing our continuing professional development (CPD) programs, it is imperative that we meet the needs of our solo and small firm practitioners.1 They form a significant percentage of our membership: 18% of our lawyer members and 21% of our paralegal members are solo practitioners. Additionally, 98% of the firms listed in our member database are small firms. Despite our efforts, we were regularly receiving survey comments from our registrants that told us our programs were “too big firm centric.” Though we did our best to try and select speakers from outside of the Greater Toronto Area in small firms, the time constraints and cost to a solo or small firm practitioner was a hurdle; a commitment to present at CPD program represented significant resources lost to their practice. Our solution was to create a Solo and Small Firm Conference and Expo in 2006, which we then held annually in the spring. To make this conference more attractive to solo and small firm lawyers, we introduced a time- and cost-saving “CPD Solo Pass” in 2014. How we did it Solo and Small Firm Conference and Expo In 2006, we held our first Solo and Small Firm Conference and Expo dedicated to the specific needs of the solo and small firm practitioner. It was a live program that you had to attend in person. Along with plenary sessions, we offered attendees two tracks to choose from, what we called “breakout sessions”: one track focused on technology, the other law practice management. The program was offered to the registrants at a cost of $250 CAD, a discounted price from our standard program fee. There were opportunities for attendees to network with others over coffee breaks, lunch, and a cocktail reception at the end of the program. These events were held in our Exhibitors’ Hall, which was lined with various vendors publicizing relevant legal products and/or services that would benefit a solo or small firm practice. The Hall was both informal and informative, driven by the energies of the members. The program was held on-site in our conference facilities. A total of 215 registrants attended the program. Following the success of the initial conference, we looked at ways to create additional networking opportunities the following year. In 2007, with the support of The Law Society of Upper Canada’s Treasurers’ Office, we organized a dinner hosted by the Treasurer the evening before the conference, which provided registrants another chance to get to know their colleagues, foster relationships and learn from each other. Ninety-five registrants took advantage of this opportunity from a total of 202 registrants. The dinner was included as part of the program registration fee. As an experiment, between 2008-2011 we added a third track; the breakout sessions now included two technology tracks and one law practice management track. We found an additional track thinned out

1 By definition, a solo practitioner is a member practising by him or herself, and a small firm is one in which there are 2 to 10 people are in the office.

the audience for each session, and resolved this by offering one of the technology tracks as a webcast. The conference was one full day in-house. There were 226 registrants, of which 101 attended the Treasurers’ Dinner the evening before. Some of our solo and small firm practitioners let us know how difficult it was to be out of the office for a day or more, depending on how far they had to travel. We wanted to be able to give them the opportunity to access the program without having to leave their office, and so in 2010, we provided the option to registrants to attend the program entirely via webcast. The program again offered three tracks, two live and one webcast only. There were 48 webcast registrants and 198 in-person attendees. The networking opportunities remained the same from previous years. A fee of $225 CAD was charged for attendance via webcast and $250 CAD for in-person attendance. In 2011, the conference expanded to a one-and-a-half days: a full-day event on a Friday and half-day on Saturday, giving registrants the opportunity to attend the conference and spend time in Toronto with their family if they travelled with them from out of town. The webcast option was available for the full-day, for which there were 249 registrants. Any session that was not webcast was recorded, and access to a complete video archive was provided to registrants following the conference. We had 406 in-person attendees—our largest yet. We moved offsite to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) due to the numbers and growing Exhibitors’ Hall. This was the last year the program was offered with three tracks. In 2012, the webcast was made available for both days, not just one. The conference reverted to two tracks to keep audience numbers reasonable for each session. There were 232 webcast attendees and 404 in-person attendees. Registrants had the option to attend the program in-person for a cost of $255 CAD or via webcast for $225 CAD. Overhead costs were increasing. We had to compensate by raising the registration fee in 2013 to $325 CAD for in-person attendance and $295 CAD for webcast attendance. But we also added more events. We introduced our “Unwind and Rewind” Dinner event, at an additional cost of $40 CAD (covering dinner, refreshment, tax and gratuity). It was held at the end of day 1 and gave the opportunity for attendees to network, share best practices, and discuss day-to-day challenges with peers and faculty. The event was limited to 60 attendees. In addition, attendees had the opportunity to interact with various vendors and take in live demonstrations in our expanded Exhibitors’ Hall. There were 425 in-person attendees and 177 webcast attendees. The Treasurers’ Dinner had its highest attendance since 2006 with 127 attendees. We carried this program model into 2014, with the addition of round-table sessions at the end of day 2 of the program, which allowed attendees to have a discussion in a small group setting with experts in a specific practice areas. For 2015, we are offering an “Ingenious Bar,” a new take on a third track; it is an informal, rotating panel of subject matter experts who will be able answer any questions attendees may have regarding practising as a solo and small firm practitioner. (For example, faculty and representatives from the LSUC Spot Audit and Practice Management Departments will take a shift.) Those who attend the conference in person will have an opportunity for a one-on-one interaction. We did end our Exhibitor and Sponsorship Program (no more vendors), and merged the Treasurers’ Dinner into the Reception, originally held at the end of the program day. This will be the last year the program will be held at an off-site venue.

CPD Solo Pass for Lawyers and Paralegals We recognized there were budget limitations for solo and small firm practitioners. So in 2014, we introduced a CPD Solo Pass, which would help lawyers and paralegals save money when committing to their annual CPD hours. The CPD Solo Pass was offered for lawyers called to the bar in 2011, 2012, and 2013. It cost $399 CAD plus applicable taxes and allowed the purchaser to attend 1 summit program (two-day program), 1 full-day program and 1 half-day program. The same conditions applied to the CPD Solo Pass we offered to Paralegals; however, the cost was $299 CAD plus applicable taxes. The initial offering was a success with a total of 140 passes sold to lawyers and 62 passes sold to paralegals. For 2015, we have made some modifications to the conditions. For the lawyer’s CPD Solo Pass, we opened it up to members who had been called to the bar since 2009. The cost of the pass remains unchanged; however, it includes registration to the annual Solo and Small Firm Conference plus 2 programs of their choice. The Solo Pass must be purchased prior to June 22, 2015, since the annual Solo and Small Firm Conference is scheduled for June 25, 2015. We made this change as a way of encouraging solo and small firm lawyer practitioners to attend the program that was designed with them in mind. At the time of this paper, we have sold 66 passes. The feedback to this change has been positive. For the paralegal’s CPD Solo Pass, the fee remains unchanged. The pass entitles the member to register for 3 programs of their choice, though only one of the programs chosen can be a multi-day program. A total of 20 passes have been sold at the time of writing this paper. The pass is available to paralegals who have been licensed since 2009. Other accommodations that are available We provide Financial Assistance (Bursary) to members who want to attend our CPD programs or purchase CPD publications. This is available to legal service providers with annual net incomes below $35,000 CAD. Upon approval, they would qualify for a 50% reduction of the regular price of most CPD programs, and reductions of up to 50% off the regular price of most CPD publications. Bursaries are approved on an annual basis and are valid from the date granted to December 31. Conclusion The Solo and Small Firm Conference will continue to evolve to meet the needs of our lawyer members. The Solo Pass program will also be reviewed and changes made if required.

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AGENDA | 2015 Solo and Small Firm Conference Planning Committee Meeting

Tan-Tar-A – Osage Beach, MO

Friday, September 19, 2014 – 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM Saturday, September 20, 2014 – 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM

FRIDAY 10:00 AM Welcome / Introductions / Opening Remarks

10:10 Brief review of 2014 Solo and Small Firm Conference

Evaluations Attendance Demographics Exhibitors

2015 Solo and Small Firm Conference – Lucas

Meeting space Hotel rooms & rates Scholarships Other

10:25 Looking Ahead to 2016 & 2017 – Lucas

Tan-Tar-A

10:40 Breakout program planning at your table - BLUE Trial College (TRIAL) Litigation/Trial Practice (LIT) Class Actions/Torts (CAT)

11:00 BREAK

11:10 Breakout planning at your table - GREEN

Administrative Law (ADMIN) ADR/Mediation/Arbitration (ADR) Appellate (APP) Bankruptcy (BANK) Business (BUS)

11:30 Breakout planning at your table - GREEN

Collections (COL) DWI / Criminal / Juvenile (CRIM) Environmental (ENV)

11:50 Breakout planning at your table - GREEN

Family Law (FAM) Immigration (IMM) Labor / Employment (LAB)

12:10 PM LUNCH

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12:50 PM Breakout planning at your table - GREEN

Medical / Legal (MED) Military (MIL) Miscellaneous (MIS)

1:10 Breakout planning at your table - GREEN

Patent / Trademark / Intellectual Property (IPP) Personal Injury (PIN) Probate / Elder Law / Estate Planning (PRO)

1:30 Breakout planning at your table - GREEN

Real Estate (REAL) Social Security (SOS) Taxation (TAX)

1:50 Breakout planning at your table - GREEN

Workers’ Compensation (WCOMP) Discussion Group Topics (DIS) CLE @ Sunrise (CLE)

2:10 Breakout planning at your table - RED

Boot Camp (BOOT) Client Relations (CLIENT)

2:30 Breakout planning at your table - RED

Law Office / Practice Management (LPM) 2:50 BREAK 3:10 Breakout planning at your table - RED

Malpractice Prevention (MAP) Marketing (MKT) Other (OTH)

3:30 Breakout planning at your table - YELLOW

Ethics / Professionalism (ETH) 3:50 Breakout planning at your table - PURPLE

Quality of Life (QOL) 4:10 Breakout planning at your table – TURQOUISE

Technology (TEC) 4:30 Plenary Session planning at your table

Topic & Speaker Ideas 4:50 Adjourn until Saturday Morning @ 8:30 AM

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SATURDAY 7:30 AM Breakfast Available in Meeting Room

__________________________ 8:30 AM Discussion of Program Topics under Consideration/Selection of Programs 10:40 BREAK / HOTEL CHECKOUT 11:10 Discussion of Program Topics under Consideration/Selection of Programs

continues 12:00 PM LUNCH 12:45 Discussion of Program Topics under Consideration/Selection of Programs

continues 2:30 Adjourn

__________________________ NEXT PLANNING MEETING Solo and Small Firm Committee Meeting Friday, November 21, 2014 @ 10:00 AM Capitol Plaza Hotel Jefferson City

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Creative CLE Strategies to Attract Solo and Small Firm Attendees Lucas Boling, The Missouri Bar ACLEA Chicago | July 2015 The Missouri Bar recently held its 20th Solo and Small Firm Conference; 839 attended the annual event. The factors contributing to the success of the conference are summed up in the tagline we adopted three years ago: celebrate. collaborate. connect. Combined with value pricing, those factors provide a proven strategy that attracts solo and small firm attorneys to the event year after year. CELEBRATE Solo and small firm practitioners are proud of what they do and the services they provide their clients. They deserve recognition. An event created for those practitioners needs to celebrate their contributions to individuals, society, and the legal profession. We celebrate each year with a food and drink reception open to all registered attendees and their guests. We do not collect tickets or require guests to register. A plenary session focusing on key cases handled by solo and small firm attorneys is an effective way to celebrate, especially when the cases are summarized and analyzed by a judge from the state supreme court. COLLABORATE The Oxford Dictionary defines collaborate: “Work jointly on an activity or project.” Collaboration will make the difference between a solo and small firm CLE that succeeds and one that fails. Regardless of whether you are planning a one-day solo and small firm CLE or a multi-day conference, it is essential that solo and small firm attorneys be an integral part of the program planning process. They are in the best position to identify what topics are of interest to them and their colleagues. Call for Proposals In late summer, we invite any member of the Bar to submit a program proposal for the next Solo and Small Firm Conference. Using a Wufoo.com online form, members are asked to provide:

1. title of the proposed program(s); 2. paragraph describing the program(s) in detail; 3. name(s) and contact information of proposed presenter(s); 4. name and contact information of the person who will coordinate the

presentation(s); and 5. whether the proposal may be kept on file for the following year, if it is not

selected for the next conference.

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We receive proposals from big firm, small firm, in-house, and solo practitioners. Those proposals are reviewed by the Conference Planning Committee. Conference Planning Committee The Bar president appoints the chair and vice chairs of the Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee. Those appointed leaders also serve as the chair and vice chairs of the Conference Planning Committee. The Planning Committee is open to any member of the Bar who is in good standing. Typically, the Planning Committee is comprised almost entirely of solo and small firm lawyers along with a paralegal. A two-day, in-person Planning Committee meeting is held in the fall to select session topics and suggest speakers. The Bar provides breakfast, lunch and refreshments; members pay their own travel, lodging, and dinner expenses. Over the years, the planning committee has ranged in size from 25 to 50. Organization Keeps the Planning Process Running Smoothly A large planning committee creates challenges when it is time to brainstorm session topics and narrow proposals. Some members have general practices while others practice in one or only a few areas. In the past, we set up tables labeled family law, probate and estate, criminal defense, real estate, etc. Planning Committee members were asked to circulate among the tables, review the list of proposed topics for that practice area, vote for the ones they liked, suggest other topics, and list potential speakers. We found that some members whose practice was primarily in one area tended to spend much of their time at one table – sometimes repeatedly advocating for the sessions they wanted to attend or present at the conference. Here is what we do now:

Each proposal received prior to the initial Planning Committee meeting is assigned a program code based on the primary topic to be covered in the proposed session. That program code follows the proposal until the conference program agenda is finalized. The program code is essential to stay organized and facilitate easy reference during the planning process.

We determine in advance how many program sessions need to be filled and how many extra sessions we need to have in reserve. Based on that, we set a goal of having the Planning Committee generate a list of a specific number of sessions covering ethics, practice management, family law, bankruptcy, criminal defense, etc.

Charts are created in advance of the Planning Committee meeting listing all of

the proposals received for a specific practice area.

The Planning Committee is randomly assigned to small groups of six to eight members. Those small groups remain together for the entire first day. A staff member or Planning Committee officer is designated to record which proposals the small group wants to endorse and discuss at the full Planning Committee on day two.

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At specified intervals the chair announces the next practice area to be discussed.

Each small group discusses the listed proposals for that practice area and brainstorms other ideas for sessions within that practice area. At the end of each discussion, the person taking notes turns in the small group’s chart to a staff member who combines all of the small group selections into a master chart for each practice area.

On day two, the Planning Committee meets as a large group to review the

master chart and further narrow the programs to include on the conference agenda.

This streamlined approach has made the planning process more efficient and more productive. Coding each proposal makes it easy for the small groups and the full committee to reference specific program proposals during the selection process. It also makes it easy to track the program proposals as the conference agenda moves from draft to final. Assigning individuals to work in the same small group has encouraged members to be creative and think outside of their practice area. As a result, the committee generates new program ideas and speaker suggestions that help keep the conference content fresh. A sample Planning Committee chart:

The challenge of designing a program that will attract solo and small firm lawyers lies in the diversity of the solo and small firm practice. While their practices are diverse, solo and small firm lawyers often face similar challenges including isolation, staffing, work/life

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balance, technology, and compliance with trust accounting rules. A successful program designed by and for solo and small firm practitioners recognizes that diversity and provides topics covering a number of practice areas, practice levels, and non-substantive topics. To that end, it is important for the Planning Committee to consider program proposals from larger firms and in-house counsel. They can sometimes provide a needed level of expertise or cover unique topics that will benefit the general practitioner and attract attendees to the conference. Pairing the large firm or in-house counsel with a solo or small firm practitioner is an effective way to incorporate programs presented by large firm or in-house speakers. Creative Collaboration Collaboration within the Planning Committee drives development of a conference agenda that solo and small firm attorneys will find meaningful to their practice. Collaboration with individuals and groups outside of the Planning Committee has helped us bring new features and dynamics to the conference experience.

We coordinate with our state’s Legal Ethics Counsel to provide free and confidential consultations with members throughout the conference.

Our Bar-endorsed professional liability insurer provides low-cost risk management programs at various locations across the state. Our conference is now one of those locations, making it easy for members to get ethics hours and a base rate discount on their professional liability insurance.

Three of our state’s law schools are financial sponsors of the conference. The schools also register law students and faculty to attend. The students bring a positive energy to the conference and are our future customers. We offer special pricing and provide a room for faculty to meet with their students during the conference. A sponsored law student session and reception gives law students the chance to meet judges from the state supreme court and bar leaders in a relaxed, informal setting. Recently, law school faculty members collaborated with solo and small firm practitioners to redesign and improve our starting a boot camp sessions. At least one law school now incorporates the conference into their solo and small firm practice course:

o “LAW 8638R Entrepreneurial Lawyering: Solo And Small Firm Practice Credits: 3 Course will focus on law practice management for solo and small firms. Topics include organizational structure, firm management, fee setting and allocation, and effective and ethical marketing. Course includes attendance at the Missouri Bar Solo and Small Firm Conference.”

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CONNECT For some solo and small firm lawyers, having a venue to meet and network with other solo and small firm practitioners once a year is as important as the educational sessions available at the conference. We facilitate that by providing tools to make networking easier and places to meet in smaller groups. Networking begins at conference check-in. If your organization’s database, like ours, does not include the practice areas of individual members, it is impossible to preprint that information on the attendee’s name badge. After checking-in, conference attendees are directed to a special table where they can get buttons to identify themselves as a “Solo” or “Small Firm” attorney and stickers to identify their practice areas, such as: First time attendees, including law student, receive a “First Time Attendee” ribbon to attach to their name badge and are invited to a special lunch during day one of the conference. Veteran attendees are recruited to serve as Conference Hosts, welcoming attendees at each table and answering questions. During the lunch, the Planning Committee chair provides tips for getting the most out of the conference experience. Conference meals without the interruption of long speeches, awards ceremonies, or loud entertainment have proven to be a popular place for attendees to interact and network. We include as many meals and receptions in the conference registration fee as our budget will permit. Past efforts to include a band or other entertainer immediately after dinner received mixed reviews. When it comes to entertainment, there’s no accounting for taste. Background music and a nice dinner followed by karaoke -- with drinks-- in a separate room turned out to be a surprisingly popular formula. The arrangement caters to those who want to linger and talk at the dinner table and those who like to network over drinks and music. VALUE Even the best planned program can struggle to attract solo and small firm lawyers if the cost is considered too high for the value received. Value is not measured by simply dividing the registration fee by the number of continuing legal education hours offered. Value is the overall conference experience, which includes the quality of programming as it relates to the individual’s practice, the number of networking opportunities, and the quality of those opportunities.

Business Law

Family Law

Personal Injury

Bankruptcy

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For the solo and small firm lawyer, the cost of attending any CLE is not just the registration fee. It is time away from the practice, lost revenue, lodging, travel expenses, and meals. Pricing and the overall conference experience is where you can distinguish your event from other CLE programs that might be of interest to solo and small firm lawyers. Pricing We offer a pricing structure that rewards early registration. Best Value Registration ends eight weeks before the event. Approximately 50 percent of the conference attendees register eight weeks out. Early Registration ends four weeks before the event. Another 25 percent of attendees register by that deadline. Regular Registration ends at noon the Monday before the conference, bringing in slightly less than 25 percent of the total registrations. The remaining attendees pay $100 more for Onsite Registration, which does not include meal tickets. In 2015, Best Value Registration was $269 and included six conference meals, four receptions, and a link to electronic course materials. Corporate sponsorships, law firm partnerships, and exhibitors are the key to keeping the price low and the value high. Sponsor and partnership packages include premium exhibit space. Sponsor packages also include the opportunity to present infomercials or MCLE-approved programs during the conference. Those programs are scheduled at specific times that do not compete with substantive conference programming. Enhancing the Event Experience

Drop the theme and develop your event’s brand. Discussion groups – even if the sessions do not qualify for CLE credit -- provide

a town hall or roundtable forum for solo and small firm attorneys to voice their opinion on pending initiatives or hot topics. An unstructured “Office Hours” discussion group session allows attendees to talk about a variety of issues and challenges important to their practices including staffing, work/life balance, communication, advertising, marketing, and virtual law practices.

Include one non-ticketed event that is open to all attendees and their guests. This can be a program planner’s nightmare, but it is important for attendees who consider your CLE event to be their only opportunity for a family vacation.

Create small conversation areas within the venue where members can gather to talk informally.

Include sufficient breaks between programs to allow members time to visit exhibitors, grab a cup of coffee, meet with colleagues, and return messages.

Early morning sessions – we call ours “CLE @ Sunrise” – offer 7-10 minute presentations in a fast-paced format. These TED-type talks give new speakers the opportunity to present at the conference and audition for full-length programs the following year. It is an effective way to include topics that are important to solo and small firm lawyers, but do not provide enough content to fill a full session at the conference.

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Incorporate specialized training tracks such as Guardian ad Litem and litigation college that attendees would otherwise have to register separately for and take time away from the office to attend.

Beware of Mission Creep “And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings. And so it is with CLE programs that evolve over time without periodically assessing the value of their component parts. The planning process, program schedule, and add-ons can take on a life of their own. A conference enhancement that began as a sponsored event may continue years later even though the sponsorship ended. Consider whether you really need themed centerpieces when the hotel will provide mirrors and votive candles at no extra charge. Can you use those savings to enhance the event in a way that is more meaningful to the solo and small firm attorney? With changes in technology do you really need to print a set of course materials, burn a CD, or even provide a USB drive or for every attendee? Because pricing is an essential part of the value equation, it is important to periodically ask: why are we doing this; what is the value to our attendees; and can we do it more efficiently?

Keeping the CLE event fresh will help attract attendees. Still, be mindful that when you add that extra meal, reception, or networking excursion it can create an expectation that it will be offered again next year and at all future conferences, too. The same is true when determining the number of sessions you will offer. Throughout the planning process, there will be pressure to add “just one more” program. Adding programs can increase costs and split your audience. Consider whether those additional sessions bring sufficient additional value to your attendees. If not, suggest that the program idea be parked along with the other proposals being carried over and considered for other CLE events.

Staffing The event may be value priced, but to bring solo and small firm attorneys back year after year, they need to receive first-class service whenever possible. Our solo and small firm conference is an “all hands on deck” event. Bar staff from several departments are called on to work as a team at the conference and wear bright green “Ask Me” buttons. A preconference team meeting walks staff through every aspect of the conference so they are prepared to answer questions from attendees. Room monitors are stationed outside meeting rooms to answer attendee questions and to assist moderators and speakers with meeting room issues that arise. Two information desks are strategically located so that attendees have access to assistance between meeting room monitor stations. At the conference registration area, the team leader has streamlined the process so that any registration issues are addressed quickly and the wait time to check-in is seconds rather than minutes. One staff person is assigned to assist exhibitors and coordinate directly with the banquet captain for all meals and receptions.

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Gather Feedback, Evaluate, and Improve There is always room to improve the event. Our solo and small firm attendees have never been shy about providing feedback. So, we understand that if you are not going to do anything with the responses to a particular question, do not ask the question. We focus on the items that we can actually do something about. For example, in our general evaluation we used to lead with “Please share your general comments on this year’s conference and how it can be improved next year.” This was open-ended invitation that generated a roller coaster compilation of comments -- some positive and some negative -- often addressing the temperature of the rooms and the menu we selected for a particular meal. Now we lead with: “What two things did you learn at the conference that will benefit your practice?” This asks the attendee to think of two positive aspects of the conference and helps the planning committee understand where we hit the mark with programs and presenters that our attendees found helpful to their solo and small firm practice. We want constructive criticism, too. So we continue to ask attendees to rate the conference overall and we provide an area for comments.  Do not overlook one of the best sources of feedback: your event staff. Ask the hotel or conference center staff what they are hearing about the event. Soon after the event, gather your staff for a post-conference meeting and get their feedback. They worked directly with your attendees, heard comments, and can help identify areas to improve the conference experience. For examples, the practice area stickers we provide attendees were suggested by a staff member who heard attendees repeatedly asking each other what type of law they practice. We now place the meeting room map on the back cover of our program guide, because a room monitors reported they were asked for directions and had to tell attendees where to find the map printed inside the 60 page program guide. Finally, taking an idea from our ACLEA meeting in San Diego, this year we offered an opportunity for our attendees to provide feedback at our Missouri Bar booth. We set up boards and provided blue squares for attendees to answer and post their response to this question: what is the hardest part of practicing law. They could only write one comment per square, but they could post as many squares as they wanted on the board. If someone had already posted a similar comment, they posted theirs next to it. If not, they started a new discussion section on the board. We also provided yellow squares for attendees who wanted to post solutions to the comments posted on the board. The process provided insight into the types of problems our attendees face in their daily practice, as well as some creative solutions. The feedback will help us evaluate relevant member benefits and develop future CLE programs designed to attract solo and small firm attendees.