1. DUTIES OF A GENERAL COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP VICE-CHAIR
ABA TORT TRIAL & INSURANCE PRACTICE SECTION (TIPS)
MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
DUTIES OF A GENERAL COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP VICE-CHAIR

2. Membership Duties
Each of you is beginning your term as a TIPS General Committee Membership Vice Chair. You and other leaders of your General Committee and leaders throughout TIPS will be listed in the TIPS Leadership Directory. Contact information for all of the TIPS leaders can be found in the Leadership Directory. Moreover, the Directory shows the general make-up of TIPS and a quick review will be helpful to your understanding of the organization.
As a Membership Vice-Chair you are a liaison to the TIPS Membership Committee and are tasked with the goal of retaining and increasing the membership of your General Committee. It is critical that you work with the Chair of your General Committee to develop a plan for recruitment and retention . Most importantly, please promptly begin implementing the plan.

3. Membership Duties
As part of your role, you are encouraged to recruit, retain and involve a diverse group of members, including all lawyers—young, women, ethnically diverse and LGBT and those with disabilities, law students, and industry professionals.
While it is not possible to list every possible recruitment and retention method, TIPS has assembled a listing of tried and true methods. Of course, it is expected that you will implement some of these methods. However, we do not mean to limit your creativity in recruiting and retaining committee members. We recognize that other methods of recruitment and retention are available and encourage you to explore and experiment with alternate methods.

4. Recruitment
TIPS members who report their area of practice(s) of your General Committee should be recruited at least once a year. Draft and provide a letter to TIPS staff and they will pull the list and send it out either by or, if funds are available, by regular mail.
Encourage law firms, consulting firms and others in your industry to have their partners, associates, employees and other join as members of your General Committee.

5. Retention
Twice a year the TIPS staff will send you a listing of General Committee members who were dropped for non-payment of dues. TIPS staff will identify those who have only dropped their TIPS membership and retained their ABA membership.
Telephone numbers are provided with this list, so whenever possible, phone calls are encouraged. A phone call is more personal and the member is very appreciative when they receive one.
Of course, a letter can also be sent, encouraging them to rejoin the committee. In both cases, the member should be asked the reason for dropping their membership.

6. Retention
Every month you will be sent a list of your new General Committee members. You should write them a letter to welcome them into your General Committee.
TIPS staff will send you a sample letter which you can modify to fit the needs of your General Committee, which you would then mail to each new member.
The letter should include any upcoming programs and events sponsored by the General Committee. This is also a good time to encourage them to become involved in the committee.

7. Retention
Work with your General Committee Chair to identify ways to aid in retention.
Also, survey your members to learn which programs, publications or services they enjoy and identify others they would like you to offer.

8. CLE Programs - Opportunities for Recruitment and Retention
TIPS staff will market your General Committee CLE program by identifying the target markets and non-members who should receive the information. They always welcome additional suggested target markets.
If possible, develop your own list of individuals who should receive program announcements and brochures who the ABA and staff would not otherwise have access.
You or someone you designate will be responsible for maintaining that list and mailing the brochure to that list. If the list is long and postage is expensive, ask the General Committee Chair if he or she has budgeted for postage reimbursement.

9. CLE Programs - Opportunities for Recruitment and Retention
First Time Attendees
Every attempt should be made to insure that your committee CLE brochure has a box available for attendees to mark if they are first time attendees.
Check with the CLE program chair to be sure the box is part of the design of the brochure.

10. CLE Programs - Opportunities for Recruitment and Retention If you attend the event you should try to meet and greet attendees – especially first time attendees.
If first time attendees can be identified beforehand, there should also be other identifiers such as ribbons or “dots” to put on their badges.

11. CLE Programs - Opportunities for Recruitment and Retention
Work with your program CLE chair to offer a Dutch Treat Dinner or Lunch or other social event at the program specifically for first time attendees.
Ten days before the program, send a letter or welcoming your first time attendees and invite them to the event.

12. CLE Programs - Opportunities for Recruitment and Retention
The first line of recruitment/retention can be TIPS members who attended your program who are not a member of your committee. You can provide staff with a message and an can be sent to those TIPS members.
The second line of recruitment will be ABA members who are not a member of TIPS and your committee. If you want to send out a personal message, staff will send it out for you.
The third line of recruitment can be attendees who are not members of the ABA. If you provide TIPS staff with a message regarding the benefits of joining your committee, it can be ed to them. Staff will provide information about the benefits of ABA and TIPS membership in the .

13. Non ABA Programs - Opportunities for Recruitment
If you attend or participate in a non-ABA program and determine that the attendees would be interested in joining your committee, contact Linda Wiley at 30 days before the program.
She will assist you with planning your recruitment outreach and investigate if ABA membership dues discounts are available.
Please note:
For new members, dues in the ABA and TIPS may be pro-rated based on the date the member joined
TIPS can offer trial memberships all year round
The ABA usually plan special recruitment campaigns after January, which may include trial memberships and/or deep dues discounts. Contact Linda Wiley for more information

14. Contact Information
TIPS has a wealth of information. Contact Linda Wiley, the ABA Staff Liaison to the TIPS Membership Committee, at to request access to these resources.
Contact Linda Wiley if you have questions concerning your General Committee, such as:
TIPS demographics on your General Committee members (i.e. age, practice setting, etc.)
/Mail messages and lists for membership recruitment and retention