Missouri Bar to launch online young, new lawyers community

On Oct. 19, The Missouri Bar launched a new online community to better connect new lawyers and provide valuable resources.

Members of the state bar’s Young Lawyers’ Section will be able to access the new online community at connect.MOBAR. Members of the section are those 36 years of age or less or, if older, who have been practicing five years or less.

The online community includes a resource library for uploaded documents, and it offers the flexibility of receiving messages in real time by email or as a daily digest. Lawyers also have the option to not receive any email and instead sign into the platform to post and review past conversation threads.

As discussions develop within the community, the users’ posts and uploaded documents will create a rich archive of searchable content to help new and young lawyers find answers to their practice questions.

This new community will be “invaluable” to new lawyers as it will help improve connections and networking, as well as empower section members to build a knowledge base full of relevant content – all accessible on the cloud anytime and optimized for use on any device, said YLS Council Chair Elizabeth Fax.

“The practice of law can be very intimidating to young lawyers, but this community will ensure they have access to resources and other lawyers,” Fax said. “I am most excited about the online community’s ability to connect and network with other members of The Missouri Bar.”

The YLS community joins a plethora of online communities, categorized by substantive practice areas and committees. Online communities have been on connect.MOBAR and available to Missouri Bar members since 2015.

Features of the new online community include discussions, resource libraries, and a directory.

Discussions

·        Receive communication in individual emails, via real time or daily digests.

·        View communications in threaded discussions through the online community.

·        Find relevant discussions and identify leaders on topics using archived and searchable threads.

Resource library

·        Scroll through how-to videos and audio recordings.

·        Know that the files in the communities are safe as all files are scanned for viruses before they are uploaded

·        Find valuable tools available to all members of the community.

Directory

·        Build your network and connect through messaging.

·        Upload your photo and see other members’ photos to help transition virtual connections to IRL networking.

·        Customize your privacy preferences.

The new online community in connect.MOBAR includes a terms of service to provide a forum where all members feel welcome and to keep the primary focus of collaboration and communications on the practice of law. Discussions will not be moderated on an ongoing basis, but members may report any communications they believe are inappropriate or fall outside of the terms of the service.

Watch News.MoBar.org and your email inbox for more information about the launch of the YLS community on connect.MOBAR.