Information for New Members
If you were recently admitted in Arizona or registered as an
in-house counsel, welcome to Arizona's legal community! Within two
weeks of your admission, you should receive a packet from the State
Bar that contains an informational CD, "Welcome to Arizona's Legal
Community." It contains a wealth of information about the
association. A link to a pdf version of the CD can
be found to the right by clicking on "Welcome to Arizona's Legal
Community."
Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome Orientation for New
Members
What
is required of me during my first year of admission?
I
don't have a AzBar member account. How do I get one?
What
if I cannot remember my AZBar username and/or password?
What
can I do to promote myself as an Arizona lawyer?
What State Bar services are most frequently used by new
lawyers?
How can
I become involved with the bar association?
Welcome Orientation - New
Benefit!
Join us for a Welcome Orientation which includes an overview of
the State Bar's programs and services, how to find answers to your
questions on ethics, an explanation of the lawyer regulation
system, and a discussion of professionalism.
Beginning in October 2011 new members and in-house counsel are
invited to attend a Welcome Orientation at the State Bar offices in
Phoenix or Tucson. Invitations are emailed on a quarterly
basis. For more information contact Pat Giallanza at
602.340.7226 or patricia.giallanza@staff.azbar.org.
The current schedule is as follows:
Orientations are scheduled on Wednesday from 4 -5:30 p.m. in the
State Bar office, located at 4201 N. 24th Street. The
2012 dates are Jan. 11, April 11, July 11 and Oct. 10.
What is required of me during my first year of
admission?
- Take the Professionalism Course within one year of admission.
Some exceptions apply as detailed below. Classes are held in
Phoenix and Tucson, but they fill up quickly. Register early by clicking here!
According to Rule 34 (j)(A): A
new admittee taking inactive status immediately upon admission is
exempt from completing such a course but shall complete one within
12 months of becoming an active member of the state bar.
Rule 34 (j)(B): A new admittee who
is an active member but neither resides nor practices law in
Arizona is exempt from completing such a course but shall complete
one within 12 months of becoming a resident of or commencing the
practice of law in Arizona.
- Pay annual membership fee online no later than February 1.
- File Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) affidavit by September 15 if you were admitted
or registered with the Bar betwen January 1 and June 30 of the
educational year. (MCLE educational year ends June 30.)
Arizona lawyers have annual CLE
reporting requirements. The educational cycle is July 1 to the
following June 30. During that time, each lawyer, unless
exempted, must acquire a total of 15 hours of CLE, of which 3 of
those hours must be in professional responsibility.
- Establish an Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) account
if appropriate. Regularly check the Arizona Foundation for Legal
Services & Education website for updates regarding approved
IOLTA banks.
- Notify the State Bar of any changes in address, phone, fax or
email.
- Regularly check this website for news from the State Bar.
I don't have a AzBar member
account. How do I get one?
Please register
for one now.
- What if I cannot remember my
AZBar username and/or password?
- Option 1 - Go to the "
Retrieve Username or Password" page.
Option 2 - Fill out the form to the right. This
option will only allow you access to CLE tracking and the MCLE
affidavit. It will not allow you access to other AZBar features or
AZBar.org email.
Option 3 - Call the Member Resource Center at
602-340-7322 during normal business hours.
What
can I do to promote myself as an Arizona lawyer?
Keep your State Bar member profile current! When you change
your name, land a job, or change firms, update your
contact information on the State Bar website. Remember that you are
required by Arizona Supreme Court rule to provide the Bar
with your email address. As the Bar continues to go
paperless, email is our primary means of communicating with
members.
From the azbar.org homepage, click on the
For Lawyers tab. In the upper right-hand
corner of the For Lawyers page, select Member
Login. Then scroll down the left-hand column to
Update My Member Profile. Change your
name, address, phone and email address.
With more than 900,000 visits annually, the website can drive
the general public and other members to your biography.
What State Bar services are
most used by new lawyers?
Fastcase is a legal research tool provided as a
free member benefit. You can search federal law, special courts,
and state law in all 50 states. Fastcase also offers free
webinars that train you in how to use the tool. Sole
practitioners rely on it heavily, since it can trim thousands
of dollars off their bottom line.
Members can call the Ethics Hotline
with questions about the Rules of Professional Conduct. Call the
hotline at 602.340.7284.
How
can I become involved with the bar association?
Join the Young Lawyers Division (YLD)! Lawyers under the age of
37 and with less than five years of experience can join, and the
networking opportunities are plentiful! To learn more about
YLD, click here.
Or join a section. With nearly 30 to choose from, there should
be at least one practice area that interests you. Sections
provide networking opportunities, free CLE, convention programs,
and a pathway to future leadership opportunities in the State
Bar.