Since I first joined the OCBA as a new lawyer, I have been actively involved with the Juvenile Law Committee. It has been tremendously rewarding both professionally and personally. As part of the Juvenile Law Committee, I was able to take on a leadership position as the chair of the committee, advocate for and obtain an increase to the pay schedule for juvenile court appointed attorneys, and create and moderate the juvenile brown-bag lunch lecture series. These opportunities would not have been possible without my participation in the Juvenile Law Committee.
Participation in committees also affords you the opportunity to meet up with your colleagues at monthly meetings to discuss any new developments in the law, watch an informative presentation, and catch up with good friends. I highly recommend, and believe you would find value in, joining one of our many practice area committees.
At the OCBA, we love our members, and we truly want you to get as much out of your membership as possible. To that end, please look at the following list of our committees and see if there’s one, or more, that you’re interested in!
Practice area committees:
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
The Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committee encourages the use of ADR by the legal profession, judiciary, government, and public through education, training, and strategic alliances. If your practice area includes ADR, or if you’re interested in becoming more involved in ADR, join the committee to network with your peers.
• Business Court and Counsel
The Business Court and Counsel Committee will appeal to anyone involved in, or interested in, business and commercial law under the jurisdiction of the business court. The committee targets outside counsel, inside counsel, and the Oakland County Business Court judges for involvement and membership.
• Circuit Court
The Circuit Court Committee works with the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court and its judges to effect positive change in court business and procedures. The Circuit Court Committee is also responsible for the Discovery Mediator program on Wednesday mornings at the circuit court. If your work brings you before the judges and court officers of the circuit court, this committee is perfect for you.
• Criminal Law
The Criminal Law Committee is charged with the advancement of the criminal law system in both district and circuit courts and coordinates the always-popular criminal brown-bag seminar series, which is offered at a discounted rate to all OCBA members. If your practice area includes criminal law, join the committee to network with your peers and stay up to date on relevant issues in criminal law practice.
• Debtor/Creditor
The Debtor/Creditor Committee seeks to effect positive change in the practice of debtor/creditor law. The committee promotes this mission by proposing changes to accepted procedures and rules. It also works to promote a greater understanding of the developing legal issues affecting debtors and creditors, both among members of the committee and in the greater Oakland County community of advocates and judges.
• Employee Benefits
The Employee Benefits Committee focuses its monthly meetings on all facets of employee benefits: retirement plans, medical plans, ERISA, HRAs, and much more. Join your peers to exchange articles, discuss case law, and share your opinions on developments and changes to employee benefits.
• Employment Law
The Employment and Labor Law Committee is concerned with all facets of labor and employment law. If your practice area includes employment and labor law, join the committee to network with your peers. Committee members meet once a month to exchange articles and information and to discuss topics of interest.
• Energy, Sustainability and Environmental Law
The Energy, Sustainability and Environmental Law (ESEL) Committee facilitates the exchange of ideas among committee members on issues related to energy, sustainability, environmental, and natural resources law. Committee members count on the ESEL Committee as an invaluable resource available to all attorneys in Oakland County and Southeast Michigan for practice area-related conversation and a collegial community for legal practitioners in those fields.
• Family Court
The Family Court Committee is concerned with the education of attorneys and the public regarding processes and legislation in the field of family law. The committee studies existing statutes and proposed legislation, making recommendations for changes where needed. Committee members meet once a month to exchange ideas and information and to discuss topics of interest.
• Juvenile Law
The Juvenile Law Committee is concerned with all facets of the juvenile and family justice system, including legislation, court proceedings, and treatment. If your practice area includes juvenile law, join the committee to network with your peers and stay up to date on relevant issues in the practice of juvenile law.
• Medical/Legal
The Medical/Legal Committee is unique among OCBA committees in that it is composed of both physicians and attorneys who deal with interprofessional relationships and matters of concern to both professional groups. Its mission is to cultivate and advance the relationship between the legal and medical professions in Oakland County, to improve the public’s and the courts’ understanding of the laws that affect the practice of medicine, and to foster awareness of relevant news and legislation through open discussion and the presenting of speakers and semiannual seminars.
• Municipal Law
The Municipal Law Committee consists of lawyers with specialized interest in municipal law. Committee members represent clients who either are dealing with municipalities or are themselves employed by municipalities. The Municipal Law Committee strives to make government better one meeting at a time.
• Paralegal
The OCBA is pleased to offer a special committee for paralegal and legal assistant members. If you are a paralegal, join the committee to network with your peers, share ideas, and work to promote and improve the profession. The Paralegal Committee helps improve legal assistants’ position in the legal profession through educational opportunities, networking, and public service.
• Probate, Estate and Trust
If your practice area includes probate law, you should consider joining the Probate, Estate and Trust Committee. This active committee meets monthly to network as well as review and take positions on pending Michigan legislation. The committee also works with the probate court to make practice more efficient in all aspects, including mental health.
• Real Estate
If your practice area includes real estate law, join this committee to network with your peers. Committee members gather monthly for presentations by exciting and interesting guest speakers. The Real Estate Committee provides members with an opportunity to discuss current decisions and laws affecting the practice of real estate.
• Tax Law
The Tax Law Committee is concerned with the substantive and procedural law of federal, state, and local taxation. Its mission is to serve as a channel for members to discuss and exchange information on current tax topics while providing networking and educational opportunities for practitioners in the community.
The OCBA also has a wide variety of special-purpose committees. We offer committees for every stage of practice. From the New Lawyers Committee to the Lawyers of a Certain Age Committee and everything in between, the OCBA has a committee to benefit each of our members. For more detailed information on our committees, please visit our website at ocba.org.
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Melinda N. Deel, of Melinda N. Deel PLLC, is the 91st president of the Oakland County Bar Association.
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