JOANNE PIPER LANG, who has overseen the expansion and improvement of the Bar’s Continuing Legal Education programs since 1987, has accepted a new position as director of administration for the Manchester law firm of Nelson, Kinder, Mosseau & Saturley.

During her tenure, the Bar’s CLE programming has grown from a set schedule of 12 to 14 full-day programs a year covering broad practice areas to a multifaceted array of programs and products that includes as many as 75 offerings in a variety of formats (breakfast seminars, four-hour programs, all-day programs and training sessions as elaborate as the two-day Federal Practice Institute). The calendar, developed by the Bar’s Continuing Legal Education Committee and produced by the CLE staff, now features approximately 40 new live, NH-based programs; video replays accommodating lawyers in different parts of the state; and 25 satellite CLEs featuring national experts on niche practice areas. The program also serves members by providing CLE programs through the sale and rental of video and audiotapes of Bar CLE programs. And, in the last year, the convenience of online registration and ordering of CLE products and services through the Bar’s Web site became a reality. In addition to being the preeminent source of continuing education for NH lawyers, the CLE program is a major source of non-dues revenue, and is still priced at below-market levels.

Lang, the associate executive director for member services, said her new position was an irresistible opportunity that presented fresh challenges. Interviewed shortly before her Aug. 12 departure from the Bar, Lang praised the dedication and vision of those who have served on the CLE Committee or as faculty members over the years. "The ratings from CLE attendees’ evaluations has been consistently outstanding," she said. "That’s not just because the faculty is knowledgeable. It is also because of the attention the CLE Committee has paid to the presentation of the programs." Faculties, topics and presentation methods are now much more diverse. In developing programs, committee members focus on varying presentation formats and new faculty receive tips on presentation techniques to enhance their effectiveness as teachers.

The CLE program has had to address the challenges and opportunities of the establishment of the Minimum Continuing Legal Education (NHMCLE) requirement in 1992-93, which mandated CLE participation, but also drew many commercial providers into the NH market. And looking ahead, Lang was working with committee members on various ways of providing online CLE and enhancing the Bar’s offerings in technology training. Those initiatives will continue under the incoming CLE chair, Richard A. Samuels of the McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton firm.

Margaret H. Nelson, of Sulloway & Hollis, the outgoing CLE chair, said Lang had been "unbelievably effective in guiding the committee members in putting programs together."

"She and her staff are the vital link that made it possible for our CLE program to succeed. There is no way that volunteers can put on the number and variety of programs that our CLE program does," said Nelson.

James Q. Shirley, of Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green, who chaired the CLE Committee during the implementation of the NHMCLE requirement, praised Lang’s people- and project-management skills. "She’s absolutely great. She did a great job to make things work and kept everybody cool. It was the most fun I ever had on a committee," he said. "She was always a delight to work with."

NHBA Executive Director Jeannine McCoy noted, "Continuing education is the most important member service the Bar Association provides. As the legal profession and the world around it become more complex, our continuing education program must evolve to meet changing membership needs. Joanne has kept the CLE program on top of those changes. She has balanced the service and business aspects of the program with great skill, insight and humor. Her shoes will be hard to fill." (See position announcement in "Classifieds" in this issue.)

"The Bar membership has always had an impressive commitment to CLE," Lang said. "I’ve been amazed at the caliber of people I’ve had the privilege to work with – the top tier of lawyers and judges in this state. I have been so impressed with the dedication and volunteerism of the Bar to professionalism. The members’ time is precious and they are here working on these programs. They know it’s important to make the NH legal profession as competent as it can be. The quality of our CLE programs is a direct result of the involvement of our committee and volunteers."

An Open House at the Bar Center has been scheduled for 5 p.m. on Wednesday, September 12, to honor Joanne Piper Lang. More details will appear in the September 7 issue of Bar News.

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