As I sit at the CLE table at a live conference in Washington DC, I am enjoying the interaction with attendees - answering questions about how these attorneys can get their credits. It's like a mini-Jeopardy quiz on the rules - one of my favorite things to do to keep sharp (And show my geeky side!)
What I enjoy a little less are the verification processes we have had to put in place to ensure that we are meeting the rules of states which require an independent check of attendance. This is especially challenging at this conference with an expected 1,500 attendees! And with folks coming and going, sitting in for only the sessions of interest to them, it is plenty of work to calculate credits, much less track who is here.
Luckily, I have a very organized staff and a few years of learning under my belt. After each conference we talk about what worked, and more importantly what didn't. We have learned to:
- Create color-coded clip boards with numbered sign-in slots. In this way, it easier for an attorney to find his or her name to sign out at the end of the day.
- Create a conference-specific affidavit of attendance which lists each individual session. Attendees simply check which sessions they attended and we calculate the credits earned.
- Create several table tents with the credit information displayed by state. Attorneys can easily see how many credits are available in their jurisdictions.
- Be prepared to give the same "how to" speech a hundred times over. Each of these attorneys wants to ensure that they get the credits to which they are entitled, and they will have questions about how that works.
Maybe I wouldn't have the opportunity or the audience with which to interact without the verification requirements, so I guess I should enjoy the effect of the rules.
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