One of the most resonant messages from the CBA Legal Futures Initiative report was that in order to succeed in the future, lawyers have to put clients at the centre of everything they do.
And one of the overriding messages from the CBA Re-think is that for the CBA to succeed it needs to take some of its own medicine – make sure the member is at the centre of everything the association does. The strategic direction agreed upon by CBA Council in February reflects that member-centric philosophy, but in order to carry out that mandate the association needs to be more streamlined, responsive and cost-effective.
That brings us to the governance model that will be brought to CBA Council in August as a resolution for approval (see elsewhere in the newsletter for more on resolutions).
The governance structure was arrived at over the course of three separate retreats and numerous board meetings. The hope is that it will facilitate decision-making, reallocate money to support real member needs, and support the work required to deliver on the strategic direction.
In a nutshell, this model:
- Reduces the Board of Directors from 23 to 14, plus a non-voting CEO
- Replaces CBA National Council by an AGM open to all CBA members, either in person or online
- Establishes a Leadership Forum of key CBA constituent groups that will meet once a year to discuss strategy and issues
- Ensures that Branches remain autonomous with regard to budget approval, service delivery and Executive Director recruitment
- Creates common shared administrative functions throughout our operations across the country.
Check out the CBA Re-Think web page for more information on the governance model that will go before Council in August.