Board sets priorities: communication: diversity: member benefits: technology.

With six action items for the coming year, the Board of Governors has approved the Bar's 2016-19 strategic plan.

President Bill Schifino presented the plan at the board's July 29 meeting and said the annual strategic planning retreat, held last April, did not make any changes to the five main objectives of the strategic plan but did identify six issues that could be addressed immediately by the board.

Schifino also said the retreat was notable for the attendance of Supreme Court Justice Charles Canady, the first time a justice has participated in the Bar's strategic planning meeting.

"We analyzed recent developments in the legal profession ... analyzed survey research, reviewed Florida Bar member demographics, reviewed implementation of the most recent strategic plan, what had worked, what hadn't, and what will The Florida Bar look like in the future," Schifino said.

"These are some of things that we thought would be important to us: collaboration, professionalism, efficiency, diversity, communication, member outreach, lawyer regulation issues.

"We looked at what is influencing our members--competition from nonlawyers. We've heard a lot about that over the past year. Work/life balance is important. Client expectations, technology, how does it all work together."

The Strategic Planning Committee also looked at the Bar's and the profession's strengths and weaknesses to define action plans for the coming months that go beyond the Bar's day-to-day activities, Schifino said.

He listed the six areas and named a board member who was involved in the planning for that area:

* Educate Florida Bar members and the public about the upcoming Constitution Revision Commission process. "The most important aspect of this that we found was to make sure that we collaborate with other interested groups," said board member Jay Cohen. "We believe that we need to create a strong brand like we have in other aspects of Bar efforts, such as the Vote Is In Your Court. We want to ensure that educational efforts include members of The Florida Bar, the general public, and law schools.... We want to expand the Bar's Special Committee on the 2017 Constitution Revision Commission and include non-Board of Governors members. We think that is critical to various communities that all of you practice in."

* Improving communications and relations with Bar members and the public. "We all know from last year and years before how crucial effective communication is," said board...