The Federal Bar Association’s (FBA’s) mission has brought together attorneys and judges from all parts of the country and has united them in common service to the federal legal profession. In January 2020, the FBA will celebrate 100 years of service to its members and the legal community—service that was inspired by the vision of the founders many years ago. From its small beginning in 1920 with 438 founding members, the FBA has grown to more than 18,000 members. To ensure that the FBA is the preeminent bar association for federal practitioners for the next 100 years and to provide goals and direction for the immediate future, the Board of Directors has adopted a strategic plan for 2020–2022.
In 2018, the FBA saw the effects of declining membership, a trend that has been impacting most bar and professional societies since 2015. As planning commenced for the association’s Centennial Celebration (March 19–21, 2020), the board recognized that the organization is in transition and must evolve to meet the needs of its multigenerational, national membership. Because of the forward-thinking leadership of the board and their openness to an independent review of the association, the strategic planning process offered an opportunity to take a critical look at who the members of the FBA are, what the FBA does, and how the FBA can better serve the needs of its changing membership.
The FBA’s strategic plan focuses on three specific objectives for lasting impact:
1. Design a sustaining financial model that will support the FBA’s future relevance
2. Strengthen recognition of the FBA as the advocate for the federal judiciary and as the premier bar for federal practitioners
3. Modernize the FBA’s governance structure to ensure meaningful and inclusive leadership opportunities.
Each objective includes specific and measurable action items that will be monitored quarterly by the Board of Directors. Progress will be reported semiannually to the membership.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am proud to present the FBA’s 2020–2022 strategic plan. Grounded in the association’s mission, vision, and core values, the plan articulates objectives that are consistent with the FBA’s commitment to serving as a nonpartisan catalyst for communication between the bar and the bench, as well as between the private and public sectors. This plan will guide our actions throughout the next three years, and I look forward to working with our leaders and members to accomplish the objectives set forth. I hope that you will join me in celebrating the organization’s beginning and the past 100 years at the Centennial Celebration this March in Washington, D.C., and also join me in toasting to a healthy and prosperous future.
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Christian K. Adams
National President
About the FBA
Founded in 1920, the Federal Bar Association is dedicated to the advancement of the science of jurisprudence and to promoting the welfare, interests, education, and professional development of all attorneys involved in federal law. Our more than 16,000 members run the gamut of federal practice: attorneys practicing in small to large legal firms, attorneys in corporations and federal agencies, and members of the judiciary. The FBA is the catalyst for communication between the bar and the bench, as well as the private and public sectors. Visit us at fedbar.org to learn more.
Federal Bar Association 