A Guide to Navigating www.nysba.org
The New York State Bar Association welcomes you to an online tutorial on how to navigate the NYSBA Web site and take advantage of its many resources. You may view the tour by choosing one of the chapter titles from the menu.
The Web site tutorial is designed to help you find specific information and areas of interest on the site. In this tutorial you will learn about the process of:
- Logging in with your unique username and password
- Customizing content and personalizing your experience with the myNYSBA page
- Exploring the For Attorneys collection of legal resources
- Viewing Continuing Legal Education information and event listings
- Purchasing and using archives for NYSBA publications and forms
- Accessing Practice Sections
- Participating in Forums and managing the messages you receive
- Using NYSBA Blogs
Logging In
Welcome to the home page of www.nysba.org. From the home page you can select the type of information you need and reach a wide variety of resources and tools designed to assist you in the practice of law in New York. You can click on any graphic, icon, or title on the home page to reach information, or you can click specific navigation buttons on the left side of the screen to see the information available at each main navigation point.
When you click any of the main navigation buttons on the left you will then see a page offering links to specific information with descriptive notes to help you find the information you need.
You can also use the Search box at the bottom of the navigation buttons on any page to find all the information on a given topic available on the site.
In order to access the wealth of members-only features of the Web site, you will need to sign in with your username and password.
If you do not have your username and password readily available to you, click Login and then "Need Help Logging In" from the login page. If you prefer you may simply visit www.nysba.org/pwhelp.
To use the Sign-in help feature you will need to input your email address and then click the submit button. When you do, you will see a message in red that says:
Your password has been sent to you via email. Please make sure the www.NYSBA.org domain is not listed as spam by your e-mail provider. If you are expecting a message and do not receive one, check your spam filter. If the message still is not available, contact the Bar Center at (518) 463-3200 to make sure your e-mail address is on file.
When you request sign-in help, a new password will be e-mailed to you. Your username is the first letter of your first-name plus your 6-digit member ID number — unless you previously customized your username.
If you are unable to login after using the login help feature, please e-mail webmaster@nysba.org for assistance or call the Bar Center at (518) 463-3200 and ask for Web site assistance.
Once you have logged in, you’ll be brought to the Welcome Screen. There you can read important information and announcements from the Association, customize your NYSBA web experience with the MyNYSBA page, and update your personal contact profile.
Using the navigation menu at the left side of the page, the links within the copy, or the utility links in the upper right-hand corner, you can get to any other page on the site from the Welcome screen.
Customizing Your Experience with myNYSBA
The myNYSBA page creates a customized alternative home page for the www.nysba.org Web site. When you click the myNYSBA link you will see just the information you have requested.
The customized myNYSBA page provides information tailored to your area of practice and also provides you the same news and announcements available on the NYSBA home page.
Choose Personal Interest Profile to select the practice topic areas in which you wish to receive information. You are welcome to select as many or as few topics as you like and you can return to this profile to change your custom information as often as you wish.
Choose Personal Contact Profile to personalize your NYSBA Web site experience. On this page you can change your username and password.
Displayed in tabs, your personal profile contains general contact information as well as specific attorney, practice area and opt-in information. It is important that you review each of the tabs and update the information on your member record.
The opt-in tab allows you to manage your mailing and contact preferences, choose to receive certain publications only by e-mail, and so on. Make sure to keep a current e-mail address on file with the Bar Association to stay abreast of changes in the law, lobbying efforts, and important announcements.
Articles are sorted and delivered based on your selected areas of interest. Articles come from Section and Association publications and are archived back to 2000.
Events are sorted based on your interests so you see only the events related to your Section memberships and designated areas of practice. Events include Association meetings, Section meetings, CLE programs, and more.
Quick Links provide efficient access to the most-used content on the NYSBA Web site. With one click you can quickly reach hot topics and new information without searching or browsing.
The online store offers books, forms, publications, and CLE recordings that may interest you based on your designated areas of practice. At any time you may also use the Publications navigation menu to access the full listing of products available for sale.
The Purchases and Downloads page offers two important resources. When you make a purchase through the online store, a record of your purchase is created and listed for you on this page. When you download a CLE Online program or purchase a downloadable form you will come to this page to collect your downloaded products. Downloaded products remain available on this page for one year unless otherwise indicated.
The Purchases and Downloads page allows you to start and stop your CLE Online programs as often as necessary and lets you go back to download forms you have purchased as needed.
The CLE Credit Tracker gives you a handy online tool for keeping track of your credits earned and credits needed. CLE programs completed through the NYSBA automatically show on your personalized tracker. Programs completed through other providers can be added manually using the data entry form on the site. Please pay special attention to your license renewal date as it relates to your reporting cycle. If your dates are incorrect, please visit Personal Contact Profile and click the Attorney Info tab to update the information in your member record.
Please note: The CLE Credit Tracker is simply a handy tool and is for your personal use only. No information on the CLE Credit Tracker is reported to the Office of Court Administration and you should not rely solely on the tracker credit count to meet your requirements prior to your reporting date.
The Sections and Committees area streamlines access to those Sections and Committees of which you are a member. Because you are already logged in you can continue through to your Section page and take full advantage of all your Section-member-only benefits such as access to membership directories, Section publications, and Loislaw LawWatch case summaries.
Exploring the For Attorneys Legal Resource Center
The For Attorneys area provides extensive legal resources for attorneys practicing law in New York.
You can reach the For Attorneys page by clicking the For Attorneys banner in the middle of the home page or clicking the For Attorneys navigation button at the left side of any page.
Key areas on the For Attorneys menu include:
- The Solo/Small Firm Resource Center — a one-stop point of reference for busy legal professionals seeking advice, support and reliable information
- Ethics Opinions — Archived opinions from 1964 to today are available on the site and citation-enhanced versions are provided by Loislaw.com
- The career center — where legal professionals can look for jobs, post employment ads, or read articles and advice on managing their careers
- Professional Standards for attorneys — The most important resources are gathered on one page — the Lawyer’s Code of Professional Responsibility, Lawyer Advertising Rules, Letters of Engagement and more
- Law Practice Management — visit the LPM Resource Center for articles, helpful tools, and interactive advice from experts on topics ranging from technology to employment issues
- Legal Links — this comprehensive collection of links to federal, state, judicial and other legal association resources provides one-stop access to primary sources of legal information
Viewing Continuing Legal Education
The Continuing Legal Education section is the most-visited area of the Association’s Web site and is a useful resource for members and non-members. The CLE area of the site offers numerous resources for obtaining your CLE credits, including:
- Live programs where you can view calendars of upcoming programs and complete descriptions of the events (register online to save your seat);
- And Recorded and online programs that list a large variety of formats to fit your needs. New offerings include DVDs and Podcasts.
You can also access information on Mandatory CLE Requirements — the New York State Mandatory Continuing Legal Education rules are available online and include information on CPE credits for other professions and information for members from other states.
The Live Programs schedule is frequently updated to provide a list of all upcoming live programs with dates, locations and credits offered. It also includes links to register online.
Recorded programs can be easily purchased with a single click, adding items to your shopping cart. Once you have chosen your topic you can then select the format that works best for you.
Numerous online programs can also be easily accessed and purchased for immediate use. NYSBA membership allows you to enjoy savings on CLE products and programs of more than 35%.
Easily connect to a complete event schedule by selecting the link from the left-hand navigation bar. Calendars can be viewed in list or grid format. Use the Print This Page button on the left to produce easy-to-use hard copies.
Purchasing Publications and Forms
The NYSBA Web site offers unparalleled access to downloadable forms, archived publications and reference books. Members can view back issues of Section publications, the New York State Bar Journal, the State Bar News, Siegel’s Law Digest, and more. Downloadable forms provide instant access to specially organized tool kits based on practice topics and provide full tables of contents to view prior to purchase. Reference books are sorted by topic for browsing or are searchable by title.
Downloadable forms are available in 22 practice tool kits with all the forms and instructions needed for completing a legal matter. Forms are available in form-fill PDF and word processing formats. Downloadable forms offer members an easy and convenient way to keep going when you need that form right now!
Complete sets of forms also are available in hardcopy in the New York Lawyers Formbook, 2E and on CD-Rom.
The Publications area of the NYSBA Web site also offers access to current issues and extensive archives of NYSBA publications, substantive reports on the work of the Association, and e-book versions of important practice guides for members.
Accessing Practice Sections
The 25 Sections of the New York State Bar Association offer their members practice resources and important networking and referral opportunities.
By choosing Sections/Committees on the navigation bar that runs along the left side of every page, you will be able to display a menu where you can click on a link and access Section or Committee information or Section publications.
Section Web pages offer topical information, upcoming events, and Section announcements as well as members-only access to listserves, archived newsletters, and LawWatch case summaries from Loislaw.com.
By clicking on any one of the links in the listing of Sections, you’ll be brought directly to the Section’s Web pages. Sections of which you are already a member will show under the My Sections heading if you are logged in. Sections you may wish to join will show in a list below.
Section home pages offer links to each of their committees, as well as important topical information and events listings. Section home pages are available to all visitors and it is here where you will find information on how to join a particular Section.
The upcoming events page shows CLE programming of interest to Section members as well as scheduled Section meetings and meetings of various Section committees.
The Loislaw LawWatch case summaries are provided as a courtesy to Section members. Search terms are decided by the Section executive committee and reflect the practice areas covered by the Section. Members (who are logged in) can click through the link in the case heading and read the full case and trace the case links back as far as they like.
Section publications are a key benefit of Section membership. Current issues and archives back to 2000 are available online. Section members also enjoy access to citation-enhanced versions of their publications provided by Loislaw. These publications are searchable and include links to any case law mentioned in articles.
Participating in Forums
NYSBA Forums (listserves) are a popular way for members to stay in-touch, network, and ask questions of colleagues. Forums are for members only and are considered "closed lists" — meaning only members of the particular committee or group have access to the e-mails and online archives of the list. You can access Forums from the navigation button on every page.
If you are logged in, click Forums to access all the lists of which you are a member. You will need to choose the e-mail address at which you receive listserve messages if you have more than one e-mail on file with the NYSBA. Click on submit to confirm your email address.
Once you enter the Forums area you will see a list of Forums of which you are a member. To read online archives click the name of the list.
To manage the format and frequency of the e-mails you receive, choose the MyAccount tab.
You can send messages either from the Web site or from your e-mail. To e-mail simply address your message to the listserve e-mail address. To create a message for the Forum from the Web, click the "create new" message button from the Messages tab. If you’d like to view other messages that have been posted, click on the name of the list you wish to read.
After clicking on the Create new message button you’ll be directed to your new message screen. Enter your message and click OK to submit it to the group. Remember — on a listserve messages are seen by ALL participants unless you are notified otherwise. Carefully review your message before you click OK.
Choose the MyAccount tab to manage your listserve e-mail. On this tab you can change your e-mail address where you wish to receive messages, edit the way your name appears to others on the list, and select the frequency and format of the messages you receive. You can choose to have each message delivered immediately, to receive a digest of messages, to receive an index indicating just the topics covered for the day, or you can choose to receive no e-mail and simply participate through the Web site. All messages are automatically archived on the site for 180 days.
Using NYSBA Blogs
The NYSBA publishes a number of blogs (short for Weblogs) on topics of interest to members. Blogs are mostly written by Section members covering specific topics such as Health Law, Torts, Insurance and Compensation Law, Elder Law, or General Practice.
Blogs are an interactive tool for users. After reading the substantive posts users can respond using the comments feature. The NYSBA moderates all comments (due to the very high volume of junk or spam comments received) so posting is not immediate. Bloggers read the comments and will often reply back to a commenter.
Several NYSBA blogs have been recognized by the blogosphere (the collective term for the world of blogging) as offering unique commentary on substantive legal issues. If you are looking to get started with using blogs or even thinking about blogging yourself, please take a few minutes to look over the NYSBA blogs, specifically the Health Law blog (Supraspinatus), the Torts, Insurance and Compensation Law blog, and the General Practice blog. Each covers a variety of topics and takes a different approach to blogging.
For a full list of NYSBA blogs click the Blogs button the left hand navigation menu on any page.
Thank You!
Thank you for completing the online tutorial of www.nysba.org. We hope you found it useful, but more importantly, we hope you are now able to make the most of www.nysba.org and the wealth of resources it contains. Click our address to return to the NYSBA Web site.
We welcome your feedback. Please e-mail webmaster@nysba.org and share your thoughts.