With an Emphasis on Member Service, MSBA's Real Property
Section Thrives
By Bryan Nichols
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Real Property, Planning & Zoning
No. of Members
1650
Founded
November 1, 1968
Officers
Chair: Tracey E. Skinner
Vice-Chair: Michael Swanenburg
Secretary: Hilary O'Connor
Newsletter
Ground Rules
MICPEL Programs
Advanced Real Property Seminar
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Tom Barbuti, a partner with Whiteford, Taylor & Preston,
LLP, ended his term as Chair of MSBA's Real Property, Planning & Zoning Law
Section on a high note as the Section was awarded the 2006 MSBA President's
Best Section Project Award – Service to Members, for its educational
Advanced Real Property Seminar, presented in conjunction with MICPEL.
"The program provides advanced training for Real
Estate lawyers in current practices," says Barbuti.
"We encourage all lawyers in the field to attend. A practitioner catches up
with the field by attending the seminar."
Held at the Baltimore Convention Center, the
program routinely attracts 120-130 attorneys each year and is a valuable
asset to a wide array of Real Estate practitioners. Barbuti admits that some
of the information may be "a little over the heads" of the younger lawyers,
but that they should nonetheless attend because "they learn by osmosis." Throughout
the daylong session, attendees can be briefed on new facets of Real Estate
law, listen to speeches by prominent lawyers in the field and network in
a "meet and greet" fashion.
"It's one of the most-respected programs," continues
Barbuti. "Overall, the Section continues to be active and attract participation,
[it's been a] fairly successful year for the Section."
Though the Section has thrived continuously for
many years, changes must be made in order to stay fresh. Therefore, new Section
Chair Tracey Skinner has placed into motion a movement that will bring member
benefits to the forefront of her term.
Since June 2005, membership has jumped 10 percent,
mainly due to the exceptional benefits to which Section members are entitled,
including seminars, a mentor program, the section Email List, the newsletter Ground
Rules and the Commercial Real Estate Attorney's Discussion Group Luncheon.
Technology has a major role in the improvements, some of which are still
in the development stage. One goal for this bar year, to be spearheaded by
Jack Zemil, is to webcast the Discussion Group Luncheons to attorneys via
their computers, allowing the content to reach members from the Appalachians
to the Maryland seashore. Another improvement in communications for the Section's
members that is being explored is the implementation of a user-friendly forum
as another means of exchanging information between members.
"The essence of the Section's activities over
the years has been to provide benefits for its members," said Skinner, "and
providing member benefits will continue to be the core of the Section's work." To
strengthen this core, the Section Council will add a Planning Committee to
the Section, to be chaired by Nicole Lacoste. The main charge of the Planning
Committee will be to study the recent survey results from the Section members
and to present short-range and long-range plans for the Section, allowing
the Section to even better its efforts to "work in the members' interest."
If you are interested in joining the MSBA Real
Property, Planning & Zoning Section, visit www.msba.org,
or call MSBA's Membership Department at (410) 685-7878.
