General Information
The Inn was founded in 2001 as an independent New Jersey
non-profit corporation, tax-exempt pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of
the Internal Revenue Code, under the name "Inn of Transactional
Counsel." In 2008, this entity entered into an Affiliation
Agreement with the American Inns of Court Foundation whereby it was
chartered as the "First American Inn of Transactional Counsel."
The mission of the Inn is to teach, learn, hone, and improve
practice skills, share experiences with other members of the Bar,
foster collegiality, and promote excellence in the practice of law,
as related to transactional matters. The Inn's members are
lawyers engaged primarily in transactional law and include
corporate lawyers, real estate lawyers, and others. Members include
both seasoned and new transactional lawyers. Members are designated
as Counselors, Solicitor or Associates, based on their level of
experience.
Meetings of the Inn of Transactional Counsel
Inn meetings are held at certain participating law firms at 6:30
p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month (nine times per year), as
set forth on the downloadable Meeting and Program Schedule (see
link).
Programs are interactive with energetic input from all
participants. Members are expected to lead or facilitate at least
one program each year. Topics are presented in a variety of
formats, including lectures and presentations (some by outside
experts), panel discussions and mock negotiations. The
presentations encourage interaction in an educational environment
among lawyers with varying levels of experience.
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Annual Membership Dues
Annual Membership dues are payable each year on or before
September 1 for the upcoming September through May membership
year. The annual membership due for the 2010-2011 year is
$250.00 per person. The membership dues cover the membership
of the Inn, and each of its members, in the American Inns of Court
Foundation, as well as administrative costs, and any costs and
expenses associated with the meetings, such as program materials,
and any food and beverages that may be provided.
Student Memberships are available at no charge for those who
qualify, and there may also be certain scholarship opportunities
available. Further, in cases of hardship, special
arrangements can be made regarding payment of membership
fees. Follow the link for the current Student Membership,
Scholarship and Special Hardship Policies.
CLE Credits
The Inn keeps track of each member's attendance at the
meetings (and any presentations that they give), and will issue CLE
certifications to each member for use in those of the below-listed
States in which he or she is a member of the bar. During the year,
members can always view the number of CLE credits earned to date by
visiting their Member's Page on the web site.
Each certification provided by the Inn will state the number of
CLE hours earned during the past calendar year (including any in
ethics and professionalism) at the beginning of each new calendar
year (or otherwise upon the request of the member), based on the
criteria of the bar of that State.
Please note that there should be nine (9) meetings held per
year, whether per calendar year or per session year. Also, we
expect that the December meeting will be creditable for one (1)
hour of any ethics and professionalism CLE requirements.
New Jersey - The 2010 - 2011 session has
been approved (note-we are still waiting for official final
approval) by the board on Continuing Legal Education of the
Supreme Court of New Jersey for one (1) credit hour per meeting
attended. The members of a team that give a presentation will
receive two (2) credit hours for that meeting.
New York - The 2010 - 2011 session has
been approved for one (1) credit hour per meeting attended.
The members of a team that give a presentation will receive three
(3) NY credit hours for that meeting.
Pennsylvania - The 2010 - 2011 session
has been approved for one (1) credit hour per meeting
attended. The members of a team that give a presentation will
receive two (2) PA credit hours for that meeting.
Type of Membership
The First American Inn of Transactional Counsel has member
classifications that are slightly different than are used by other
chapters of the American Inns of Court.
Active Members of this chapter are designated as Counselors,
Solicitors, Associates or Pupils.
Inactive/former Members are designated as Emeritus Members,
Alumnus Members or Inactive Members.
Applications for Membership
If you are interested in becoming a member of the First American
Inn of Transactional Counsel, please feel free to contact any of
the Trustees serving on the Membership Committee with any questions
that you may have.
To the right is a link to the names and contact information for
the current Membership Committee members.
Also, below is a link for a downloadable form of application for
membership with this chapter, which can be filled out and returned,
by mail or e-mail, to any of the Membership Committee members.
Related Educational Opportunities
Members of this chapter often serve as adjunct professors for
New Jersey law schools and/or present educational seminars for
other attorneys or business people. Below is a list of
current and upcoming courses/events. Please note that this
list may not be complete and/or current, as it is subject to
frequent change.