A New Plan Will Guide NCAJ’s Efforts To Advocate For Fair Laws and a Level Playing Field

Among the many vital ways NCAJ serves you is by advocating on your behalf for fair laws and a level playing field in all branches of government. Late last year, we began developing a new plan to guide that endeavor, to ensure that we spend NCAJ’s advocacy energy in the most effective and powerful way possible, focusing on the matters of greatest consequence to our members and the people they represent.

We are now excited to present the 2021-2022 Advocacy Strategic Plan. The plan represents the results of membership surveys and input and public policy requests received from sections as well as hours of research, discussion and scrutiny by members of the Advocacy Strategic Plan Task Force, staff and our consultants, Daniels Advocacy Group. Within it, you will find:

• NCAJ’s advocacy mission statement,
• A new policy-decision making and prioritization process,
• NCAJ’s 2021-2022 public policy agenda,
• A description of our amicus brief and moot court processes and
• New guidelines for the NCAJ Political Action Committee.

In developing the plan, NCAJ leadership considered the organization’s deep roots in advocacy alongside the realities of the political landscape in North Carolina. Our goal is to adapt and improve our approach and processes while continuing to support and represent our members and our clients in the best way possible.

You will be hearing more about the Advocacy Strategic Plan in the coming weeks as we release a detailed video and host virtual programs to give members the chance to ask questions. We will also release a public policy agenda toolkit for leaders of NCAJ sections, divisions and caucuses to empower them to start utilizing these new advocacy decision-making processes immediately.

In addition, NCAJ staff will looking at new member engagement opportunities, such as:

• Training on effective advocacy,
• Lobby days in Raleigh,
• The implementation of NCAJ’s new VoterVoice system to build improved connections between members and constituents to their legislators, and
• Regular legislative updates in a variety of formats for members

Together, we can use this plan to amplify NCAJ’s voice in legislative and judicial arenas and boost the visibility of our organization and you, our members. I look forward to working with all of you to make this plan work for NCAJ.