{"id":977,"date":"2025-02-10T12:17:03","date_gmt":"2025-02-10T17:17:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/LawD\/?p=977"},"modified":"2025-02-10T12:17:03","modified_gmt":"2025-02-10T17:17:03","slug":"recap-of-the-lawd-webinar-crafting-your-ata66-proposal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/LawD\/recap-of-the-lawd-webinar-crafting-your-ata66-proposal\/","title":{"rendered":"Recap of the LawD Webinar: Crafting Your ATA66 Proposal"},"content":{"rendered":"

On February 5th, 2025, the Law Division hosted its first webinar, <\/span>Crafting Your ATA66 Proposal: Discover How to Share Your Expertise at ATA66!<\/span><\/i> The session provided valuable guidance on navigating the submission process for the ATA Annual Conference. Liz, LawD Administrator, Katja, Member of the LawD Leadership Council, and Lenny, Member of the Law Division and experienced speaker, shared practical tips and insights on submitting and crafting compelling proposals.<\/span><\/p>\n

Key Takeaways from the Webinar:<\/b><\/h4>\n

The webinar was packed with expert advice, focusing on four main areas: choosing the right topic, understanding the submission process, writing your proposal, and avoiding common pitfalls. Here’s a recap of the most important points discussed:<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Choosing Your Topic: Know What to Submit<\/b><\/h5>\n

The first step to crafting a successful proposal is selecting a relevant and engaging topic. Liz, who reviews proposals that select \u201clegal\u201d as a subject matter, emphasized the importance of choosing topics that truly resonate with our members. To ensure alignment with members\u2019 interests, Liz refers to the latest Law Division membership survey. You can check out the most recent survey results <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>, where item #10 highlights the top topics that received the most votes from our members.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Lenny emphasized, it’s crucial to select a topic you’re passionate about. While you don’t need to be the world’s leading expert on the subject, you should have some experience in the field or topic you plan to present.<\/span><\/p>\n

Katja explained that for her, it was important to choose a topic where she can help other legal professionals understand the business side of the profession and address common challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Understanding the Submission Process<\/b><\/h5>\n

Once you\u2019ve chosen your topic, the next step is completing the <\/span>ATA submission form<\/span><\/a>. Katja walked through each section of the form, offering tips on how to fill it out effectively. One key piece of advice: complete all fields on the form and follow the requirements for each section. Your submission should accurately reflect what attendees can expect, including key takeaways and goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

Katja also stressed the importance of meeting deadlines and providing updates if any session details change after submission.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, remember that the website doesn\u2019t save your progress. If you\u2019re not ready to submit your proposal yet, be sure to save your drafted information in a separate document so you don\u2019t lose your work.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Writing Your Proposal: Tips for Crafting a Winning Submission<\/b><\/h5>\n

This section of the webinar focused on writing a proposal that stands out to reviewers. Panelists Lenny and Katja shared insights based on their experiences with the proposal-writing process.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lenny, who had three proposals accepted last year, explained his approach to crafting proposals, covering everything from choosing a title to writing the description and bio. He emphasized that many attendees decide whether to attend a session based solely on the title. Additionally, once your proposal is accepted, the title, description, and bio you submit will appear on the conference website, so it\u2019s important to make them compelling and accurate.<\/span><\/p>\n

Katja stressed the importance of ensuring the session description matches the actual content of your presentation. Since proposals are accepted months in advance, attendees sometimes complain when the session doesn\u2019t align with the description on the website. It\u2019s crucial to stick to the plan you submitted or update the description if there are changes.<\/span><\/p>\n

A key takeaway from Liz was the importance of tailoring your bio to reflect your expertise in the subject matter. Adapting your bio to highlight your experience in the field you are presenting is essential for building credibility with reviewers and, if accepted, the audience.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Common Pitfalls: What to Avoid<\/b><\/h5>\n

As with any proposal process, there are common mistakes that can affect your submission. Liz explained that typos, vague wording, and unclear descriptions are key factors in deciding whether to approve or dismiss a proposal. She emphasized the importance of having multiple people review your submission before finalizing it. Having a native English speaker review is especially important, as submissions must be in English regardless of your presentation language.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another crucial tip was to avoid over-reliance on AI-generated content without proper review. While AI tools can be helpful, proposals that appear overly automated may raise red flags and doubt about the submitter’s expertise. Finally, make sure your proposal accurately reflects the session you plan to deliver\u2014don\u2019t deviate from the initial description after submission.<\/span><\/p>\n

Submission Requirements and Process Recap<\/b><\/h4>\n

To help you craft your own successful ATA66 proposal, here\u2019s a brief overview of the submission process and key requirements:<\/span><\/p>\n