Broadcast E-mail Plan and Procedures

October 2000, revised March 2003, revised February 2007, revised February 2009

Introduction

To enhance communication with WSBA members and take advantage of technologies that enable fast, efficient, and cost-effective communication, the WSBA uses broadcast e-mail.

Members can limit the e-mails they receive. (See "E-mail Options," below.) Recognizing that unwanted e-mails can be bothersome, the WSBA is careful about the frequency and content of broadcast e-mails. To monitor frequency and content, all broadcast e-mail messages are funneled through the director of member and community relations (or the director's designee), and a log of all broadcast e-mails is maintained.

The Process

1. Broadcast e-mail messages are coordinated centrally by the Member and Community Relations Department and are not to be sent by individual departments.

2. The person who wants the e-mail message to be sent drafts the e-mail message, completes the "Broadcast E-mail Request," and obtains the approval of his/her department director.

3. The director-approved e-mail message is sent to the communications specialist at least three working days before the desired send date.

4. The communications specialist orders the file from Membership Records.

5. The communications specialist edits the e-mail message as appropriate (checking for content, tone, grammar, and consistency), consults with the original drafter and department director if necessary, determines the date the e-mail message will be sent (considering the date the drafter wishes it to be sent, whether the message is time-sensitive, and the number and subject of recently sent e-mails), and records it in the log. The director of member and community relations approves all e-mails.

6. The finalized e-mail message and all related information is sent to the WSBA Service Center representative, who sends the e-mail.

7. The executive director and department directors are copied on all broadcast e-mail messages. The person initiating the e-mail request is also copied.

Standards

• "WSBA" is always the first word in the subject line. 
• The subject line includes enough information so recipients can quickly determine if they want to delete the message without opening it. 
• There is only one subject per message. 
• The message is brief, sometimes including instructions on where to get additional information. 
• Each e-mail message includes instructions for restricting future broadcast e-mails. 
• No attachments are included. 
• When applicable, web links may be included. 
• No member will receive more than several broadcast e-mail messages per week. 
• All requests for broadcast e-mails must go through the procedure and sent by the designated Service Center representative. 

Broadcast E-mail Messages for Other Groups

In general, it is the WSBA's policy not to send broadcast e-mail messages to WSBA members on behalf of other groups. However, occasional exceptions may be made by the executive director for county, minority, and specialty bar associations, and state courts. Criteria used will be as follows:

• The group requesting the broadcast e-mail is a Washington state county, minority, or specialty bar association, or state court.
• The director of member and community relations determines that the message would be of interest to WSBA members.
• The requesting bar association or court submits its request at least one week in advance.
• WSBA broadcast e-mail standards will apply.

Definition of Broadcast E-mail

This policy applies only to e-mail addresses obtained from the WSBA member database. For the purposes of this policy, it is perhaps easier to consider what a broadcast e-mail is not (any e-mail message sent to a group of members not covered in the examples below would be considered a broadcast e-mail).

• E-mail messages posted to established list serves (e.g., section list serves) do not fall under the guidelines of this broadcast e-mail policy, since those participating in WSBA list serves are doing so voluntarily. It is not our intention to monitor messages sent to list serves, unless the situation specifically warrants it (e.g., complaints from list serve subscribers about inappropriate material). (However, all those participating in list serves are requested to use care when posting e-mail messages to the list serve and not "over-burden" list serve subscribers with frivolous or unnecessary messages.)

• E-mail messages sent by WSBA staff to several WSBA members who are personally known to the staff person are not broadcast e-mail messages. (Staff are advised to exercise good judgment and consider the spirit of the policy, and not try to "work around" it. For example, an e-mail message about an upcoming CLE seminar sent to 50 acquaintances of the staff person would be considered a broadcast e-mail message.) 

• An e-mail message sent to one individual WSBA member by a WSBA staff person, whether or not the staff person personally knows the member is not a broadcast e-mail message.

• An e-mail message sent to a committee by the staff liaison is not a broadcast e-mail message.

E-mail Options

Options are as follows. These may be modified or added to over time.

Members not restricting their e-mails will receive all broadcast e-mail messages. (Note that some announcements may be sent to selected groups, such as CLE seminar notifications sent to those in a particular geographical location.) 

Option 1: "I do not want my e-mail address sold." If you select option 1, you will not receive information about any CLEs, including WSBA and section-sponsored CLEs. (Please note that the WSBA sells e-mail addresses to CLE providers only.)
Option 2: "I do not want any CLE information except for CLEs that are sponsored by sections to which I belong."
Option 3: "I do not want any non-official WSBA or legal community notices."

To Prevent Your E-mail Address from Being Published