With no specific product to sell, many executives of smaller associations roll their eyes when the discussion turns to "going global." I confess that I certainly have. But in 2005, when the California Judges Association took its first global foray to Morelia, Mexico, I discovered that the perception that small associations can't play a part in the global community was false.

Thanks in part to the requirement that our members maintain a certain number of continuing education credits—and to the fact that stand-alone, three-day conferences were becoming more expensive and less appealing—CJA sought to meld the educational and networking values of its conferences with the excitement of international travel.

We structured these international meetings much like any other conference with a base hotel, transportation, meals, and activities focused on classroom education, peer-to-peer interaction, and cultural excursions. We combined the professional experience, best practices, and key competencies of our member judges with the added benefit of travel, cultural enrichment, and life-changing experiences. And we also brought in some non-dues dollars through conference registrations and partnerships with likeminded organizations in each of the destinations.

I discovered that the perception that small associations can't play a part in the global community was false.

Here's a rundown of CJA's international trips:

Mexico. Our first international trip, in 2005, was a weeklong experience in Morelia, Mexico. It combined judicial education for our members, outreach to the Mexican judiciary (which was adjusting to mandated reforms), and cultural interactions that would not have been possible in any other context. CJA members participated in morning classes with Mexican judicial leaders, who guided sessions that explained the country's current system. In turn, CJA presented several panel discussions on topics, such as the value of oral trials that are open to the public. We also ran "mock trials" with CJA members playing the parts of defendant, lawyers, judge, and jury in an interactive demonstration of the American jury system.

Building on the success of the inaugural visit, we embarked on a concerted effort to keep this good relationship and flow of ideas moving forward. With subsequent trips to Mexico City (in 2007), Xalapa and Veracruz (in 2009), and Puebla and Oaxaca (in 2014), our small association has played a vital role in ongoing reform efforts for the Mexican people and their justice system.

England. Our international program expanded with visits to Oxford University in 2006 and 2010, where members participated in class room discussions tailored to emerging issues facing the UK and the European Union, as well as similarities and differences in our court systems, along with an ample amount of legal history. Another thrill was living for 10 days on campus in dorm rooms older than the United States.

Israel. In 2008, we ventured to Israel and were fortunate to spend an afternoon with the Israeli Chief Justice Dorit Beinish and several judicial leaders. CJA members spent five glorious days in Jerusalem and followed that with a three-day excursion the Dead Sea and Petra, Jordan. Responding to demand, CJA has scheduled a return visit in September 2017, which will include stops in both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

South Africa. In 2012, CJA visited to South Africa, where we shared the basic structures for establishing association-based member education with the newly formed judicial education division. We also had a productive and interactive session with various leaders charged with building this program. We enjoyed conversation and tea with Supreme Court Justice Edwin Cameron—the first openly gay man to serve on the court. The highlight for most participants was spending an afternoon in the backyard of anti-apartheid activist and former Chief Justice Albie Sachs. He told stories of oppression under the apartheid system and described the wonder and joy of writing a new constitution with Nelson Mandela.

Germany and Poland. In 2015, CJA participated in a week-long commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Nuremberg trials, partnering with academic advisors from the law schools at Creighton and Chapman universities. Our members spent a week in Nuremberg and an unforgettable afternoon in Courtroom 600—also known as "Humanity's Courtroom"—where the trials took place. From there we traveled to Krakow, Poland, for a chance to visit the Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps.

Cuba. In 2016, our docket included a July visit to Cuba, where participants met with members of the Cuban judiciary. These conversations were unfiltered and candid, and the interaction offered a rare glimpse into the practice of the law in a rapidly changing Communist country.

Every organization, no matter how small, can create such life-changing experiences for members if they expand their thinking beyond what is known and comfortable, toward making a change in the world—one member and global experience at a time.