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Future - That period
of time in which our affairs prosper, our friends
are true and our happiness is assured. - Ambrose Bierce
Recently law schools,
among other educational institutions around our State,
have conducted graduation ceremonies for their Seniors.
Appropriately, these ceremonies are termed commencement
- a time in the life of the graduate to reflect on
the past, and to hopefully look to the future.
Just as law schools
have commencement each year, the Arkansas Bar Association
has a similar annual tradition. Our commencement is
known as the Annual Meeting in Hot Springs where our
members celebrate and honor the accomplishments of
the Association of the past under the leadership that
has wrought them. Although diplomas are not a part
of our Association's commencement, our members do
receive certificates for continuing their legal education.
Then, our members embark on a new year under new leadership.
It is certainly appropriate that our Association's
Annual Meeting functions in this manner, as it is
the envy of bar associations around the country. We
manage to continually attract excellent CLE and entertainment
to allow almost 25% of our lawyers in the State to
enjoy fellowship in a festive environment. The 2005
Annual Meeting was no exception. The planning and
hard work of Cathi Compton and the Association's staff
brought us a wonderful meeting which was well attended
by over 1,100 members.
Our Association commencement,
allows me, as your new President, the privilege to
reflect on the achievements of our Association in
the past. Under the very capable leadership of our
President, Fred Ursery, the support of our members
and our capable staff 2004-2005 was a rewarding year
- the Association proposed amendments to our Rules
of Professional Conduct, which were adopted without
revision by the Arkansas Supreme Court; the entire
Bar legislative package, including a new Trust Code,
was enacted by the Legislature; the membership continued
to grow to a record level of 4854 in a year with a
dues increase; and in cooperation with the Arkansas
Bar Foundation, the old Arkansas Bar Center has been
sold and we have acquired a new Bar Center located
on Cottondale Lane on the Arkansas River. As Fred
and Sharon culminate their three year journey on the
leadership path of the Association, we compliment
them on conducting themselves with dignity and class
as they traveled the State and Country as our ambassadors,
and we congratulate Fred and Eddie Walker, as Chairman
of the Board of Governors, on the success which their
leadership has allowed our Association to achieve.
As with any commencement,
we look optimistically on a new future for our Association.
The leaders of our profession had a wonderful vision
when they built the old Arkansas Bar Center in 1973.
This beautiful facility served as a focal point for
lawyers scattered around the State to utilize for
professional purposes and gather in fellowship. We
are "building" for the future with the new
Arkansas Bar Center, and the Foundation and Association
believe the campaign for funding improvements to the
new Bar Center is a golden opportunity.
In an age when technology
facilitates a rather impersonal communication, our
Association will work in partnership with the Arkansas
Bar Foundation in a fund raising program which I term
"Building for the Bar." We will be personally
approaching members of the Foundation and Association
to establish this new Bar Center as a beacon of hope
for the future of our profession and a monument to
our heritage of the past. The fund raising will be
led by two outstanding members of the Bar, John Stroud
and Dick Williams. We will be contacting the members
of the Association, and through such contacts we hope
not only to attain financial goals but rekindle old
friendships and involvement with the Association and
Foundation to serve us well in the future.
Of course, commencement
of the future offers more challenges than fund raising
as your Association is certainly more than brick and
mortar. As we commence the new year, here are some
of the challenges and goals confronting us: First,
we have created a joint task force with the Administrative
Office of Courts to study improvements to our jury
system using the recommendations of the American Bar
Association and other states. The jury system is the
cornerstone of our justice system and democracy, but
we need to explore whether some aspects of the system
need "fine tuning" to insure more comprehensive
participation by citizens and more informative involvement
in the trial; Second, we will conduct a leadership
conference in the Spring of 2006; Third, in the area
of professionalism - we plan to conduct our first
professionalism practicum for new Bar admittees, and
we will embark on a series of seminars with law students
at both of our Law Schools and implement other programs
to promote pro-bono services and more professionalism;
Fourth, we plan to study a report rendered by the
American Bar Association on the inadequate provision
of legal services to indigent criminal defendants;
Fifth, in the area of enhancement of the image of
the profession we hope to create a program in which
we prominently recognize locally those lawyers who
have contributed to their community and include them
in The Arkansas Lawyer; Sixth, in the area
of member benefits we plan to provide a summary of
recent Arkansas cases on our web site; Seventh, for
young lawyers we plan to study and implement a mentor
program to provide guidance and counsel for young
lawyers; Eighth, at the request of the Arkansas Supreme
Court, we plan to analyze the necessity of revising
the procedures and rules of the Judicial Discipline
and Disability Commission; Ninth, we will complete
the study of disclosure of professional liability
insurance; and finally, we will plan and conduct another
outstanding Annual Meeting on June 7-10, 2006, under
the direction of our Chair, Jim Julian.
These are some of the
programs and goals we set for the new year. Clearly,
your Association staff and leadership will be busy.
As a humble and grateful country lawyer from Prescott,
it is an honor for me to serve as your President.
Thank you for granting me that privilege, and I will
endeavor to meet the high standards set by Fred Ursery
and our other outstanding past Presidents. We solicit
your involvement and advice on all of the activities
of our Association, as it is only through your active
participation that our Association can commence "building"
for the future.•
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