Like most of my absorbed colleagues in the busy practice of law, I jealously guard my time when faced with an invitation to participate in various charitable, civic, community, political, professional, religious, and social organizations. While I believe it is important to involve yourself in a well-balanced dose of each organization, participation in any organization can be time consuming. Given that fact, attorneys must evaluate whether the time spent supporting the activities of an organization is time well spent. After all, participation not only requires time and sacrifice, it sometimes requires a small or large financial commitment. Then there is the question of association — do you lend your name to the activities and goals of the organization? Some selfishly ask, “how does my participation in this organization directly benefit me?” In the end, the ultimate question is whether the organization has a focused agenda that permits it to accomplish its primary objective. The primary objective of The Jacksonville Bar Association is “to maintain the honor and dignity of the profession; to regulate the practice and promote improvements in the law and methods of its administration; to cultivate professional ethics and social intercourse among its members; and to discuss legal topics of general interest.” The Jacksonville Bar Association remains committed to its primary objective.
Amidst consultations, drafting of pleadings, depositions, motions, mediation hearings, telephone calls and trials, I enthusiastically make my trek to The Jacksonville Bar Association office for the monthly Board of Governors meeting during the second week of each month. With my fax copy of the minutes from the previous meeting and my fax copy of the agenda for the current meeting in hand, I walk to my secretary’s desk and proudly say, “Diane (now Brenda), I am going to the Board of Governors meeting. I should be back at 1:15.” I make my way to the garage, fire up the engine and take a leisurely drive to the Riverplace Tower (formerly the Gulf Life Tower). I have often asked myself, “do I have the same enthusiasm when making my way to the meetings of those charitable, civic, community, political, professional, or social organizations that I participate in?” Sometimes the answer is “yes” and sometimes the answer is “no.” I find that when I continuously answer “no,” it is often because members’ participation in and commitment to the organization has waned. I tend to lose my enthusiasm when I believe the organization and its leadership have drifted from the primary objective. Because we all find our time limited among commitments to family, career, devotion and recreation, it is important that a professional bar association remain focused on its primary objective and related goals. In doing so, it must be responsive to its members.
Members of the Board of Governors review and vote on applications for membership to The Jacksonville Bar Association. During each monthly board meeting since my election in 1998, I have reviewed the applications of lawyers who six months earlier were graduating from law school. Other applicants have practiced law in other states for more than a decade. Some applicants have practiced in Jacksonville and surrounding counties for many years before submitting their applications for the first time. I have reviewed these applications looking for a trend with respect to law firm, law school or law practice. While there is no particular trend, I continue to be amazed with the number of new applications (and annual renewals) for memberships to the bar association. In fact, membership in this bar association has continued to grow while I have observed declining memberships and participation in other organizations. The Jacksonville Bar Association continues to increase its membership not simply because law graduates pass the bar exam or lawyers move to northeast Florida. Membership continues to increase because the bar association responds to the needs of lawyers.
More than thirteen years ago my office manager, the late Lorraine McIntyre, provided me with a brochure about The Jacksonville Bar Association and an application for membership. She proudly explained that, “the attorneys in the law firm of Mathews, Osborne, McNatt, Gobleman, & Cobb are members and we encourage active participation.” Today, if Lorraine was still with us she would no doubt direct new attorneys to the bar association’s web-site at www.jaxbar.org so the attorneys could familiarize themselves with the bar association and apply on-line for membership. (Payment of annual dues must be delivered by mail or courier.) More than seven years ago when I decided to leave my former law firm to join the Department of Justice, a senior partner, John E. McNatt, Jr. said to me, “Reggie, I want you to continue to work in the Jacksonville Bar.” I have continued to find time to work with and serve the members of the bar association because I truly believe this association responds to the needs of its lawyers.
I encourage you to write letters to the president, board of governors, executive director, and committee chairpersons of this bar association. Tell the leadership how you believe the association can assist you in the practice of law. Provide leadership with your ideas, comments, criticisms and commendations. At each monthly board meeting, we carefully read and fervently discuss correspondence from our members. We debate and eventually vote on a course of action in responding to issues or inquiries raised by our members. Further, I invite you to visit the web-site. It is likely that many of you have never visited the web-site and, thus, may be unaware of the services and privileges that come along with your membership. The bar association provides its members with continuing legal education seminars and tapes, a lawyer referral service and a professional directory. Members receive discounts on subscriptions to the Financial News and Daily Record, payroll and tax preparation services, movie tickets, theme park tickets, business attire, and car rentals, and receive the Bar Bulletin free of charge. The association also organizes social events for the members like the monthly luncheons, the Bench and Bar Party, the Annual Meeting, and the golf and tennis Tournaments.
The next time you have time to pen a letter, forward an e-mail, make a friendly telephone call or see me at a monthly luncheon, please share with me your ideas of how you believe this bar association can continue to respond to your needs as a lawyer.