by Richard Prior
Staff Writer
The president of the Jacksonville Bar Association expects the group will be bigger, better and even more involved in the community than it has been before.
One of the most important ongoing projects the Bar has gotten involved with is the Literacy Speakers Bureau, said James F. Moseley Jr.
“That has great potential to give something back to the community,” Moseley said. “I know the Bar certainly appreciates the vision and the work of Judge Karen Cole, a past president of our Bar.
“We certainly appreciate her looking to the Bar as a valuable resource.”
A child who cannot read well “suffers greatly,” Cole told the JBA in November.
“He is likely to be retained a grade or more, to lack self-esteem, and become angry and depressed,” she said. “She is at greater risk of dropping out of school, using illegal drugs and violating the law.”
In the upcoming year, the JBA “will publicize and address the problem of illiteracy of young people and help identify solutions,” said Moseley. “Illiteracy touches every aspect of our community, which is why it’s reasonable for lawyers to be involved.”
Members of the JBA who sign up to help will be trained by Ph.D-level school psychologists in the basics of reading research. They will receive booklets on reading, a list of helpful websites and other information.
The JBA will then offer the services of these volunteers for meetings of local civic groups.
Helping solve the problem “elevates everybody,” Moseley agreed.The employment rate goes up; the crime rate goes down. Instead of being a drain on society, potential miscreants can contribute.
Events in the coming months will include many of the Bar’s “normal projects, including issues relating to legal aid, the support of our judiciary with the new Duval County Courthouse and other community projects we’ve done so well with in the past,” Moseley said.
The association was well served by the leadership of his immediate predecessor, Bill Joel.
“Under Bill’s leadership, we had a wonderful Law Week,” said Moseley. “We continued with our many projects, and the Bar was as strong as ever.”
Speaker for Law Week in May was Neal R. Sonnett, chairman of the American Bar Association’s Task Force on Treatment of Enemy Combatants.
At the heart of his speech was the case of Jose Padilla, an American citizen who was arrested in May 2002 at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport for allegedly planning to detonate a radiological weapon.
He was declared an “unlawful combatant” and shipped to Charleston, S.C., where he is still being held, unable to see his lawyer.
One of the most rewarding developments of 2003, Moseley said, was “our growing number, representative of the entire legal community, including minority lawyers, government lawyers and lawyers from all walks of life.
“The other thing I think is important is that the tradition of collegiality is continuing by the participation of lawyers in a lot of the Bar’s social events, such as the Bench & Bar party and our monthly luncheons.
“There also was the formal party we held at the Cummer Art Gallery that we will hold again this year, too.”
The JBA also deserves credit for doing its part to extend good will throughout the legal community, said Moseley.
“As we grow larger as a bar,” he said, “it is important that we maintain the level of respect for each other and continue to have the collegiality, to maintain our high quality of professionalism that we’ve had for well over a century.
“I think we have always been recognized as a highly professionalized bar. One reason is we’ve all participated in our local bar association. Our participation rate is close to 90 percent. Because of that, no matter what our practices may be, we have the opportunity to meet and know each other.
“People practicing in Jacksonville know that your reputation can get around quite quickly.”
He also said he is proud to share his leadership with Reggie Luster, who will become the first African American president of the JBA in July.
Luster is an attorney with Gibbs, Luster & Davis.
Judges and lawyers in Jacksonville need to look no further than the Vintage Lawyers Association for models of professionalism, said Moseley.
That group, composed of members who are at least 55 years old, “has become an honorary section of the Jacksonville Bar,” he said. “We have had the good fortune to have lawyers of high integrity, professionalism and community service go before us.
“The challenge in the future for my generation and the generations that follow is to continue on that wonderful tradition.”
Moseley also wanted to make sure that credit was extended to JBA executive director Diane Gill and her staff.
“She doesn’t get the credit she deserves,” he said. “We are quite fortunate in Jacksonville to have someone of her caliber. Most of the contributions of the bar association would not be possible without the hard work of Diane Gill and her staff.”
Moseley expects that 2004 will see the continued growth of the local Bar as membership swells to more than 2,000 lawyers, “making it one of the largest Bars in the state.”