by Reginald Luster
I am honored that you, my colleagues, the lawyers and judges of this organization, have elected me president of the Jacksonville Bar Association, an organization that has a 107-year history of providing service to lawyers and the community. During this summer, the officers and Board of Governors are planning for a successful year of Bar activities and services beginning in September.
In May, I asked a dozen members of our bar association to serve on the Long Range Planning Committee to provide me with their positions on several issues that will face this organization during the next year. I have received their report and I will consider their advice as I meet with the Board of Governors this summer.
Many members have called, e-mailed and faxed me about their desire to serve as chair or co-chair of sections and committees. I have made numerous appointments to these sections and committees. If you have a desire to serve, please contact me or the executive director. I will conclude the appointments during this month.
I am excited about establishing the agenda and goals to achieve during the upcoming year. You need only look at my past experience and history with the Jacksonville Bar to know that I believe the bar association should increase its membership by reclaiming its former members and extending invitations to those who have never been members. During this summer, the officers and Board of Governors will launch an aggressive membership campaign calling upon lawyers, law firms and bar leaders to assist us in meeting our goal of 2,000 members.
The Jacksonville Bar Association places an emphasis on providing comprehensive, continuing legal education seminars with the assistance of its sections and committees. While there will not be a dramatic increase in the number of seminars, the bar association will seek to provide seminars that cover the members’ areas of practice. If you have a desire to assist in organizing or participating as a speaker, please contact your section or committee chair persons.
I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Allison Hauser of the Marks Gray law firm as editor of the Bulletin. I have also appointed Lauren Parsons Langham of the Smith Hulsey & Busey law firm as assistant editor of the Bulletin. I have tasked these lawyers with bringing about some changes and improving the quality of substantive articles to appear in the Bulletin. In the September edition of the Bulletin, you will see the results of the recommendations from the Long Range Planning Committee, the hard work of these two lawyers and some fine tuning by the Board of Governors.
Finally, during this summer, I ask that all members take a moment to review and reflect on the lawyer’s oath of admission to The Florida Bar which states:
“I will never reject, from any consideration personal to myself, the cause of the defenseless or oppressed”
In 1998, the Jacksonville Bar Association adopted its mission statement which provides that it is the goal of the Bar “To improve access to affordable legal services for all residents of Northeast Florida.” During the upcoming year, I will call on members to live up to and rededicate yourselves to these principles.
I am honored that you have renewed your membership in this 107-year old legal organization. I wish everyone an enjoyable and prosperous summer.