by JBA Board of Governor member Mike Freed
Regrettably, it goes without saying that the image of lawyers is in need of improvement. Some causes are of our making, such as unprofessionalism; advertisements and solicitations that overstep the bounds of good taste; and unresponsiveness to clients.
Some causes are circumstantial, such as the unpleasantness that brings people to interact with attorneys in the first place (e.g., divorce, personal injury, arrests); and frustration with the pace and process of the legal system. Regardless of the causes, it is incumbent on each of us to improve our image.
One way to do this is by publicizing the many things that attorneys do to benefit our community. The list is long and varied — from pro bono service for the indigent to fundraisers for important causes; from service on nonprofit boards to contributions of time and money to repair and build homes for the needy.
Attorneys are a significant source of philanthropy and public service, particularly in Northeast Florida. Unfortunately, the positive influence and role of attorneys is blurred and obscured because of the far more prominent and publicized negative aspects, and negative members, of our profession.
The JBA is committed to doing its part to address this dynamic. We are making an effort to bring to the attention of the public and to media outlets the meaningful contributions that attorneys are making to our community.
Please help us with this important initiative by bringing these contributions to our attention, through me at [email protected]. As the Public Relations Liaison to the JBA Board, I, in turn, will make every effort to obtain appropriate recognition.
This initiative, together with each of our individual efforts to be a positive influence in our community, should go a long way toward improving our image.