Few things bear more directly on an organization’s success than the participation of its members. While there are a number of important tasks that the Jacksonville Bar Association Board of Governors, committees, sections and staff undertake each year, they all work the hardest toward improving member benefits and participation. We have been encouraged by the increase from last year in average attendance at our member luncheons, JBA events and CLE programs. Considering the present economic situation and all the demands on your time, we wanted to remind you of a few major events still to come that we would encourage you to attend and greatly appreciate your presence.
Jamboree and Low Country Boil
The first is the JBA “Jamboree & Low Country Boil” to be held Saturday, April 18. Last year’s event was a great success and this year the JBA Social Committee has taken it to the next level. The hours have been extended from 3-10 p.m. The Committee listened to feedback from last year and has added a kids menu and kid-friendly entertainment for families. Also, the event has been moved to a more central location on the grounds of The Riverfront Professional Center at 644 Cesery St. Some of you may remember that building as the home of Aetna in the ‘70s and CIGNA in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Today, the 644 building is home to several law firms, including the Law Offices of Scott Schuler, Jay Howell, Gray Brannon and Camerlengo & Brockwell, P.L. Several people have inquired if the event will be held in the large parking lot adjacent to the building. We are happy to report that there is an acre of riverfront land for the party and, of course, plenty of parking. Glenn Warren and your Social Committee have really put considerable time and effort into making this year an even bigger success. So please join us on Saturday. Scott Schuler and Jay Howell have promised to give personal tours of their office suite to the first 100 people through the door. Tickets are still available and can be purchased at the event.
Law Week
We encourage each of you to participate in the many Law Week events taking place until May 4. From the Book and Art Supply Drive to the “Amicus Briefs, Diapers, et al” collection to benefit the Sulzbacher Center, there are plenty of opportunities to help those in need. The Law Week Committee has a number of other events planned that require volunteers including the elementary school poster contest; the Law for the Lay person free public lectures at Florida Coastal School of Law; Law Day presentations to public schools; the High School Mock Trial Competition, and the Naturalization Ceremony. Of course, Law Week culminates with the Law Day luncheon on May 4. Our featured speaker is American Bar Association President-Elect Stephen N. Zack. We expect to sell out seats for the Law Day luncheon, so please make your reservations now. Mr. Zack is an accomplished complex commercial litigator, having represented former Governor and current United States Senator Bob Graham; the Florida Senate; the Florida Department of Professional Regulation; the City of Miami; Phillip Morris; and Al Gore in the trial of Bush v. Gore. The oldest of three children, Mr. Zack was born in Detroit and raised in Cuba by an American man and the Cuban-born mother of Russian émigrés. The Zack family returned to the U.S. when he was 14. A double Gator, Mr. Zack graduated from the University of Florida in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and then obtained his law degree from UF in 1971. He was a founding member of the Cuban American Bar Association in 1974, and in 1989, he became the youngest president of The Florida Bar at 41 years old. Mr. Zack is set to become the sixth former Florida Bar president to lead the American Bar Association.
Mr. Zack has a long history of service to the legal profession. He was the first Hispanic American President of The Florida Bar. He has also served as President of the National Conference of Bar Presidents and as the Chair of the ABA’s House of Delegates — one of the nation’s most influential positions on matters relating to the legal profession. The ABA Nominating Committee voted unanimously at the midyear Meeting in Boston to confirm Mr. Zack as the next President-Elect nominee of the ABA. His nomination assures that Mr. Zack will be formally selected by the House of Delegates as President-Elect in August during the Annual meeting in Chicago. He will begin serving a one-year term as president at the close of the 2010 Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Following his nomination, Mr. Zack said that this is a critical time for lawyers to step forward because more than the nation’s economic well-being is at stake. During crises, “people tend to trade one thing off for another, and that goes for economic crises, as well. In tough times, people will challenge our liberties and our rights.” Zack learned that lesson personally when his family, originally from Europe, fled Cuba as Fidel Castro came to power. Drawing from his own background as a refugee of the Castro regime, Zack told the ABA, “I saw what happened when rights were taken away and liberties were lost. This is not a theoretical exercise for me.” He stated, “Without justice, there is no country”, quoting the words of Cuban literary statesman Jose Marti. Please make your reservations now to join us May 4 at the Hyatt to hear Mr. Zack address the JBA.
JBA 112th Annual Meeting, Golf and Tennis Events
The Annual Meeting is back and better than ever on May 21 at Deerwood Golf & Country Club. After the golf and tennis events are complete, we will return to the entertaining and humorous annual meetings of old. Hank Coxe is the Master of Ceremonies and Brad Johnson will give the “State of the Bar Address.” Please join us at the JBA’s Annual Meeting. We expect the golf field to sell out this year. Last year there was only one tennis player registered. So please, if you play tennis at all, do not let Todd Eikner brag for another year that he is the champion and best tennis player in the JBA. If you cannot play golf or tennis that day, please at least join us for the Annual Meeting (hereinafter referred to as “The Hank and Brad Show”) starting at 6:30 p.m. In order to reserve the proper amount of food and beverages, please make your reservations today.
With less than three months left, please help us finish the JBA year strong by participating in these great events.