by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
The Jacksonville Bar Association had a full agenda for its last meeting of the 2010-11 term, which included messages from the new leaders of The JBA and the City of Jacksonville.
Michael Freed, managing partner of Brennan, Manna & Diamond, was sworn in as president of The JBA by Chief Judge Donald Moran Wednesday.
Freed recognized former President Courtney Grimm for her service to the association.
“Courtney has been a tremendous president and servant to the bar association,” said Freed.
“I truly want to be, as Oswald Bronson called it, the servant leader. I’m here, like the rest of our board, to serve each of you and the rest of our over 2,000 members. I hope you’ll feel free to reach out to me with whatever thoughts, ideas, concerns, and criticisms you may have so we can continue to move The JBA in a positive direction,” he said.
Having spoken after Mayor-elect Alvin Brown, Freed recognized one of the comments Brown made about the power of the local bar association.
“As Mayor-elect Alvin Brown stated, The JBA is a powerful organization,” said Freed.
“You need only look at the recent elections. By my count, and I’m sure it’s not official, these campaigns for mayor and other elected officials raised well over $5 million. A lot of that from people in this room. Likewise, the campaigns were made up of a lot of people in this room and the rest of the legal community,” he said.
Freed suggested that the legal community direct such influence to more areas.
“If we could do that for political campaigns, imagine what else we could do if we put our talents, our treasure and our time to those activities in helping those in need in our community and improving our profession and the image of our profession,” said Freed.
Awards were presented at the meeting, including The JBA’s “Raymond Ehrlich Trial Advocacy Award,” Professionalism Committee’s “Professionalism Award” and “Chair of the Year” award.
Past The JBA President Joe Milton was presented with the Ehrlich Award by his friend Rutledge “Rut” Liles, a former president of The Florida Bar and The JBA.
“The award recognizes a lawyer from our local legal community whose career has embodied those qualities to which litigators aspire, those qualities that made Ray Ehrlich who he was and made him such a role model to all of us,” said Liles.
“Those qualities include professionalism, steadfast obedience to ethics, discernment, scholarliness, thoroughness, preparedness, aggressiveness with a kind hand, mentorship and a willingness to help those in need,” he said.
Former Florida Supreme Court Justice Raymond Ehrlich worked as an attorney in Jacksonville from 1946 until his appointment to the Florida Supreme Court in 1981. After Ehrlich reached mandatory retirement age for the court, he returned to Jacksonville and practiced law as a partner at Holland & Knight. He died in 2005.
“Today we present the award to a person who I’m not ashamed to say I love as a brother. He epitomizes Ray’s qualities,” said Liles.
Former The JBA President Caroline Emery, court counsel for the Fourth Judicial Circuit, was presented with the Professionalism Award and Lindsay Tygart of Murphy & Anderson received the Chair of the Year award for chairing the 2011 Law Week Committee.
The meeting also featured a speech from Brown, who urged the legal community to be a part of the resurgence of Downtown that is part of his vision for the City.
“Downtown is thirsting for new leadership that will invest in Downtown, create a culture Downtown where people will want to live, work and play,” said Brown
“You play a major role in that. The only way we take Jacksonville to the next level is if we work together. There are no problems we can’t solve if we work together,” said Brown.
The next The JBA member lunch is set for Aug. 23 at the Main Library Downtown.
356-2466