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| The Year in
Retrospect “You cannot step twice into the same river,
for other waters are continually flowing on.
It is in changing that things find repose.”
Heraclitus, Fragments 21, 23. As my term comes to an end, I want to thank you,
the membership, for providing me with this high privilege of presiding
over the best state bar association in the country. While there is
still much work to be done, we have plenty to be proud of in this
legal community. Going to countless ABA meetings over the years and
listening to other states’ Bar junkies talk endlessly about the
myriad issues facing them serves only to reinforce appreciation for
the special character of the Minnesota bench and bar. I believe Garrison Keillor would wholeheartedly
agree with my assessment that Minnesota judges, lawyers, and juries
are all “above average” compared to those elsewhere. One value I firmly hold is that if you are fortunate
enough to be entrusted with leadership, you have an absolute responsibility
to make your sphere of influence a little better.
Throughout the year, your Bar leadership was able to get much
accomplished, thanks in great part to the “exceptional”
organizational support provided by Tim Groshens and his above average
staff. Here is an abbreviated list of just a few of
the key accomplishments this past year: Tax on Attorneys’ Clients. Through the efforts of Past-President Wood Foster
and his committee, the Bar successfully beat back the governor’s
proposed sales tax on legal services to consumers. Going into the
next budget year, we must continue to hammer home our message that
a sales tax on legal services would be a significant hardship for
Minnesotans all across the state who can least afford it.
Legal Aid and Court Budget Reductions. Thanks to the efforts of Past-President Roger
Stageberg, his committee, Nancy Kleeman, and many other close supporters,
the Bar Association was able to assist our partners at the Court in
preventing a proposed 5 percent cut in the budgets for the courts
and Legal Aid. While we strongly advocated for zero cuts, we
ultimately argued successfully to limit the Court budget cuts to less
than 1 percent and the Legal Aid cuts to 2 percent. We must continue
to help key legislative decision makers understand that they can’t
keep talking about getting tougher on crime without providing for
adequate court personnel and resources to administer such justice. Technology Initiatives.
Tim Groshens and his staff are in the process of launching
two new technology initiatives that should lead to real cost savings
for members. First, based on feedback from 1700 members,
the MSBA is establishing a large “Buyers Group” to enable
MSBA members and their law firms to purchase online legal research
services at significantly reduced rates. Second, the Bar is acquiring
software that “assembles and produces” family law-related
documents based on client information entered into the program by
the law firm. The program will produce complete, ready-to-file forms
such as the Summons & Complaint, Property Settlement Worksheet,
Child Support Worksheet, and others. Bar Sections: 10% Club.
Based on sections’ requests that the Association get more
members actively participating in sections, we launched the 10% Club
initiative. This initiative allows Bar members to obtain free CLE
credits and to join as many sections as they choose free of charge.
The goal is to increase section activities and membership by 10 percent.
To date, we have increased section membership by 1,179 members
(9%) and have every reason to believe that we will hit our target
goal of 10 percent (1,332) by the end of June. Pro Se Initiative.
The legal community and the public owe a special debt of gratitude
to the co-chairs of the Pro Se Implementation Committee, Chief Appellate
Court Judge Edward Touissant and attorney Eric Magnuson, for their
superb leadership and perseverance on this extremely difficult issue. Special recognition and thanks are also owed
to the “no-nonsense” co-chairs of the Program Subcommittee,
Federal Judge Nancy Dreher and Prof. Mary Ann Archer.
In cooperation with the Dakota County Bar Association and the
bench, the subcommittee will be launching a pilot, attorney-administered
pro se program in Dakota County in July.
In addition, we should shortly be receiving recommendations
on court rules affecting pro se litigants from the co-chairs of the
Judiciary Subcommittee, Judge Edward Lynch and attorney Susan Ledray.
Executive Committee Initiatives. I would be more than remiss if I failed to thank
and acknowledge Executive Committee members Phyllis Karasov and David
Stowman for their leadership and guidance on the legislative/lobbying
initiative; Jon Duckstad, Jim Baillie, and David Stowman for their
tireless work on organizational governance initiatives; Dick Burns
for his work on technology; and Brad Thorsen and Mark Anderson for
their diligent work as executive liaisons to the Bar sections and
committees. I want to especially thank President-elect Jon
Duckstad, who has been my right arm; I know I leave the Bar in rock-steady
hands. Most important, I want to thank my extremely talented,
patient and saintly wife, Laura Kaplan, and my little boy, Taylor
Jones. Without them, I would not have been able to
make this journey nor would it have been as worthwhile. We look forward
to returning to Kansas (i.e., Minnesota).
See you soon! JARVIS C. JONES is president of the Minnesota
State Bar Association. |
