|
Vol. 64, No. 1 | January 2007 |
|
Vol. 64, No. 1 | January 2007 |
|
Professionalism
& Service In the
course of my practice as an attorney, I have had the opportunity to
handle cases all over the great state of Minnesota.
From Elbow Lake to Winona, from Mankato to Thief River Falls,
and even here in the Twin Cities, I have dealt with intelligent and
compassionate attorneys who are united by a common thread of professionalism
and service to their community. I witness attorneys who serve tirelessly in
local governments, charities, religious organizations, business organizations, school boards … the list could go on ad infinitum.
I consistently witness attorneys who balance zealous advocacy
for their clients with respect for opposing counsel.
My experience as the Minnesota State Bar Association president
has, thus far, confirmed my belief that attorneys in this state serve
their clients effectively and treat each other with respect and dignity. Giving Freely I have been moved also by the willingness of attorneys,
many of whom are stretched to the brink by the demands of a sometimes
hectic profession, to give freely of themselves to the benefit of
the profession, and to the benefit of society.
Previously in this “President’s Page” you have read about the
willingness of members of the MSBA to work with disadvantaged clients
through volunteer attorney programs, illustrating our commitment to
the broader community. I have discussed the efforts of firms and individuals
alike to increase the diversity in our profession, signifying our
interest in self-improvement. And,
we celebrated the 30th anniversary of Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers,
providing an example of our willingness as a community to help one
another. Recognizing that the “President’s Page” might not be the
reason most attorneys use the annual directory, I feel that it is
incumbent upon me to utilize this opportunity to talk about the good
work the people of the MSBA do over the course of the year.
Certainly, one area in which attorneys serve our community
is through service on the wide variety of MSBA committees.
These committees deal with issues as wide-ranging as diversity
in the profession and computer-assisted legal research.
Promoting Diversity The Diversity Implementation Task Force released its landmark
report on diversity in Minnesota law firms in 2006. The report, titled 2005 Self-Audit for Gender
and Minority Equity, is available on the
MSBA website; I strongly encourage everyone to review this important
piece of work. While the task force identified some shortcomings,
the overall message was positive.
In 2007 the MSBA looks forward to further work from this phenomenally
important committee in terms of steps that can be taken by law firms
to combat the issues addressed in the committee’s report.
Additionally, the committee continued to improve upon its Minnesota
Minority Clerkship Program and is currently considering adding more
employers and expanding to include non-Minnesotan students. The Diversity Implementation Task Force, in producing
its report, praised another committee’s efforts in helping to incorporate
a traditionally underrepresented group into the legal profession. The “Women in the Legal Profession” Committee
produced the SAGE Best Practices report, which was endorsed by the
Diversity Implementation Task Force for addressing concerns about
gender equity in the legal community.
Every year the number of women in the profession continues
to grow. Currently, women represent
34 percent of the MSBA membership. The Women in the Legal Profession Committee
is currently working to promote and publish the SAGE materials and
I strongly urge all members to incorporate the SAGE materials into
your practice. In addition to the above-mentioned Diversity Implementation
Task Force and Women in the Legal Profession Committee, the MSBA has
21 other committees. These
committees perform a wide range of functions for the MSBA, the legal
community, and the Minnesota community.
The great work performed by these committees is only possible
with the support of the individual MSBA members who serve on each
committee. Currently 371 MSBA
members serve on one or more of these committees.
I have been extremely impressed by the commitment I have seen
from the Minnesota legal community to serving the needs of Minnesotans.
I encourage every member of the MSBA to step in and assist
an MSBA committee in its endeavors.
While clearly, not everyone is able to serve on a committee,
the opportunities for support go far beyond service as a committee
member. Please continue to
support the MSBA committees in any way possible, whether it be
by serving as a member, taking part in a survey or study, or simply
by volunteering as a mock trial judge. In addition to committee work, the MSBA carries an important
legislative role. The MSBA,
legislatively, addresses issues that are unique to the legal profession. It is the MSBA’s intention to provide insight
in those situations where our specific expertise is called for. The MSBA Legislative Newsletter is available
through the MSBA website, and provides a more detailed analysis of
the most recent legislative session. If I have learned one thing in my short time as president, it is that the MSBA derives its strength and its direction from an informed and active membership. I sincerely thank all members for the work they have put in throughout 2006. We have a proud and strong history, but having seen the work performed by the members, I believe that the MSBA’s best days lie ahead. PATRICK
J. KELLY is president of the Minnesota State Bar Association,
a founding partner in the St. Paul law firm Kelly & Fawcett, and
a recognized Minnesota SuperLawyer. He practices in areas of
municipal law, labor and employment law and litigation, real estate,
and administrative hearings.
|
