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H C B A P R E S I D E N T’ S M E S S A G E B r a d l e y A r a n t B o u l t C u m m i n g s L L P
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opportunities for lawyers of all experience levels. Through these Committees and Sections, the HCBA can offer targeted and meaningful meetings, networking opportunities, educational programming and more than 100 luncheons each year. One unique opportunity with the HCBA that separates it from many other large voluntary bar associations is our free quarterly luncheons, the diverse CLE seminars, and our strong community service programs.
Of course, our Bar would not be as strong without the continued support and positive relationship with our local judiciary. Our Judges regularly support and attend our programming, while making key contributions in putting on our annual Bench Bar Conference and the Judicial Food Festival. We are extremely excited this year that our Bench Bar Conference luncheon, scheduled for October 7, is expected to include a State of the Courts address from our local courts.
The financial strength of our organization as well as the many sponsors that continue to support our causes allow us to continue to provide a positive membership experience. And our strong relationship with the Hillsborough County Bar Foundation increases our ability as members to impact and give back to our community.
As a non-Tampa native, being welcomed by the gracious members of the Hillsborough County Bar Association really cemented the fact that I came to the best city in which to practice law. And this is a city that I have been able to watch grow and develop at almost an exponential rate and have seen a significant shift in the practice of law. The Association has continued to grow during that time and has developed new ways to bring value to its members— to continue to distinguish itself from other voluntary bar associations.
With this local growth, we are presented with new opportunities to support our members of the Bar, as well as our local community. One of the areas where I would like to see the HCBA continue to grow is with its relationship and interaction with our local business and community leaders. As many of you know, the Tampa Rotary Club meets weekly at the Chester Ferguson Law Center and our Community Service Committee does yeoman’ s work with its many programs. But there are dozens of civic organizations and Chambers of Commerce in Hillsborough County.
This year, we intend to provide more interaction with these other organizations, and we will invite our friends and local business and community leaders to join us at our events. The goal is to not only ensure that our community knows of the services we provide as an organization, but to give you— our members— a greater opportunity to meet, network, and support the non-lawyer leaders of our great community.
We feel that greater exposure for the Bar and its members across the Tampa Bay area will help add more value for your membership. With so many new businesses and industries coming to Tampa, we have an opportunity as a legal community to show them what separates us as a city and show off the talented and professional lawyers in Hillsborough County.
So, as we move into the next quarter century, we hope to continue to provide you a value for your membership. And to bring you the most value for your membership, we hope you get involved, join a section or committee, come to a luncheon, attend a CLE or a happy hour, bring a friend and be a part of what makes the HCBA the best voluntary bar association. And if you have ideas about how to get more value for your membership, please let me or our amazing bar staff know. n
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