PRESIDENT ’ S MESSAGE
PRESIDENT ’ S MESSAGE
Grasford W . Smith 2023-24 PBCBA President
On December 5 , 2023 , I served as a panelist on the topic " How to Start Building Your Career as a New Lawyer ," presented by the PBCBA ' s Young Lawyers Section and held at the Fourth District Court of Appeal . The other panelists were the Hon . Bruce Reinhart , U . S . Magistrate Judge , Southern District of Florida ; Amy Borman , Chief Legal Officer / COO at Clerk & Comptroller ' s Office ; and Sia Baker Barnes , Partner at Searcy Denney and the recently named Florida Bar President-Elect Designate . Over the last several months in my role as President of the PBCBA , I have had numerous opportunities to speak to young lawyers at various forums alongside some of the best practitioners in Palm Beach County . Based on these experiences , it is evident that we need our more seasoned lawyers to take the opportunity to offer wisdom and guidance to our young lawyers . It is highly encouraging that many of the young lawyers I meet are eager to learn and want to contribute to the fabric of the Palm Beach legal community .
For those young lawyers who were not in attendance at the December 5 , 2023 , program mentioned above , here is a brief synopsis of some of my takeaways : 1 . Work hard on your skillset to become the best legal practitioner within your ability . The aim is to develop a unique skillset that will distinguish you from others and that will serve you for the remainder of your career .
2 . It is important to start building relationships early . Join local voluntary bar and community organizations that interest you and seek opportunities to demonstrate your abilities by taking on leadership roles .
3 . When attending networking events , aim to have a meaningful interaction with one person instead of aiming to meet as many people as possible . Over time , you will get to know many people within the Bar community .
4 . Seek out several mentors to help guide you in your career and personal life . Your mentors do not all need to fit a certain profile but they all should have a genuine interest in your success . A mentee should also seek opportunities to add value to the mentor-mentee relationship .
5 . Safeguard your reputation as word carries fast . Always act with the utmost professionalism by treating others the way you want to be treated . When you make a mistake , take accountability and corrective measures .
The PBCBA has a program called
" Bar Buddies " that I highly encourage our young lawyers to utilize . The “ Bar Buddies ” Program is " designed to help attorneys who practice in the Palm Beaches connect and serve as a sounding board for each other . In particular , the goal of the Bar Buddies Program is to provide a way to obtain advice , ideas , suggestions or general information from fellow attorneys , with an emphasis on practicing with professionalism and civility ." For more information about this program , please visit the PBCBA website .
I was also privileged to serve on the Florida Bar ' s Special Committee on Mentoring New Lawyers under Past Florida Bar President Gary Lesser . As a result , The Florida Bar launched a new program called " Counsel to Counsel ." Counsel to Counsel is a " first-of-its-kind mentoring program designed to pair new lawyers with those who are more established in their careers . The technology-based program , administered through the MentorcliQ app , expertly matches lawyers based on their profiles ." For more information about this program , please visit The Florida Bar website .
I highly encourage our young lawyers to take advantage of these and other programs that are available and be proactive in your approach . I also highly encourage our more seasoned lawyers to take the time to sign up and mentor new lawyers – we need you !
PBCBA BAR BULLETIN 3