PRESIDENT ’ S MESSAGE Grasford W . Smith 2023-24 PBCBA President
PRESIDENT ’ S MESSAGE Grasford W . Smith 2023-24 PBCBA President
In my first message to the PBCBA , I want to acknowledge the honor you have bestowed on me to lead this Bar Association into the new century as the 101st President . I told the guests at " Bar Prom " that we have some of the finest group of lawyers and judges in the State and I am steadfastly committed to ensuring that our Bar remains a stellar example of professionalism and ethics . I am also motivated by the words of Charles Hamilton Houston who famously said that " a lawyer is either a social engineer or a parasite on society ."
Every President of the PBCBA is afforded an opportunity to have a unique focus during his or her Bar year . After much deliberation , inspiration , and consultation with past leaders of the Bar and community at large , I decided that my theme for the Bar year is " Quality of Life is the Key to Happiness ." This theme is based on the premise that our voluntary bar association must focus on the quality of life issues that matter to our members . In so doing , the Bar has an opportunity to fulfill the first prong of its mission which is to " serve its members ."
To ensure success of this initiative ,
I have enlisted the assistance of our Membership Chair Kristen McMullen who is assisted by Board Liaison Nichole Segal . Both of these leaders have substantial experience with our Bar membership and the heart to serve people . Under their leadership , and with my input , along with support from Bar staff , the Membership Committee will convene discussions throughout the Bar Year focused on Quality of Life issues and will identify resources that will assist our members . The goal is not dialogue for dialogue sake , but to work to move the needle to improve the lives of our members .
The topics will be wide ranging and the speakers will be carefully chosen for their relevant expertise . One topic we plan to explore is the workforce housing crisis in Palm Beach County and how it impacts certain members of the Bar , such as young , public interest , and government lawyers . Some of us have heard from government and public interest lawyers who simply cannot afford to live in Palm Beach County . We need to shine a spotlight on this issue and explore resources available that will ensure that our talent does not leave Palm Beach County and the Bar .
My mother , who is an RN , once told me that if " you don ' t have good health you don ' t have anything ." In our high stressed and demanding profession , many of us are battling ailments , such as high blood pressure which may be preventable . Unfortunately , as a community , we sometimes do not focus on health challenges early enough to make a difference . We plan to have a dialogue about physical health that we believe will add value to our members . We also plan to continue the dialogue about mental health in the profession . The Florida Bar has done important work in this area , including destigmatization , and we want to ensure that our Palm Beach Bar community is equipped with all the resources that it needs to address mental health challenges .
Another topic we plan to focus on is raising children in Palm Beach as a practicing lawyer . What can we learn from working mothers and fathers , some single parents , about how to balance the rigors of practicing law with the demands of parenting ? While balancing working and parenting , lawyers must also engage in short and long range financial planning . The Bar has a role in shining a spotlight and providing information on resources for all of these important issues .
This summary is by no means exhaustive . We also want to have a dialogue about career advancement , community involvement , arts and cultural opportunities in the county , and other things that are important to our members wholistically . We ask for your support as we look to support you , our members . We will also collaborate where appropriate with other voluntary bar organizations and community organizations . Learning from each other and building with each other create opportunities for synergies that will only enhance our membership benefits .
Again , thank you for the opportunity to serve you once more in this new role . We will have a great Bar year working together . PBCBA BAR BULLETIN 3