PRESIDENT’ S MESSAGE
PRESIDENT’ S MESSAGE
Andrea Lewis 2024-25 PBCBA President
Serving as President of our Bar Association has been one of the greatest honors of my professional life and an experience that I will carry with me forever. I want to thank you— our members— for entrusting me with this privilege. Your confidence and support have made this year truly extraordinary, and I am very proud of everything that we have accomplished together.
Year in Review: Some Of Our Key Accomplishments
United by a shared commitment to excellence, our dedicated members and exceptional bar staff helped us achieve a year filled with meaningful progress:
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• Increased Our Membership: Thanks to the dedicated efforts of our bar leaders and staff, we achieved a notable milestone this year— increasing our overall membership by more than 5 %. This growth reflects the strength of our community, the value of our programs, and the continued commitment to making our Bar an inclusive, engaging, and supportive organization for legal professionals across Palm Beach County.
• Expanded Outreach to Government
Attorneys: We increased our outreach to government attorneys by meeting with leadership at the State Attorney’ s Office, the Public Defender’ s Office, and other key governmental entities. During these visits, we delivered presentations that highlighted the benefits of bar association membership and extended personal invitations for their attorneys to attend our events and happy hours free of charge. These initiatives significantly increased the number of government attorneys within our organization and laid the foundation for a much closer, more collaborative relationship between our bar association and the public legal sector. Looking ahead, we are committed to building on this momentum by strengthening our outreach efforts and ensuring that government attorneys are better represented within the PBCBA and its leadership. �
• Improved Member Benefits and Discounts: In an effort to provide our members with a more robust and valuable selection of benefits, we expanded our partnerships with a variety of local businesses and service providers. Members now enjoy exclusive discounts at museums, bike and paddleboard rentals, kayak tours, dry cleaning services, yoga studios, cruise packages, and more. These enhanced offerings reflect our ongoing commitment to adding meaningful value to membership. For the full list of available discounts, please visit: https:// www. palmbeachbar. org / memberdiscounts /
• Developed a New Member App: We proudly launched the PBCBA mobile app, designed to put resources, real-time updates, and networking tools directly at our members’ fingertips. Through the app, members can easily check the Bar calendar, register for events, connect with fellow members through direct messaging, post or browse job openings, and much more— all in one convenient platform. Download the PBCBA app here: https:// www. palmbeachbar. org / app /# 1741027134744-a686af25- aad9
• Created a Health & Wellness Committee: Recognizing the critical importance of mental and physical well-being in the legal profession, we launched the Health & Wellness Committee to support our members in a more holistic way. This new initiative is dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles and work-life balance by organizing wellness-focused programs, fitness activities, and mental health resources. The committee will also host more events tailored to healthconscious members and expand our calendar to include familyfriendly gatherings, helping members nurture both their personal and professional lives.
These accomplishments are a testament to the passion and energy of our members, committee chairs, Directors, and bar staff. My heartfelt thanks to the Board of Directors for your trust and friendship, and to our incredible staff for your unwavering dedication to our mission.
While my term as President concludes, my connection to this community and its mission remains as strong as ever. I look forward to the bright future ahead and to supporting our next President, Jean Marie Middleton, with enthusiasm and pride.
PBCBA BAR BULLETIN 3