PRESIDENT ’ S MESSAGE
PRESIDENT ’ S MESSAGE
Grasford W . Smith 2023-24 PBCBA President
" Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise …." ( Psalm 100:4 ). As we enter the month of Thanksgiving , I thought there was no better time to give thanks for a Bar that is now in its 101st year of existence . This longevity is not by happenstance . As President of the Bar , I must express gratitude to the thousands of bar members who have given back to the bar community over the years in various ways , including serving as chairs of committees and subcommittees , taking on projects , and in general giving their time to make sure that progress is made , and lives are changed . I am also thankful to our judiciary for being stalwart allies of the Bar in advancing the profession and always being available when the need arises .
From the seat of the President , I have an up close view and a much deeper appreciation of the work of our Bar staff who focus every day on service to our members . I want to give these women and men their flowers because often times their efforts go unheralded . I will start with Carla Brown who has now been with the Bar for 7 years and during that time has tackled some major challenges with grace and dignity . Carla , among other things , oversees the dayto-day operations of the organization to include preparing comprehensive budgets , carrying out the policies of the organization , advocating for the Bar , and partnering with our dedicated Board of Directors to meet the objectives of the Bar . We are thankful every day that our national search led to the hiring of this great executive .
Carla leads a team of dedicated professionals who are the engine of this great Bar . I would like to thank Kathy Clark , CLE Coordinator , for 13 years of service to the Bar in various capacities ( Kathy is currently the longest serving staff member ). Kathy ' s primary responsibility is to assist our CLE committees with the creation and marketing of CLE seminars . The educational opportunities that we provide to our members , with Kathy ' s assistance , remain one of the greatest assets of the Bar .
I would like to thank Nicole Nelson , Bookkeeper and Assistant to the Executive Director , for approximately 7 years of service to the Bar . Nicole ' s primary responsibility is to process all financial transactions , keep excellent financial records , and assist the Executive Director with special projects . Needless to say , our sustainability as an organization requires strict adherence to financial policies and Nicole plays an important role in this process .
I would like to thank Derek Loiseau , Publication Coordinator , for almost 5 years of service to the Bar . Derek ' s primary responsibility is to design the Bulletin publication and to manage the Bar ’ s website and social media marketing . I am excited for the continued evolution of our outward facing platforms to enhance the accessibility of information available to our Bar and the public .
I would like to thank Jeanne Brander , Membership Coordinator , for 1 year of service to the Bar . Jeanne ' s primary responsibility is to respond to member inquiries , manage our membership database and bar calendar , and serve as liaison to various committees . Our service to our members , with Jeanne ' s assistance , remains our top priority and this includes my initiative this year focused on Quality of Life .
I would like to thank one of our newest team members , Stephanie Lane , Events Coordinator and North County Section ( NCS ) Liaison , for approximately 5 months of service to the Bar . Stephanie ' s primary responsibility is to help raise funds , market bar events , enhance social media marketing , and assist the NCS Board with their events . In a short period of time , Stephanie is demonstrating her value to our Bar .
I would like to thank Jessica Gonzalez , Lawyer Referral Service ( LRS ) Coordinator and Young Lawyers Section ( YLS ) Liaison , for almost two years of service to the Bar . Jessica ' s primary responsibility is to oversee the day-today operations of the LRS program and assist the YLS Board with its events and fundraisers . YLS remains one of the bright lights within our Bar and Jessica ' s assistance contributes to its success . The LRS program is the primary way we interact with the public by matching lawyers to potential clients in need . Dee Maeyens , LRS Part-time Representative for 10 years , plays a crucial role in answering calls from members of the public who are interested in being referred to an attorney .
Together , our staff handled over 250 meetings and events this past fiscal year for over 30 committees and several sub-committees and handled over 6,000 calls from the public in need of legal assistance . With these objective statistics , it is no wonder that the Bar is recognized around the state as a leading organization .
Finally , I want to take this opportunity to thank one of our member volunteers , Ted Babbitt , for his longstanding service to the Bar . For 41 years , Ted wrote Personal Injury articles for our Bar publication and his service recently came to an end . Ted ' s dedication is similar to that of many current and former Bar members who selflessly contribute their time to the Bar . I wish all who are reading this note a Happy Thanksgiving and continued success .
PBCBA BAR BULLETIN 3