Rhode Island Bar Association Web Site

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE MAY/JUNE


Bar Association Leadership: A Commitment to Excellence MARCIA MCGAIR IPPOLITO, ESQ. Rhode Island Bar Association President This May, the American Bar Association marks the 50th anniversary of Law Day. This is, as initially established by former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, �a day of national dedication to the principle of government under law�. On Friday, May 2, 2008, the Rhode Island Bar Association and the Rhode Island Judiciary are participating in a Rhode Island Law Day program specifically dedicated to law related education issues relevant to juvenile law and based on the following choice of lesson topics: 1) downloading copyrighted music; 2) posting personal information on the Internet and cyber bullying; and 3) use of intoxicants. The lesson plans - designed and developed by the Rhode Island Bar Association's Communications department in consultation with the 2008 Rhode Island Law Day Committee co-chaired by Rhode Island Supreme Court Associate Justice Francis X. Flaherty and Rhode Island District Court Chief Judge Albert E. DeRobbio - solicit student opinions, surface relevant legal issues, and review the role of judges and lawyers in addressing these issues. On Rhode Island Law Day, over 45 teams of judges and volunteer lawyers will deliver more than 70 classroom lessons in middle and upper schools throughout Rhode Island. On behalf of our Association, I thank and commend our participating members and judges for their generous contributions to this worthwhile endeavor. Related to Rhode Island Law Day, on Friday May 2, 2008, I will represent the Rhode Island Bar Association during an on-air interview, at approximately 6:20 a.m., on the NBC Channel 10 Sunrise Show with Frank Colletta. As part of this year�s annual Ask a Lawyer programming partnership between the Rhode Island Bar Association and NBC Channel 10, the station is featuring two Rhode Island Bar Association attorneys in two news stories - Wednesday, April 30th (Elder Law) and Wednesday, May 14th (Family Law). Our attorneys will be showcased at the beginning of the 5:00 p.m. news broadcast and carried through to the 5:30 and 6:00 p.m. newscasts. These news stories, developed by NBC 10 in partnership with the Bar's Communications and Public Service departments, serve as lead-ins to live NBC 10 studio telephone panels of Rhode Island Bar Association Volunteer Lawyer Program (VLP) attorneys fielding viewer questions concerning the respective areas of the law on those dates. After months of planning, this year�s Annual Meeting is finally here. If you have not already done so, please mark your calendar now. The dates are Thursday and Friday, June 12th and 13th, 2008. The location is the Convention Center in Providence. The program theme is �Embracing Excellence in the Practice of Law.� Cristine McBurney and her very talented committee of seasoned litigators, with able assistance from the Bar�s Continuing Legal Education (CLE) department, have assembled a diverse program that be remembered for years to come. We hope that you will take time from your busy schedule to participate in the many exceptional, CLE seminars providing valuable guidance and information in a wide range of practice areas. Please also consider joining with us at the Thursday evening reception and Awards Dinner and at the Friday Awards Luncheon. All of our members have already received the 2008 Annual Meeting brochure in the mail, so please review this and decide what programs will work for your practice. In addition, the brochure and registration form may be accessed on the Bar�s website at www.ribar.com. In anticipation of the new Bar year, our Nominating Committee recently met and selected a slate of officers for the 2008-2009 term: Richard A. Pacia, President; Victoria M. Almeida, President Elect; Lise M. Iwon, Vice- President; William J. Delaney, Secretary; and Michael R. McElroy, Treasurer. The formal nominations will be presented at the Annual Meeting Business Meeting, along with the proposed amendments to the Association�s bylaws as highlighted in past issues. In writing my final president�s page, it is appropriate to note that so many of our members, the federal and state judiciary, as well as our Bar Association staff made this term a very remarkable one. Our Executive Committee handled and advocated public positions on significant administration of justice issues affecting both the judiciary and our membership. The active participation of the dedicated members of our House of Delegates, along with the Executive Committee, provided excellent Association governance. Once again, the committee chairs and committee members - the backbone of our Association - devoted countless hours on our behalf. Special thanks are extended to the committees that crafted best practice guides to date . On this note, I am pleased to report that the best practice initiative (as directed by Susan Leach DeBlasio) is extended into next year to allow more of our committees and membership to share their insights and legal experience. This term, our CLE Committee, under the able direction of Richard M. Pierce, provided our members with numerous opportunities to participate in best practice programs. Roger Williams University School of Law Dean David Logan assisted the Association this term by sponsoring the Law School�s class of 2010 as associate members. We were honored to welcome them into the Association and hope these aspiring attorneys will continue to recognize the importance of bar association involvement. I commend all the attorneys who participate in the Bar Association�s VLP pro bono programs and generously provide legal assistance - at no charge - to the less fortunate in our community and thank those Bar members who answered our call and volunteered as mediators in fee dispute matters. This year�s Rhode Island Bar Journal, featuring cover photographs of Rhode Island courtrooms, showcased our colleagues� writing talents publishing thoughtful and outstanding Bar-member-authored articles concerning a wide range of practice areas and legal issues as well as book reviews and other areas of interest. Last, but not least, we note that the Bar leadership is enhanced by the day-to-day support and hard work of our Association�s exceptional Executive Director and the talented Bar staff. In closing, I thank all of our members for extending me with the honor of serving you this term. It has been a very rewarding and professionally enriching experience. Best wishes to our President Elect, Richard A. Pacia.