Subject Index President's Page

Americans are great about celebrating anniversaries. We celebrate the anniversary of heroic or tragic national events. 

The life of your bar president is chockablock with speeches, bar meetings, award ceremonies, and dinner banquets.

One of the plums of this position as the president of your Illinois State Bar Association is the opportunity to speak to newly admitted attorneys at the swearing-in ceremony conducted by the Illinois Supreme Court.

I grew up in a working-class neighborhood on the south side of Chicago. I was one of eight children.

The need for civility is one of those constant issues that seem to plague the legal profession. 

In the months before I assumed the presidency of your Illinois State Bar Association.

Behind every accomplished lawyer is a great mentor. I had Phil Corboy, who was mentored by Jim Dooley.

As I embark on this wonderful journey as your president, I find myself constantly thinking about the people who helped me get to this lofty position.

As I promised in one of my previous President's Pages, the ISBA, at my direction, was going to take a serious look at providing meaningful health insurance for our members.

I am white. I am concerned about the perniciousness of racism. 

I'm reminded of the story of the little boy, Tommy, who was 12 years old and hadn't spoken a word since birth.

Continuing on with my ongoing discussion regarding my theme of "Back to the Future," this President's Page will address the ISBA's efforts to make the lawyer's professional life more efficient, more cost effective, more profitable, more client friendly and, yes, more pleasurable.

One of my goals during my year as president is to determine whether the ISBA can present a meaningful, competitive health insurance program for our members.

It is with not a little trepidation, humility, and excitement that I embark upon my year as president of the Illinois State Bar Association.

Justice Felix Frankfurter once said in receiving an award: "Gratitude is one of the least articulate emotions, especially when it is deep.

Jane, Brian, Brent and Amanda; my wife and three children; my family. I have not mentioned them this year in my column.

When we were in law school we learned the basic principles of constitutional, criminal, contract, and tort law by studying opinions written in our state and federal reviewing courts.

Eighty-eight lawyers from 37 counties met in the Sangamon County Courthouse in Springfield on January 4, 1877, to formalize the beginning of the Illinois State Bar Association.

When I was growing up in Decatur, I had an image of lawyers that has shaped my view of our profession later in life.

A few years ago, as we finished closing arguments in a trial, my opposing counsel came over, shook my hand, and congratulated me on a job well done. I reciprocated with the same compliment.

Tis the Season for giving and lawyers will once again give generously of both their time and money to worthwhile causes. We have a proud tradition of responding to the spirit of this season.

In August we lost a legend in our profession. William G. Clark was a lawyer, a former legislator and legislative leader, a former two-term attorney general and a justice and chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. Justice Clark's contributions to the legal profession and to all three branches of Illinois government are too numerous to mention.

Recently I attended the Decatur Bar Association corn roast at Rex Brown's home in Decatur. 

On July 12th, the ISBA honored its 50-year members as senior counselors during a luncheon at The Standard Club.

My theme this year; in the 125th year of the ISBA; is Take Pride in Your Profession. 

Traditionally, the inaugural President's Page is devoted to the new president's own programs for the coming year or to giving him or her an opportunity to share some personal insights or words of wisdom.

The end of the year is a time for an accounting ; what happened that is good, what happened that is not so good.

If I seem to boast more than is becoming, my excuse is that I brag for humanity rather than for myself.

In the struggle between the stone and the water, in time, the water wins. -Chinese proverb      

The president of any organization gets an overview of what is happening. This year we are losing two members of our Board of Governors who cannot run again because of age or term limitations.