President's Message

Acceptance Speech

I would like to take this time to thank everyone for your support. I am humbled and deeply honored to become the next president of the Garden State Bar Association. As member of the GSBA, I have had the opportunity to observe my predecessors arduous work to keep this organization as a standard bearer in the legal community. Everyone who knows me knows that I am a worker. I like to get the job done and I like things to be done well. I have thought long and hard about the message I want to leave to my colleagues as we move forward in to 2010.

In 2009 we saw Barack Obama become the first African American President. It was a wondrous event. We are blessed and fortunate to observe that historical event. But we know that the struggle that we as African Americans have in this country still goes one. As lawyers, we have the ability to continue to right the various wrongs that have been perpetrated. We are uniquely qualified to protect our individual rights. However we cannot do this alone. Therefore, the thought I would like to leave in everyone's mind is the thought that was first expressed by the gala/scholarship committees at the 2009 Scholarship Awards Dinner.

NEW VISIONS: Advocating for Change! I would like to paraphrase that slogan to state:

NEW VISIONS: Advocating for and making Change! 

As leaders and attorneys we must continue to strive for excellence in the legal community. 

1. That is done, by being ethical in our treatment of our clients and with one another.

2. Soon we will be mandated to continue legal education classes, to stay abreast of the changes in the legal community. We support the ABWL in their creation of the Anne E. Thompson Inn of Court. I urge everyone who is not a member to become one. Pamphlets are on the table.

3. Continue to support our Young Lawyers Sections of GSBA. They are active in reaching out to other young attorneys and students and to the community at large.

4. Continue to support our attorneys in the political arena; do their goal and objectives reflect what this organization is about?

5. Keep the lines of communication open with the membership to make sure that we are reflecting their ideals and continuing the network process.

6. Make our website more interactive with our members.

7. Reach out to vendors to give more discounts to GSBA members.

8. Forge new partnerships with organizations that will enable us to strengthen our positions on various issues.

9. Continue outreach in the community so students and citizens will know that they can make a difference and they too can become attorneys.

10. Stay adept to the changes in the community and how best can we serve.

Last year, we had a successful campaign to increase the membership of GSBA. We will have another campaign to increase GSBA's membership. We will continue to reach out to former members for them to return to GSBA. We must continue to increase the participation of African American attorneys on key committees, other governmental appointments, as well as on the bench.

I am excited about this upcoming year! I assure you that I will work hard to maintain the faith that you have given to me! Thank you.