When Oliver Wendell Holmes and Louis Brandeis founded the
Massachusetts Bar Association more than 100 years ago, the law was
believed to be the noblest of professions. Many years later, my
first impression of the law was one of respect for lawyers. My dad
was a trial lawyer, and wherever he went, people asked for his
opinion as a trusted expert on just about everything. It was a time
when lawyers and judges enjoyed a public image of honor and
integrity. Unfortunately, over the last 40 years our profession's
reputable standing has been severely eroded in the eyes of the
public.
Today, our image is stigmatized as elitist, greedy and
deceitful. Lawyers are often demonized by the media. This also
reflects poorly on our clients, whether they may be individuals or
businesses. But I am optimistic. Now is the time to purge this
negative stereotype from our profession. It's not too late to
recapture the public's trust and to restore our honorable
image.
The negative connotations plaguing our profession emanate from
an impression that lawyers are uncaring, self-centered and
exclusionary. The public views us as takers. In my experience,
nothing could be further from the truth. The finest people I have
known have been attorneys. Some of the most selfless acts I have
witnessed were those of attorneys. Many such attorneys are members
of the MBA. The majority of these good deeds are recognized and
revered by the legal community, yet never seen or appreciated by
the general public.
According to a 2013 report by the American Bar Association, 80
percent of practicing attorneys perform an average of 56 hours of
pro bono work each year. Applying that metric to the roughly 60,000
lawyers in Massachusetts, it means our legal community is giving
back over 1,000 years of free legal service each year to
people who can't afford a lawyer. I cannot think of another
profession that does as much pro bono and charitable work
as lawyers.
Clearly, to restore our profession's honorable posture, we must
mend this discernible disconnect. We must demonstrate that we are
not takers, but rather caretakers. To foster this
undertaking, we must reach out and deliver our message, not only to
attorneys, but to the public at large. We need to serve the public
as only the statewide bar association can, and to celebrate our
contributions throughout the commonwealth. If we can serve the
public while earning its gratitude, we will have turned the
corner.
I have taken the first step toward regaining the public's trust
by implementing three initiatives - the "Working Families
Initiative," the "Consumer Advocacy Initiative," and the "Justice
For All Initiative." (See related story, page 3.) If we can succeed
in these new initiatives, they will have a powerfully positive
influence on existing ones.
It is an honor and privilege to assume the role of the president
of the MBA. I know that my fellow MBA officers feel similarly
honored, and I look forward to working with President-elect Marsha
V. Kazarosian, Vice President Martha Rush O'Mara, Vice President
Christopher P. Sullivan, Treasurer Robert W. Harnais and Secretary
Christopher A. Kenney.
Inspired by your trust, we will make vast strides in vital areas
for our organization and our communities. Such strides can only be
made with your participation and support. I challenge each of you
to think of one way to contribute to the cause through an
initiative, project, committee, program or other means, and do it
to your best ability. It is time to recapture that positive public
image possessed by Holmes, Brandeis and the many MBA members who
followed.