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President's Corner
by William D. Johnston, Esquire I write this final "President's Corner"
message with a deep sense of gratitude - with heartfelt thanks
to all. My first "thank-you" is to American
Bar Association President Bob Hirshon for his kindness in joining
us as the keynote speaker at this year's Bench & Bar Conference.
I thank him also for his inspired leadership of the ABA and
for his emphasis on what we in Delaware are all about: equal
access to justice. Next, I thank my fellow officers of our Bar Association,
the other members of the DSBA Executive Committee, the co-editors
of (and other contributors to) IN RE:, the leaders of
the Bar Association's sections and committees, and the other
members of those sections and committees. These colleagues of
ours - from every practice setting and from every part of our
State - volunteer their valuable time and talents to the betterment
of us all. I offer thanks to Delaware's state and federal
judges. The Delaware Bar is privileged to enjoy an unparalleled
collegial and partnering relationship with the judiciary. We
likewise are extremely fortunate to have such a positive working
relationship with the Delaware General Assembly, and we all
benefit from distinguished members of our Bar serving in the
General Assembly, in the State's executive branch, and in county
and municipal legislative and executive positions. I thank all members of our Bar for their willingness
to serve - to serve their clients, the public, the courts,
the legal profession and one another. And I thank those members
of the Delaware legal community who, in the aftermath of the
September 11th terrorist attacks, contributed their blood, their
money, their legal services, their services as emergency medical
personnel - and who risked their lives as members of the Reserves
or the National Guard. I would be remiss if I were not to thank DSBA
Executive Director Rina Marks and the other members of the Bar
Association's staff - Sue Bechstein, Alison Macindoe, Janice
Myrick, Kanchalee Reeves, and Lucinda Scrimshaw. These are the
professionals who keep things running smoothly on a day-to-day
and year-to-year basis, and they do it all with a smile, with
an "anything's possible" attitude, and with a very
tight budget! Finally, on a personal note, I am grateful for
the support of my colleagues at Young Conaway Stargatt &
Taylor, especially for the support and sage counsel of (Past
President) Bruce Stargatt. I am also grateful for the unfailing
support of my family and friends. And, I am grateful to each
of you for the opportunity to have served this year as president
of your Association, and to have had the privilege and
pleasure of working with so many of you. Have we made some headway during the past year?
You're in the best position to judge: Renewed emphasis on the
rich, 3-county nature of our Bar; encouragement of DSBA section
and committee involvement; enhancement of Bar Association CLE
and other member benefits and services; promotion of further
racial and ethnic diversity in the Delaware legal community;
supporting consideration of alternative work schedules; renewed
emphasis on community service; assisting one another with peer
counseling and guidance; providing more pro bono representation
to Delaware's poor, and helping pro se litigants; supporting
state courts in the face of the (ongoing) funding crisis; working
in Delaware's schools and throughout the community to promote
public understanding of, and confidence in, our legal system;
developing records retention and disposal guidelines for Bar
members; assisting our members with disaster preparedness, response
and recovery; taking a fresh look at the circumstances in which
the Bar Association (or a section or committee of the Association)
should comment on proposed legislation; and continuing to stand
for equal rights for all Delawareans in the areas of housing,
employment, public accommodations, public works contracting
and insurance - no matter an individual's sexual orientation. Will there be "unfinished business"
as of June 30, the end of my term? No doubt about it. My hope,
of course, is that we will build on all of the above. In addition,
I continue to believe that there should be a place within our
bar association for an Individual Rights and Responsibilities
section or committee (akin to the ABA section of the same name),
so that legislation and other matters involving liberty interests
(such as the proposed moratorium on executions) will have a
natural "home" for consideration. Likewise, I believe
it would be beneficial for us to establish a Law Practice Management
Section, as the Bar continues to grow and when over two-thirds
of our Bar members practice in settings of five or fewer attorneys.
Last, we should revive strategic planning efforts to ensure
the relevance and value of the Bar Association to its members,
the courts, and the community. I know that incoming president Pat Hannigan (and Charlie McDowell and Calvin Scott after her) will do a terrific job on your behalf. In the meantime, I wish each of you all the best, and thanks again! Bill is a partner in the Wilmington office of Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP and can be reached at 571-6679 or wjohnston@ycst.com. Return to June 2002 Table of Contents.
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