State Bar president welcomes ABA Annual Meeting to San Francisco
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Welcome to one of the world's most beautiful cities. The State Bar of California
recognizes the American Bar Association's long commitment to the importance
of the third branch of government, the rule of law, access to justice and diversity
within our profession. This commitment mirrors the State Bar's own mission statement,
carried this year on every member's bar card: "To preserve and improve our justice
system in order to assure a fair and just society under the law."
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Herman |
As the largest mandatory bar in the world our 194,000 members comprise more
than one out of every six lawyers in the United States the State Bar of California
is proud to welcome the members of the largest voluntary bar in the world to
our headquarters city. I am proud to be a lawyer and I know you share that pride.
Our gathering here in San Francisco is an affirmation of the importance of the
rule of law to our society.
Our State Bar Board of Governors is keenly interested in our long-term relationship
with the ABA. Earlier this year, we met with President A.P. Carlton and members
of your board on issues of mutual interest and appointed a permanent State Bar-ABA
working group to continue our dialogue. I am personally grateful for the support
I have received from the National Conference of Bar Presidents and the training
available from the Bar Leaders Institute. Both have given me the opportunity
to meet bar leaders from all over the world and share leadership strategies.
As we gather from the far corners of the world and the nation, we face grave
challenges within the judicial branch. The "perfect storm" of declining judicial
branch resources in the face of increasing public needs is gathering. California,
for example, has experienced two years of budget cuts that threaten many of
the access to justice programs implemented over the last several years. At the
same time, the California Commission on Access to Justice recent report, "Pathways
to Justice," found that 72 percent of low- and moderate-income Californians
are unable to afford basic legal services. Our bench and bar, led by California
Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald George, have rallied to the cause.
We know California is not alone in this dilemma and applaud the leadership
of President Carlton on this issue. This is a nationwide problem. Our profession
is at its best in responding to a crisis. We must work together not just to
survive the storm but to turn the tide.
We are proud of Joanne Garvey, a former member of our board of governors, who
will receive a Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award in recognition
of all her good work on women's legal issues. We know you all share diversity
as a core value of the profession. I also congratulate your many award winners
and of course am particularly proud of those recipients who practice law in
California.
We trust your time in our beautiful Bay Area will improve your quality of life
and bring you renewed energy and commitment when you return home. I invite each
of you to enjoy San Francisco and the surrounding area to the fullest while
focusing on the important issues facing your practice and our profession.
I look forward to meeting you.
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