Staying Focused

Spring is the busiest time of the bar year. In all we do, however, our focus remains on four key areas: creating membership value, improving two-way communication between the association and the lawyers it serves, encouraging engagement at all levels, and making efficient use of limited resources.

Here’s just a sampling:

In March, we concluded our annual election. Our members spoke, and we listened. I am pleased Kristin Pawlik has been elected President-Elect Designee. Kristen is a passionate leader with many years of experience serving the association. She is a great addition to the leadership track.

I am also pleased our members voted overwhelmingly to adopt the constitutional amendments recommended by the Board of Trustees. The amendments will provide for more transparency in elections and legislative advocacy, continuity in operations, and efficiency and effectiveness in governance and management.

On March 30-31, the Board of Trustees met for its spring meeting in Jonesboro. Continuing efforts to engage members across the state, the board hosted its third Local Social. Special guests included members of the Craighead and Greene County bars. After the reception, members were treated to a special behind-the-scenes tour of the ASU athletic facilities.

The following morning, the Finance Committee presented and the Board adopted a budget for the 2023-2024 bar year. After many months of frank discussions and hard choices, the committee chose a combination of cost-cutting measures and dues increases to achieve a balanced budget. The committee did not recommend more drastic cuts at this time in deference to the ongoing efforts of the Member Value Task Force and the Program Review Task Force. Those efforts will provide hard data to help the Board make future decisions about what programs and services our members want and need most and which should be discontinued. I want to thank the Finance Committee and its chair Brant Perkins for its extraordinary efforts this past year.

I am pleased to also report that at the board meeting the board adopted the policy of program review recommended by the Program Review Task Force. The policy requires a periodic evaluation of all the association’s programming – both existing and newly proposed. The purpose is to make sure that the association is using its limited resources in the most effective and efficient ways over time to provide the greatest value to members within the means of the association.

On April 7, 2023, the state legislature adjourned sine die. I am pleased to report the legislature passed three bills in the Association’s legislative package: HB1408 – An Act to Create the Uniform Easement Relocation Act, HB1409 – An Act to Adopt the Uniform Community Property Disposition at Death Act, and HB1666 –An Act Concerning the Prepared Schedule of Property Ordered when a Judgment Calls for Property Subject to Execution.

Thanks to Jay Robbins, the association’s Director of Government Relations, and the Jurisprudence and Law Reform Committee chaired by David Bingham for all their efforts to assemble the association’s legislative package and shepherd it through the legislature.

Also during the 12-week session, the Legislation Committee reviewed a total of 1,472 bills and proposed constitutional amendments. It referred 582 bills to Section members for information and comment and performed its other duties with expertise and professionalism. Thanks to the committee chaired by George Rozzell for their work to fulfill the mission of the association to advance the practice of law, advocate for the legal profession, and protect the rule of law.

At the beginning of May, we kicked off our annual Membership Renewal Campaign and also launched our muchanticipated membership survey. The survey was developed under the leadership of Jamie Jones and the Member Value Task Force. The survey is your opportunity to be heard and the association’s opportunity to listen. Your input will help determine what programs and services the association will offer in the future. The task force will present a report and set of initial recommendations based on the survey results to the board in August.

June 14-16 the association will host its 125th Annual Meeting. It will again be a joint meeting with the Arkansas Judicial Council. Meeting chairs Molly McNulty and Chris McNulty have done an outstanding job. The theme, “Building for the Future: A World of Opportunities,” speaks to our vision of a better future – not only for the association, but more importantly, for the clients our members serve.

The meeting will kick off on Wednesday night with a 125th Anniversary Celebration event at Oaklawn Casino Resort. It will feature cocktails, a silent auction, dinner, the Joint Awards, and dancing. Seating is limited, so make your reservations today!

The meeting will culminate with the swearing in of President-Elect Margaret Dobson as the association’s 126th President. Margaret is a leader with heart, an unrelenting drive to serve our members, and a passion for justice.

It is a busy time, for sure. But by staying focused on member engagement, identifying and providing greater value, and ensuring our programming is relevant and an effective use of resources, we can be certain that we are building a better, stronger, more sustainable association. ■