• In 1991 , the Truancy Intervention of justice . Project was founded by President Terry Walsh and Judge Glenda Hatchett . TIP has served nearly 9,000 children since its inception .
One of my primary goals for this year was to engage the tremendous will to do good in order to address some of the pressing issues affecting our nation and system
We can be proud , I know I am , of all the good this organization has done and continues to do in the legal community and our community at large . Simply put , our association is a tremendous force for good . Just a few examples of what we have done to make a difference are as follows :
• In 1924 ‒ 17 Atlanta Bar lawyers founded Atlanta Legal Aid . Under the enduring leadership of Steve Gottlieb , it does more than ever to serve the community .
• In 1979 ‒ the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (“ AVLF ”) was founded by future Atlanta Bar Association President John Chandler and the ACYL . Under the wonderful leadership of Marty Ellin and his colleagues , as Marty noted in his speech while receiving our Leadership Award in April , “ The bullying stops when an AVLF lawyer appears .”
• In 1980 ‒ The “ Give Our Police A Hand ” Initiative was started by President Charlie Shaffer to raise funds for scholarships for the children of Atlanta police officers killed or injured in the line of duty . This effort is still active today .
• In 1984 ‒ Minority and Diversity Clerkship Program , the first of its kind in the United States , was founded by President Seaborn Jones and has made available over 350 paid clerkships to students from Georgia ’ s law schools .
• In 1985 , the Atlanta Bar Foundation was started by President Frank Strickland .
• In 1991 , the Truancy Intervention of justice . Project was founded by President Terry Walsh and Judge Glenda Hatchett . TIP has served nearly 9,000 children since its inception .
• In 1993 , our Summer Law Internship Program (“ SLIP ”) for High School Students was founded by then President Terrence Croft , Comer Yates , Tom Wamsley and Wade Malone ; and
• In 2001 , we founded , as a result of the leadership of President Seth Kirschenbaum , the Multi Bar Leadership Council (“ MBLC ”) to foster and improve relationships among the members of local bar associations .
• In 2008 , the first Annual Celebrating Service Luncheon and Pro Bono Fair was started by Presidents Rita Sheffey , David Schaeffer and Shayna Steinfeld . These are just some of the many examples of the tremendous will of the organization to serve as a force for good .
One of my primary goals for this year was to engage the tremendous will to do good in order to address some of the pressing issues affecting our nation and system
community . It represents the pursuit of our highest ideals . To bring about what has been referred to by Congressman John Lewis as the beloved community . It is never completely achieved but we endeavor to get ever closer to it with what we do to serve our profession , the community and the cause of justice .
As I prepared to begin my term , I felt a sense of urgency that would not go away : A call to action to use the position for which I had been elected by you , my fellow members , to engage the resources and talents of our noble profession to seek and advance the cause of justice — consistent with our mission .
One of my primary goals for this year was to engage the tremendous will to do good in order to address some of the pressing issues affecting our nation and system of justice . While many view them through the lens of race , issues of justice , access , inclusion , fairness , and accountability have no color or demographic requirement . They are ideals upon which our precious democracy is based . We as lawyers are guardians of these values and if we do not protect them , our great nation suffers . Lawyers and judges of every race have worked together and held hands to solve some of our nation ’ s toughest problems and that is what we worked to do this year .
Last August , our bar convened a stellar panel of leaders and experts to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act , which transformed our nation by ensuring the integrity of the electoral process and ensuring the precious right for all Americans . Civil Rights Icon and United States Congressman John Lewis , legendary civil rights lawyer Fred Gray , Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens , former Georgia Senator Jason Carter , Anne Lewis and other voting rights luminaries from across the country helped shed light on modern issues impacting voting rights in our nation and here in Georgia . What I hope we all came away with was a better understanding that there is nothing partisan about promoting and maintaining the integrity of the electoral process and that we should all work together for solutions to the pressing issues affecting access to the ballot .
For me , the role of the bar is to serve our members and the
We all bring our life experiences to our professions . As a
The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association THE ATLANTA LAWYER 5