OCBA UPDATE: 'We make a living ... by what we give.'1

By Jennifer Grieco In my first column, I issued a "call to service" to members of our association in honor of my brother. I would be remiss to conclude this year without expressing how honored and humbled I have been by the members who have answered the call for the benefit of our bar association and agreed to take a case in the OCBA Pro Bono Mentor Match program. I especially want to thank the additional members of the Planning Committee2 and the esteemed guests who spoke at the program's launch,3 as well as the past presidents, board members, foundation trustees, committee chairs, members of the Inns of Court and others who volunteered to serve as mentors. This truly has been a collective effort of our bar association and one in which we all should be extremely proud. At the Pro Bono Mentor Match launch, Justice Marilyn Kelly reminded attendees of the concept of being "citizen lawyers" and the obligation we have not only to be excellent legal scholars but also good citizens and leaders of our community. Belonging to the OCBA infuses all of us with the powerful opportunity to be civic leaders and make a difference in our community. Being a "citizen lawyer" requires that we come together--irrespective of the type of law we practice, which side of the aisle we sit on or our politics--to improve and benefit the community around us. We certainly practice in a region that would benefit from our strong community leadership and support--leadership that is inherently stronger because of the size and prominence of our bar association.4 Fortunately, our members have not limited their service to the Mentor Match program. During my tenure, I have been impressed and inspired by those who routinely provide free legal advice at the Legal Aid Mini Clinics that are hosted throughout the county,5 the efforts of the members of our Public Service Committee,6 the members volunteering to assist with the mock trial programs in conjunction with Oakland Schools,7 and those creating their own volunteer opportunities within the context of their committees. This year, I was especially inspired by the efforts of our Veterans Committee to challenge and engage our membership to raise money for Operation Afghan-Iraq Pac. The challenge was kicked off at the Holiday Gala with service members in attendance, making for a memorable evening. As a result of the activities of the Veterans Committee, with the support of the Family Court Committee, our association raised $25,000 and assisted in packing 90 boxes for Michigan units serving overseas, including enough phone cards so that every soldier in the units could call home thanks to Past President Michael Schloff (a.k.a. "76"). Similarly, the New Lawyers Council, under the leadership of Chair Kaveh Kashef, has worked tirelessly all year long to raise record amounts of money for their charity, Forgotten Harvest. The committee members actually donated their time to repackage 5,226 pounds of food to be distributed to those in need. The efforts of the Veterans and the New Lawyers committees demonstrate what can be accomplished with our members' contribution of a few dollars or a few hours of time to worthy causes. However, having had the opportunity to attend both the Operation Afghan-Iraq Pac and the Forgotten Harvest packing projects, I can tell you what our members received in return--feeling good about themselves and having a sense of pride in our profession and our organization, which more than reimbursed them for the dollars spent and the time donated. I encourage more committees to consider opportunities available to collectively give back as a means to engage and gratify our members. As has been previously mentioned, one of the goals established by the board following last year's strategic planning was to play a recognized role in serving the Oakland County community. A subcommittee of our board chaired by David Carl Anderson8 recently completed the daunting task of identifying all community stakeholders in the county with whom the bar should be communicating about our existing outreach programs and to identify partners with whom to address additional community needs. The results of this effort will be a valuable resource utilized by the OCBA for years to come, as we move toward the goals of lawyers embodying the principles of the "citizen lawyer" and being viewed as community leaders, thereby improving the reputation of our profession and the personal satisfaction that we feel as attorneys. Indeed, every member of our board and the OCBA staff is to be commended for their hard work in implementing the goals of the strategic plan as we start to realize the positive results in our association.9 It has been a privilege to work with each and every one of these dedicated individuals. As I conclude my term and reflect on how truly fortunate I have been to serve in this role, I know that this experience would not have been possible but for the encouragement from OCBA leaders when I was a new lawyer. In that vein, I was inspired to witness our new, young and dynamic members volunteering for and excelling at the leadership opportunities that the OCBA offers. Alana Glass, chair of our Diversity Committee, energized those in attendance at the Diversity Dinner with her passion for equality and her confidence in what the OCBA can and will achieve in terms of diversity for the benefit of the professional community. Lindsay Citrin, chair of the Public Service Committee, was a wonderful ambassador of our bar to the members of the community who attended the People's Law College. Syeda Davidson, chair of the Law Related Education Committee and a winner of the Distinguished Service Award, was the perfect role model for the 260 high school students whom she welcomed at this year's successful Youth Law Conference. Barry Malone and Gloria Chon have demonstrated tremendous leadership abilities as chairs of the Municipal Law and Tax Law committees, respectively. And every member of the New Lawyers Council is a superstar. I mention these individuals to encourage more members, including newer lawyers, to seek out these leadership positions and the opportunity to make a difference but also to advise you that the future of our bar association is bright. I began this year as president in honor of the ultimate sacrifice made by brother, Kevin, and the ideals that he stood for: duty, honor and service. While his life and death inspires me every day, I also find myself continuously inspired by our members in their dedication to our bar association and to our community. It was a privilege to serve as your president and I thank you for the opportunity. ------------ Footnotes 1The full quote by Winston Churchill reads: "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." 2The Planning Committee was comprised of: William R. Knight Jr., Lakeshore Legal Aid; Catherine McGee, Lakeshore Legal Aid; Lynda Krupp, Legal Aid and Defender Association; Kelly Bidelman, Legal Aid and Defender Association; John R. Nussbaumer, Associate Dean, Thomas M. Cooley Law School - Auburn Hills; Ashley Lowe, Associate Professor, Thomas M. Cooley Law School - Auburn Hills and also Clinic Director of the Family Law Assistance Project; Peter Alter, OCBA President-Elect and Lisa Stadig Elliot, OCBA Executive Director. 3Justice Marilyn Kelly, Michigan Supreme Court; Judge Nanci J. Grant, Chief Judge of Oakland County Circuit Court; Judge Elizabeth M. Pezzetti, Oakland County Probate Court; Judge Kelley R. Kostin, on behalf the Oakland County District Judges Association; and George M. Googasian, The Googasian Law Firm. In addition, I would like to thank W. Anthony Jenkins, president of the State Bar of Michigan, and Myron J. Lloyd, president of the D. Augustus Straker Bar Association, for their attendance and support. 4If you have any doubt as to the ability of the OCBA to significantly impact the community, just consider the $188,000 that was raised this year alone from the generosity of our members and the sponsors of the Oakland County Bar Foundation Signature Event to benefit community outreach efforts and the delivery of legal aid services in Oakland County. 5The volunteers at this year's Legal Aid Mini Clinics in Madison Heights and Southfield were: Craig Lavoie, Lindsay Citrin, Paula Zimmer, Nicole Goodson, Marilyn Walker, Barry Malone, Syeda Hossain Davidson, Bill Berlin, Brent Easton, Randy Secontine, Darren Scott O'Connell, Elizabeth Rae-O'Donnell, Gordon Gold, Laurel Stuart-Fink, Peter Tochman, Kelly Bidelman, Elliot Parnes, Burton Shifman, Zainab Boxwala and Alana Glass. 6Active members include Chair Lindsay Citrin, Vice Chair Syeda Hossain Davidson, and members Paula A. Zimmer, Mark A. Harper, Katherine A. Fox, Mona K. Jabr, Christopher Berry and Board Liaison David Carl Anderson. 7Volunteers include Judge Terrence Brennan, Judge Keith Hunt, Judge Marc Barron, Daniel Quick, David C. Anderson, Tova Shaban and Richard Danforth. 8Group 3 consisted of Judge Susan Moiseev, Gerald J. Gleeson II, James J. Parks, Mark Stern, Bonnie Laux, Jenna Huskinson and Lisa Stadig Elliot. 9The Solo/Small Firm Listserv is up and running, bringing together our solo and small firm members as resources to each other. You can join the Listserv at http://listserv.ocba.org/SCRIPTS/WA-OCBA.EXE?A0=OCBA-SOLO_SMALL_FIRM and then click "Subscribe" and follow the directions. If you have any difficulty joining this listserv, please send an e-mail to Katie Tillinger at membership@ocba.org or call her at the OCBA, 248-334-3400. ------------ Jennifer A. Grieco, a partner with Neuman Anderson PC, is the 78th president of the Oakland County Bar Association. Published: Mon, Jun 13, 2011