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All of us are familiar
with the story line in the 1946 movie - "It's
a Wonderful Life." We watch it every Christmas
to brighten our spirits and to remind ourselves of
the difference one individual can make in the lives
of many. Jimmy Stewart portrays George Bailey, a small
town savings and loan owner, who has sacrificed his
personal goals and ambitions so that his family and
friends might succeed. In doing so, George loses sight
of how essential he has been to the survival of his
community and to the success of his family and friends.
The theme of this inspirational
story brings two messages of importance to our profession.
First, many of us tend to forget that the law is a
great and noble profession. Although I may be accused
of preaching to the choir, all too often we seem to
have accepted the frequent, harsh criticism voiced
by society toward lawyers.
Recently, Professor
Forest J. Bowman, the Jackson Kelly Professor of Law
Emeritus from West Virginia, emphasized in his address
to the Southern Conference of Bar Presidents on October
29, 2005, that we should never lose sight of the greatness
of our profession. He reminded us that it has never
been easy being a lawyer as we have been condemned
throughout history. However, like George Bailey we
must avoid falling into the trap of failing to recognize
our essential role in society. As Professor Bowman
phrased it - "We don't know how good we are."
As a profession which
is continually engaged in human conflict and controversy,
we must come to understand and expect such hostility.
For this reason, Professor Bowman opined that all
efforts by bar associations will not succeed. Our
only hope is to realize the "greatness and nobility
of our profession."
Like George Bailey,
we must remember our country has a rich history of
lawyers. The author of our Declaration of Independence
was a lawyer, and 25 of the 56 signers of the Declaration
were lawyers. A lawyer wrote our Constitution, and
of the 55 members who approved the Constitution 31
were lawyers. Significant decisions by the justices
of our United States Supreme Court laid the foundation
for our federal government and our independent judiciary,
and, of course, all of them were lawyers. Of the 43
presidents who have led our Republic to greatness,
25 of them were lawyers, and lawyers representing
individuals throughout the generations have ensured
that the rule of law reigns supreme for the citizens
of our nation.
Indeed, without lawyers,
our country might be a Pottersville. However, as Professor
Bowman reminded us, we lawyers deal not only in human
conflict and controversy; we also bring hope and opportunity
to our fellow human beings. In order to ensure that
our prominent role is sustained we must be ever diligent
and constantly remind ourselves and others of what
Bowman described as "the courage and honor and
hope and pride and compassion and sacrifice which
have been the glory of our profession."
The theme of "It's
a Wonderful Life" also serves as a second form
of reminder to members of the legal profession. Just
as society and even lawyers take our profession for
granted, many lawyers forget or take for granted the
significant part that the organized bar, i.e. the
Arkansas Bar Association, has played in the development
of the legal profession and the law in Arkansas.
Without our Association,
the development and sponsorship of practically every
major rule regulating our profession over the past
100 years would not have been adopted by the Supreme
Court. Without our Association, the Arkansas Bar Foundation's
role in constructing the Bar Center and creating scholarships
to help educate countless lawyers in our state might
not be available. Without our Association, various
committees which have helped ensure the passage of
good legislation and programs to improve the administration
of justice and practice of law would not have been
possible. Without our Association, the drafting and
passage of Amendment 80 would not have occurred. Without
our Association, the many benefits available to our
members such as Arkansas VersusLaw, The Arkansas
Lawyer, Case Summaries, practice handbooks, Parent
War videos, Bridging the Gap Seminar, the Professionalism
Practicum, the Outstanding Lawyer Award, and excellent
CLE programs would not exist. And without our Association
the marvelous Annual Meeting which is the envy of
other associations around the country would not be
possible.
Certainly, we do not
have sufficient space to list all of the accomplishments
of the Arkansas Bar Association. However, suffice
it to say, your Association has been most successful
in fulfilling its purpose to advance our profession
and promote the administration of justice. A recent
survey revealed that lawyers chose to become a member
of this great and noble profession for one reason.
No, it is not to make money, but rather it is to make
a difference. To be a member of the legal profession
allows us to make a difference in the lives of our
clients, and to be a member of the Arkansas Bar Association
allows us to make a difference in this great and noble
profession.•
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