06/15/2020
This starts the last week of my term as President of The Florida Bar and also our 70th Annual Florida Bar Convention - going virtual! For the first time in the history of The Florida Bar, convention has been retooled so that section and committee meetings, CLE seminars, and other events can take place virtually this week.
I want to take this opportunity to thank Chief Justice Charles Canady and the Florida Supreme Court for their valuable leadership they brought to our members during this trying time. I also want to thank all of the Section and Committee Chairs who had to adjust plans for all live events, CLEs, retreats and more during the past five months. They worked extremely hard to serve our members, and showed poise and grace in moving forward despite their best laid plans being changed.
I also want to thank The Florida Bar Board of Governors. Over 50 strong, consisting of fellow bar members as well as public members, the Bar’s Board of Governors worked tirelessly to assure our members needs were being met. They kept our members informed, brought forth ideas to help our members through these trying times and offered strong leadership at a time when it was needed most.
I want to thank our amazing Florida Bar staff who assure that The Florida Bar remains the best Bar in the country, as well as our voluntary bar leaders and our mentors who continue to innovate and respond with professionalism and strength whether in calms seas or in stormy weather.
I want to congratulate Mike Tanner on being sworn in as President-elect. I know he will do a fantastic job. I also know he will learn from one of the best; our incoming President Dori Foster-Morales. She has offered sage counsel and advice all year, and worked diligently to assure that the Bar and the Board would be prepared as she started her term to deal with this “new normal” that was certainly not expected four short months ago. I want to thank Dori for all she has done for me, for the Board of Governors and for The Florida Bar. The Bar could not be under better leadership as we work through what is to come.
The theme of this year’s convention fits perfectly, "Looking Back – Moving Forward." I am mindful that these are challenging and trying times in our country and our state. We are all in this together; and, together we can recover and restore our legal system and law practices to what will likely be a new, and hopefully improved, normal. Now more than ever our legal profession, our entire justice system, needs your help as we must meet the needs of ALL Florida citizens to smooth out difficulties and to relieve stresses and assure justice for ALL.
I have enjoyed every moment of this experience and offer a sincere thank you for allowing me the honor of serving you!
John
