Annual Report 2015-2016 Bba Council
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2016 ANNUAL REPORT 2015-2016 BBA COUNCIL Officers Lisa G. Arrowood Carol A. Starkey Mark D. Smith Christine M. Netski Jonathan M. Albano President President-Elect Vice President Treasurer Secretary Arrowood Peters LLP Conn Kavanaugh Laredo & Smith, LLP Sugarman, Rogers, Morgan Lewis Rosenthal Peisch & Barshak & Cohen, PC Ford, LLP Members Russell Beck Michael C. Fee Julia Huston Karen M. O’Toole David P. Rosenblatt Beck Reed Riden LLP Pierce & Mandell, PC Foley Hoag LLP Fidelity Investments Burns & Levinson LLP Jacquelynne J. Bowman Mark C. Fleming Sarah Kim Chinh H. Pham Dean Vincent Rougeau Greater Boston Legal Services Wilmer Cutler Pickering Treasurer and Receiver Greenberg Traurig, LLP Boston College Law School Hale and Dorr LLP General of Massachusetts Margaret A. Brown Jeffrey J. Pyle Sara J. Shanahan Skadden, Arps, Slate, Megan Gates Deborah J. Manus Prince Lobel Tye LLP Sherin and Lodgen LLP Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP Meagher & Flom LLP Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Elizabeth A. Ritvo Professor David M. Siegel Glovsky and Popeo, PC Paul G. Cushing Christopher M. Morrison Brown Rudnick LLP New England Law | Boston Jones Day Partners HealthCare Lisa C. Goodheart Mark D. Roellig Wendell C. Taylor Sugarman, Rogers, June Duchesne Suma V. Nair Massachusetts Mutual Life Vertex Pharmaceuticals Barshak & Cohen, PC EMC Corporation Goulston & Storrs PC Insurance Company Laura M. Unflat Hon. Margaret R. Hinkle Jennifer Sevigney Durand Kevin J. O’Connor Rachael Rollins The Law Office of JAMS Schmidt & Federico, PC Hinckley Allen Laura M. Unflat 2015-2016 BBF BOARD OF TRUSTEES Officers Lisa C. Goodheart Anthony A. Froio David L. Ferrera Diana K. Lloyd President President-Elect Treasurer Secretary Sugarman, Rogers, Robins, Kaplan, Miller Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP Choate Hall & Stewart LLP Barshak & Cohen, PC & Ciresi LLP Members Jonathan M. Albano Julia Devanthéry Stephanie S. Lovell Christopher D. Strang Morgan Lewis Legal Services Center of Blue Cross Blue Shield Strang, Scott, Giroux Harvard Law School of Massachusetts & Young, LLP Lisa G. Arrowood Arrowood Peters LLP Thomas J. Gallitano Christopher M. Morrison Conn Kavanaugh Rosenthal Jones Day Russell Beck Peisch & Ford, LLP Beck Reed Riden LLP James D. Smeallie Alexandra M. Gorman Holland & Knight, LLP Hon. Nonnie S. Burnes Skadden, Arps, Slate, Mark D. Smith Jonathan Chiel Meagher & Flom LLP Laredo & Smith, LLP Fidelity Investments Julia Huston Carol A. Starkey Sarah C. Columbia Foley Hoag LLP Conn Kavanaugh Rosenthal McDermott, Will & Emery LLP Peisch & Ford, LLP Page 2 Boston Bar Annual Report WELCOME Dear Members and Friends, As you no doubt know if you have spent time with us at 16 Beacon Street, the Boston Bar Association and Foundation strive to uphold certain principles. Chief among them are promoting excellence in the legal profession, expanding access to justice and improving the quality of the justice system, encouraging diversity and inclusion in the practice of law and giving back to our community through public service. In the first ever joint Annual Report of the Boston Bar Association and Boston Bar Foundation, we are proud to present the best of our work in these areas over the past year. Our members and supporters continue to make our mission a reality by giving generously of their time, energy and resources -- always inspiring us to do more. As attorneys, we are in a unique position to provide assistance to individuals during some of the most challenging times in their lives. To give back as a lawyer is to help those in need gain access to vital legal services, and advocate for the otherwise voiceless. At the same time, we understand the importance of guiding attorneys along the path of professional success, empowering them to achieve great things inside and outside of the office and pass their knowledge on to others. If you are a member or supporter, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks for all that you do. If you wish to help us do the work summarized in these pages, we encourage you to get involved at the Boston Bar by contacting Kristen Scioli White at [email protected] or calling 617-778-1904. Sincerely, Lisa G. Arrowood Lisa C. Goodheart Boston Bar Association President Boston Bar Foundation President Page 3 Boston Bar Annual Report ABOUT THE BOSTON BAR ASSOCIATION The Boston Bar Association (BBA) is the hub of the legal profession in Boston, which began as a small group of lawyers led by John Adams in the late 1700s. The BBA is now made up of more than 13,000 members who bring their diverse backgrounds, practice areas, interests and expertise together to achieve our mission to advance the highest standards of excellence for the legal profession, facilitate access to justice, and serve the community at large. ABOUT THE BOSTON BAR FOUNDATION The Boston Bar Foundation (BBF) is the charitable affiliate of the BBA. Founded in 1957, the BBF’s work is guided by the values of professionalism, service, compassion and responsibility. The mission of the BBF is to promote justice by funding and promoting innovation in legal services, enhancing access to justice for the underserved and supporting the public interest activities of the bar. The BBA and the BBF work to provide as many opportunities as possible for attorneys to continue their legal education, grow their professional network, and give back. We strive to engage every member in programming to strengthen their practice and public service projects that have a tangible impact on the lives of others. Page 4 Boston Bar Annual Report Contents 6 Year at a Glance 7 Refining the Practice of Law 9 Fostering Leadership 10 Leading in Education 12 Advancing and Improving the Law 14 Supporting the Judiciary 16 Serving our Community 21 Celebrating Excellence 24 Thank You Page 5 Boston Bar Annual Report YEAR AT A GLANCE Granted Helped $1.3 million to public 38,000+ service initiatives and people through BBA legal services projects and BBF organizations funded programs Engaged Held 600+ 700+ volunteer leaders to educational programs, serve our community meetings, and events Welcomed Heard 15,000+ 1,000+ people program speakers Page 6 Boston Bar Annual Report REFINING THE PRACTICE OF LAW At the BBA, we focus on meeting the ever-changing needs of attorneys in an evolving profession. Our hope is to help each of our members find and stay on their individual path to excellence during each stage of their career. BUILDING FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS This past year, we introduced a new educational series called “Friday Fundamentals.” Each session focused on a single practical skill that new lawyers may not have acquired during law school, such as drafting a complaint or prepar- ing estate planning documents. The program was started by BBA President Lisa Arrowood, who wanted to help law school graduates gain real-world experience. “As a mother of three, I decided to create a position for myself and start a solo practice, focusing on family, criminal and immigra- tion law. After the initial excitement, my mind raced with the fear of not knowing how to actually ‘practice’ law. I really appreciate the effort in creating ‘Friday Fundamentals,’ in order to give some of us, like me, an opportunity to forge forward in this incredible profession that we have chosen to be members of.” Iliana Diaz, 2015 graduate of New England Law | Boston and Solo Practitioner Yalonda Taliss Howze of Mintz Levin, Alexander J. Aber of Foley Hoag, and Grace V. Bacon Garcia of Morrison Mahoney speak to the BBA’s Recently Elected Partners Forum, where attorneys learn the business development skills needed to be successful partners. Page 7 Boston Bar Annual Report Clockwise from top left: Steven Wright, Managing Partner of the Boston Office of Holland & Knight; Lisa Murray, Principal and Co-Founder of Trevi Communications; Samia Kirmani, Co-Leader of the Workplace Training Practice Group at Jackson Lewis; STANDING OUT FROM THE CROWD Catherine MacDonagh of Legal Mocktail Many attorneys boast impressive resumes, When it comes to brown bags, Continuing but in today’s highly interconnected world, a Legal Education (CLE) programs, conferences, laundry list of accomplishments is not enough pro bono trainings and other events, we to set an attorney’s practice apart. As part of our judge the success of our programs by the ongoing efforts to provide lawyers with tools transfer of knowledge that takes place. they can utilize to stay competitive, we hosted our first “Brand Yourself 2015: New Associate Even as attorneys become more seasoned, Networking and Business Development” the BBA offers countless opportunities to conference this year. Attorneys heard from keep learning and grow one’s practice. Our panelists who have successfully implemented sections and forums offer the chance to make marketing and business development connections and share knowledge. Practiced strategies that turn contacts into clients. attorneys may be in the audience for one panel discussion while they are scheduled to Brand Yourself is just one example of the speak on a different topic later in the week. BBA’s commitment to providing meaningful, Our Recently Elected Partners Forum, new enriching programs to our membership. We this year, provides an environment where want to do more than help build resumes. members at similar places in their careers can discuss the challenges unique to them. Page 8 Boston Bar Annual Report FOSTERING LEADERSHIP The Public Interest Leadership Program (PILP), comprehensive panel to come together for established in 2002, promotes civic engagement a “Juvenile Restorative Justice Symposium.” and public service by advancing the leadership Speakers from the public and private sectors, role of lawyers in service to their community, the judiciary and the Legislature discussed how their profession and the Commonwealth. Each restorative justice is currently implemented in year, members of the PILP class pick a project Massachusetts, and the obstacles its proponents to which they devote their time and energy.