GATEWAY CITIES UPDATE
The MBA's initial Gateway Cities forum
held at UMass Law School in North Dartmouth on Jan. 26, ably
organized by Margaret Xifaris and Fran Ford, confirmed that there
are numerous existing opportunities for lawyers to get involved-
now. The majority of forum participants, representing New Bedford
and environs, echoed a common theme: mentoring is a crucial element
in improving the quality of life and opportunities for the
residents. Education, of course, also was deemed crucial.
But a more nuanced and expansive approach to education and
training, as suggested by several of the forum participants, views
mentoring as being not just for typical school-age individuals, but
also, adults seeking to return to school, frequently without a
support system to assist them in doing so.
As an example, a single parent, who dealt with a pregnancy as a
teenager and as an adult in her 20s, wants to better herself by
further education and training, may lack the resources necessary to
juggle the roles of parent, worker and student. An empathetic and
supportive adult mentor can make all the difference.
The 15-year-old with a spotty record in school, with limited
family support and guidance, can benefit from a mentor providing
encouragement and other assistance in seeing to it that this
youngster continues with school and gets a diploma. Urban school
attendance rates are shockingly low, with correspondingly high
dropout rates. Speaker after speaker echoed the theme that a little
bit of mentoring help can go a long way in enhancing the prospects
for appropriate education, training, employment and, ultimately,
responsible, satisfying adulthood.
Opportunities already existing are abundant. For example, take a
look at the SMILES mentoring program in New Bedford. This program
works to keep youngsters in school, matching appropriate adult
community members with youngsters. Similar programs no doubt exist
in communities near you. Programs like these are wonderful
opportunities for volunteerism.
Thinking more expansively about our role as lawyers in the society
of which we are just a part is what the Gateway Cities initiative
is really about. If the initial forum at UMass Law School is any
indication, I am confident that there is much that we lawyers,
individually and collectively, can do by thinking globally and
acting locally, as the shopworn phrase goes. Stay tuned for more
information as the Gateway Cities initiative
progresses.
NEWS FROM HAMPSHIRE COUNTY
As a representative of the MBA, I was
privileged to attend the Hampshire County Bar Association's 16th
Annual Appreciation Reception & Contribution to Justice Award
Ceremony at the Hotel Northampton on Feb. 2, 2012. The event was
organized under the leadership of Hampshire County Bar President
Leslie McLellan Brown. The award recipient was Diane "Dee"
Grzeskowicz, the operations supervisor for the Hampshire Probate
& Family Court. Grzeskowicz, by all accounts, is a superb
example of what it means to be a dedicated public servant.
Speaker after speaker echoed the theme of her hard work, her
expertise, her unfailing good nature, her sense of humor, and
ultimately, her ability to serve the public- lawyers and litigants
alike- in a climate of declining resources for our courts. Among
the speakers I was pleased to hear was former MBA Family Law
Section Council chair and Hampshire Probate & Family Court
Judge Linda S. Fidnick, who did a masterful job praising
Grzeskowicz. When she accepted the award, Grzeskowicz came across
as the humble, dedicated public servant described by Judge Fidnick
and others.
As I drove home that evening from Northampton to Topsfield, I
reflected on our collective good fortune in having a court employee
like Grzeskowicz, a county bar president like Leslie McLellan
Brown, and a judge like Linda Fidnick. While the event specifically
was to honor Grzeskowicz, it had broader meaning. It is heartening
and encouraging that we have court employees, judges and lawyers
like these working together to do what our system is about:
providing justice for all of us. It was an honor for me, as an MBA
representative, to be at this event.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
It is my hope- scheduling logistics
permitting- to attend many county and other bar association events
throughout the commonwealth, in order to find out what you are
thinking, and, in turn, to share when appropriate, some of my own
views.
We have been experiencing many changes in our profession during
the past 25 years or so, some of which have had a substantial
impact on the way we practice law and how we interact with each
other. We need to face up to these changes, adapt to them and take
appropriate positions and action when necessary. Doing so will
require good communication, among other things. I hope to hear from
as many of you as wish to be heard. The MBA is, after all, your
organization.