one occasion. Her ability to guide you without stepping on your toes was a remarkable attribute. To me, Judith Gray was the Arkansas Bar Association. She was the model of consistency that made and maintained our organization as one of the top bar associations in this country. For that, we should all be grateful. Finally, and as we all know, Judith loved lawyers. She often wore a lapel pin that proclaimed the same. She truly loved the profession and the people in it. Ironically, it seems to me that if all people in this world were like Judith Gray, we would not need lawyers. Richard L. Ramsay (YLS Chair 1985-1986) Before I knew anything about the Arkansas Bar Association, before I knew most of the law I know today, and long before I became the lawyer I am today, I knew Judith Gray. I knew Judith because she reached out to me, as a brand new young lawyer - my first year - and took me in. Of all the important things she taught me, two I use daily, not only in my Bar life but in all of my life’s journey. First, listen to the members... listen to people ... you may learn something and become a better Association leader, a better lawyer ... a better person. Second, we are a team ... we move forward and backwards together. If we work together, we will limit the moments we regress and greatly increase the momentum and miles we progress forward. I am grateful for Judith and her leadership, work and love among us. She has led us over many wonderful, successful miles! Rosalind Mouser (YLS Chair 1989-1990) The Arkansas Young Lawyers Section was always a priority for Judith. She wanted us front and center on the local, state, and national level. One of my early experiences with Judith was an unexpected call asking if I could attend a national meeting on behalf of the Arkansas YLS. The current chair had an unanticipated conflict as did the vice-chair and, by working down the list of board members, Judith had reached me. Luckily, I was available and was shortly winging my way to Portland, Oregon, to represent Arkansas at the conference. I was hooked from that point forward. Judith’s constant encouragement and promotion of YLS and its members has created generations of lawyer leaders. It was my privilege to serve with her. Lucinda McDaniel (YLS Chair 1992-1993) I first met Judith Gray at the Annual Meeting in 1988. I wanted to become involved in the Young Lawyers’ Section. I met Rosalind Mouser who told me to come to the YLS meeting and I could run and be elected to the Executive Committee. She promised no one from South Arkansas would run to oppose me. As you could guess someone did run and my first try at doing volunteer work for the Association was quickly sunk. Feeling dejected Rosalind came up to me and said she knew I wanted to be involved and said “I will find something for you to do.” Judith Gray was listening and said “Rosalind you could use someone to edit the upcoming Senior Citizen’s Handbook.” This would be the sixth edition. I had my 8
YLS In brief
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first task in the Association thanks to Judith Gray. This began a friendship over many years that included, Chair of YLS, Annual Meeting Chair, and too many committees to count. As Chair of the YLS in 1994 I inherited an idea from former Chair Lynn Williams about a minority recruitment program. I felt a need for the Association to be more open to all persons. This was before “diversity” was a popular term. I expressed this to Judith Gray. She wholly supported me. We (probably Judith told me and made me think it was my idea) came up with a conference for minority high school students where we would have African Americans with different employment backgrounds talk to the group and tell them their stories and the sacrifices they made. I enlisted the help of my law school classmate, Lisa Mathis Peters. I wanted to try to get members of the W. Harold Flowers Law Society involved and work with them on this project. Judith asked me if I had ever heard the story about Wiley Branton joining the Association. I had not. Wiley Branton passed the bar in 1952. He received his dues statement from the Association and paid it. The following year he did not receive a statement. He inquired on the amount and sent in the money. His money was returned in a plain white envelope with no comment. This is an example of how Judith had the ability to let me know what a big mountain I was trying to climb with one project, but not discourage me from trying. We had the conference and it was a success such that Lisa Peters and I received a Golden Gavel. Judith can keep a secret. In December of 1997 the Executive Committee of the Arkansas Bar met in Pine Bluff. I was madly in love with a girl named Karen Wineman. On Saturday after the