JOURNAL JOURNAL JOURNAL FROM THE PRESIDENT | Joycelyn A. Stevenson Improving the Practice of Law Journal Through Education, Service, & Fellowship When I was in law school, I was struck by the varied reaJournal sons why my classmates were motivated to attend law
JOYCELYN A. STEVENSON, Publisher WILLIAM T. RAMSEY, Editor-in-Chief
ramseywt@nealharwell.com
ELEANOR WETZEL, Managing Editor
eleanorwetzel@jis.nashville.org
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE DAVID ANTHONY NOEL BAGWELL KIMBERLY FAYE CALLIE HINSON CAROLINE HUDSON TIM ISHII TRACY KANE EVERETTE PARRISH BART PICKETT MATTHEW PIERCE BILL RAMSEY TAMICA ROSS MIKE SANDLER REBEKAH SHULMAN KRISTIN THOMAS JONATHAN WARDLE VICTORIA WEBB ELEANOR WETZEL DAVID WINTERS NASHVILLE BAR JOURNAL (ISSN1548-7113) (USPS 021-962) is published bi-monthly by the Nashville Bar Association, 150 4th Ave N, Ste 1050, Nashville, TN 37219. Periodicals Postage Paid at Nashville TN. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Nashville Bar Journal, 150 4th Ave N, Ste 1050, Nashville, TN 37219-2419. No part of this publication may be reprinted without written permission of the Nashville Bar Journal Editorial Committee. All articles, letters, and editorials contained in this publication represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Nashville Bar Association. For more information, visit NashvilleBar.org/NashvilleBarJournal. NASHVILLE BAR ASSOCIATION 150 4th Ave N, Ste 1050 Nashville, TN 37219 615.242.9272 • NashvilleBar.org The Nashville Bar Association, established in 1831, is a professional organization serving the legal community of Nashville, Tennessee. The NBA—with over 2,500 members—is the largest metropolitan bar association in Tennessee.
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school and practice law. For some, law was the family business, others it was a way to fill out their professional journey and resumes, and for many it was an academic challenge that other professions do not share. Despite the many reasons, there was an altruistic core that was central to all of our journeys that still resonates today. In my humble opinion, bar associations all across the country, like the Nashville Bar Association, are the keepers and protectors of that core. I became a member and involved with the NBA early in my career because of service and fellowship. The NBA has a rich and important history of service to this community. I am in awe of the number of members and past presidents who have served such important roles and have been critical to the administration of justice and civil rights in this city, state, and country. We have benefited greatly from their service, which teaches us that we have a responsibility to our community as much as we have to ourselves. I am also mindful that there are many giants in our legal community who were unable to join the NBA but had just as big of an impact on critical legal decisions and served as mentors and advisors to many of our members. We have lost many of these legal pioneers in the last few years, but we will continue to honor their memories by building on the foundation they left behind. The NBA provides numerous opportunities for its members and friends to be involved. Throughout the years, I worked on multiple activities, volunteered for speaking engagements, and eventually was elected to the board. The fellowship component of the NBA’s mission is the one that is the most understated―yet one of the most important. Our happy hours, service projects, annual picnic, and annual meeting provide invaluable networking opportunities that have a profound impact on an attorney’s legal career and leadership. Lives and perspectives can be changed when attorneys―sometimes adversaries―are able to fellowship with one another on a regular basis. If you are reading this article as a member, then you have already taken a step in the right direction by joining the NBA. Our job is to get you engaged in the bar so that you remain a member and, more importantly, encourage others around you to do the same. In case you have not noticed we have a brand new website, a new logo, and a bigger presence on social media―please visit the NBA on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. We are also engaging in more community service activities, including upcoming projects organized by our Community Relations Committee, our Young Lawyers Division, and the Continuing Legal Education and Diversity Committees. In addition to spreading the word about how great it is to be an NBA member, we encourage you to figure out how you can lend your talents to a committee or project this year. If you are interested in serving on the board, please submit your name for nomination or nominate a colleague so that we continue having informed, diverse, and robust discussions about the future of our bar association. My membership in the NBA played an important role in my growth and development as an attorney and provided the leadership tools for my service as president. Please let us know how we can make your membership more meaningful. Thank you for choosing the NBA. n
NASHVILLE BAR JOURNAL | AUG/SEP 2016