Colorado Bar Association 2003 - 2004 Annual Report

• Publication year: 2004
• Pages: 34

33 Colo.Law. 34 Colorado Lawyer 2004.

2004, September, Pg. 34. Colorado Bar Association 2003 - 2004 Annual Report

Vol. 33, No. 9, Pg. 34

The Colorado Lawyer
September 2004
Vol. 33, No. 9 [Page 34]

Features

Colorado Bar Association 2003 - 2004 Annual Report

2004-2005 OFFICERS & EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Steve C. Briggs, Denver
PRESIDENT

Roger E. Clark, Loveland
PRESIDENT-ELECT

Robert J. Truhlar, Littleton
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

Frederic B. Rodgers, Golden
SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT

Marc J. Kaplan, Denver
Joan M. Norman, Boulder
Tuck Young, Pueblo

E. Steven Ezell, Colorado Springs
David L. Masters, Montrose
Inga H. Causey, Avon
VICE-PRESIDENTS

Charles C. Turner
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Greg Martin
DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dana Collier Smith
Diane Hartman
ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

John S. Holt, Denver
TREASURER

D.A. Bertram, Denver
Cynthia L. Ciancio, Westminster
Mary Jo Gross, Denver
Kerry S. Hada, Englewood
Richard H. Krohn, Grand Junction
Jenifer Ross-Amato, Denver
Claire E. Sollars, Steamboat Springs
Anthony C. van Westrum, Denver
William E. Walters, Denver
COUNCIL MEMBERS

REPORT FROM THE
2003 - 2004 PRESIDENT

The Colorado Bar Association ("CBA") had another very active year. When it comes to the

issues that the legal profession must address, some things continue to present a challenge. The CBA again dealt with hostility toward lawyers and judges, a concern for the delivery of legal services, access to justice, the cost and delay involving cases filed in court, and the integrity of our profession. The declining economic health of our state during the last two years also presented restrictive pressures on the judiciary and the court system. The officers, executive committees, and staff of the CBA, in conjunction with the efforts of many of its individual members, worked hard to combat these problems, and to strengthen the legal community and the administration of justice in the courts

Expanded President's Visits

In the last year, I enjoyed bringing the CBA's resources to districts around the state in the form of President's Visits. These visits were expanded to a full-day format which began with judicial training in the morning, followed by a joint judiciary and membership luncheon, each with a Colorado Supreme Court Justice as the keynote speaker, and ended in the afternoon with a four-hour, free continuing legal education program for members. Each program had a segment relating to law office management or technology presentations on pro bono activities and programs; and a lively discussion of current proposed legislation, rule changes, and trends in the practice of law. The Bench/Bar Bowls (trivia contests) were fun and encouraged collegiality throughout the state. District visits were held in Denver, Fort Morgan, Grand Junction, La Junta, Steamboat Springs, Durango, Fort Collins, Cañon City, and Golden.

Legislative Policy Activities

The Legislative Policy Committee, which historically meets every Friday morning during the legislative session, expanded its work and began meeting monthly from June to December in order to plan additional programs and approaches to our legislative activities. We instituted a fall program for legislators, offering background information relating to the legal system and legal principles. The program was titled "Law 101," and will likely be an annual event especially geared toward new legislators in an election year. We increased our lobbying presence through additional funding of an outside lobbying firm, Aponté and Hogan, Inc. (Ruth Aponté and Mary Kay Hogan). The ultimate legislative activism this year was the CBA's comprehensive involvement in opposing impeachment proceedings against a sitting district court judge. Finally, the CBA concluded that the current court fiscal crisis in our state is stretching judicial resources to the limit and beyond, and that true access to justice cannot be realized when funding is cut, judicial positions are not filled, clerks are not replaced, and court personnel are placed on unpaid furloughs. To that effect, the CBA pledged up to $200,000 in support of proposed initiatives that would amend TABOR. These efforts will continue into the next year (see update at page 23).

Lobbying on the Hill (Out East or "The Big Hill")

This year, I was fortunate to have the opportunity, along with my law partner and spouse, Doris Truhlar, (President of the Arapahoe County Bar Association), to travel to Washington, D.C., and meet with members of our congressional delegation on issues impacting lawyers and the delivery of legal services. We were able to present our position on important issues such as the adequate funding of the Legal Services Corporation, considerations of the Civil Rights Tax Relief Act, and the exclusion of lawyers from the privacy requirements of Gramm-Leach-Bliley. The trip was rewarding, especially because both representatives and the senator with whom we met were very receptive to hearing the ideas of Colorado constituents representing the legal community. Legislators and their staffs were very respectful. I hope that, in the future, the CBA continues to present the positions of Colorado lawyers in Washington, D.C., during the American Bar Association's ("ABA") planned program. Doris and I were privileged to get to know Karen Mathis on this trip. Karen Mathis is a former chair of the ABA House of Delegates and will be the first ABA President from Colorado. Her term starts two years from now.

Membership

The membership of the CBA is up slightly from last year (more than 15,000 members). Although this year was the first time in nine years that members were required to pay a dues increase, there was no detrimental effect from the increase. The additional revenue will allow the Association to support additional programs for members in the future. The financial health of the organization at the end of this year is strong. The annual CBA convention, which has been discontinued, has been replaced with at least ten annual institutes, symposia, and retreats sponsored by our substantive law sections. Attendance at these specialized conferences, cumulatively, far exceeds our prior state convention numbers.

Board of Governors

The CBA Board of Governors increased its number of meetings from two to three this year. At one meeting, the Board of Governors viewed an obnoxious advertising campaign targeting lawyers, which was presented on television by the Better Business Bureau ("BBB"). With a mandate from the Board of Governors, I, as President of the CBA, and Joe Dischinger, as President of the Denver Bar Association, along with Greg Martin, CBA Deputy Executive Director, appeared before the BBB Appeals Advertising Board ("Board") and persuaded the Board to rule that the advertisement did not meet ethical standards as published by the BBB, recommending that the advertisement be pulled. It was.

Electronic Legal Research and
The Colorado Lawyer

This year, a decision was reached to finalize an electronic legal research benefit for all members at no cost. After two years of in-depth study and research on the topic, and considering all providers of such service, the CBA has gone forward to contract with Casemaker for a basic electronic legal research tool. It will emphasize Colorado law, and will be available in the next twelve months for each CBA member as part of her or his membership benefits. Once this program is put into place, members will be given specific information on the benefit and training will be made available. Additionally, in the area of technology, the CBA continues to excel through the development of its website. A tremendous amount of information is now available to all members through the website. Its user-friendly format makes it a premiere resource for the membership.

Speaking of premiere resources, The Colorado Lawyer once again was recognized nationally for its superlative quality and benchmark status as a bar association publication. We have good reason to be proud of this outstanding journal.

Increased Communications

Officers and chairs have established strong lines of communication between the substantive sections and the legislature, between the sections and committees, and the task forces and special committees that generally report to the Colorado Supreme Court. We have put into place systems that allow us to consider important issues sooner, and to have our opinion about changes to rules heard and considered before implementation. Officers have met quarterly with Chief Justice Mary Mullarkey to discuss areas of concern involving the legal profession and the judicial system, and also to enhance the concept of "Justice for All."

Of course, there is much more that occurs on a daily basis for the benefit of CBA members than I can summarize here. It has been my privilege to serve you this last year as your President and to work in conjunction with a dedicated and hard-working staff at the CBA. My thanks to each and every member for the opportunity to serve - it's been a wonderful experience! Thanks to the entire CBA staff for the support I received from them! Thanks also go to my wife and to everyone who works in my law office for holding down the fort during my presidency! Best wishes to all during this upcoming year!

- Bob Truhlar

REPORT FROM THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

'Tis the season . . .

We're right in the middle of what many would characterize as the "silly season." On the one hand, we have the "Fahrenheit 9/11s," and on the other, Rush's "I Told You So's." We need to brace ourselves for it will get uglier. In perspective, as lawyers, and presumably history students...