The final daze.

• Author: Osman, Edith G.
• Position: Florida Bar presidency - President's Page

A dear friend has a sign in her garden that gently reminds her that we do not inherit the earth from our parents, we borrow it from our children. I feel the same way about our profession. As attorneys and judges, we are the guardians of the laws that will keep our children free.

In June, I finish a year-long presidency that feels about a month old. I have treasured every moment of it. As I look back over the past 11 months, I am amazed at the inordinate number of critical, often contentious, issues the Bar confronted. This year, dinners and speeches gave way to emergency meetings and tense debates. But while lawyers across the state divided on key issues facing our profession, everyone had one objective in common--the preservation of our profession and the freedoms it protects.

First, our members debated over the politically charged issue of judicial merit selection versus elections. The arguments on both sides were always eloquent and often heated. Jack Brandon led a committee to study this issue. I want to thank Jack and committee members Tod Aronovitz, Alan Bookman, Steve Chaykin, Hank Coxe, Jesse Diner, Manny Morales, Kelly Overstreet Johnson, and Bruce Robinson for their time spent attending open forums with lawyers across the state. I am proud of the way this issue was handled: After a robust but always respectful debate, the Board of Governors voted to recommend merit selection. The Bar will continue to play a role in educating the public about the importance of this decision. This November, voters will have the final say.

Next, the Bar carefully studied the proposed multidisciplinary practice rule change. Under the skilled leadership of Rich Gilbert and Martin Garcia, the special committee provided the Bar with a thorough understanding of the scope of the questions that confronted them. I want to thank Ed Dunn for creating a position paper in favor of MDPs and Michael Nachwalter and Katherine Silverglate for writing the position paper opposing it. Experts have told audiences at national meetings that Florida's papers were the best in the country. It was tough to resist the temptation to take credit for their outstanding work. I also want to thank all the members of the committee for the countless hours they devoted to providing lawyers across the state with a comprehensive view of the issues. While the debate among lawyers was contentious, it was also informed. Ultimately, the board voted against the proposal. As our profession...