PRESIDENT’S REPORT
NOW AS ALWAYS YOUR ASSOCIATION IS SERVING YOU FOR GOOD By Brian Rosenthal
A
Constitution Day 2019 at JA Fair High School with Chief Justice Dan Kemp and Beverly Brister, Chair of Law Related Education
Covid-19 resources for lawyers are found at https://www.arkbar.com/covid-19.
Brian Rosenthal is the 122nd President of the Arkansas Bar Association. He is a member of Rose Law Firm in Little Rock. 6
The Arkansas Lawyer
www.arkbar.com
s I write this column we are all experiencing the unexpected—a global pandemic. We have learned new words and laws and combined known words into new phrases like “social distancing,” “reopening the economy,” “sheltering in place” and “essential services.” The crisis has made each of us dig deeply and practice in a new virtual reality (even when in an office or home office). In this crisis we need to join together but are encouraged to stay apart (at least physically). We have seen the best of us in the way we work together to help each other through volunteer efforts. The bar’s disaster preparedness task force is expanding its mission (on the heels of a flood), and the bar staff has quickly adapted to new challenges. Because of our staff ’s execution, the bar has an excellent on-demand CLE platform (https://www.arkbar.com/cle/on-demand) and will host its first-ever virtual annual meeting from June 8-13, 2020. New free programming was provided by the bar on virtual offices, cybersecurity and the CARES Act loan programs, among others. We lowered our on-demand charges to help everyone meet their CLE requirements. Our theme this year has been the Bar is for Service, for Good and for YOU—help us serve you for good. This theme is virtually carried forward in our 122nd Annual Meeting titled “Lawyers in Service to Clients, the Courts and the Profession.” This unique offering will include several live-streaming sessions; brown bag law school luncheons; a virtual exhibit hall; live-streamed cooking and exercise classes; an interfaith breakfast and memorial; the State of the Judiciary presentation followed by our traditional swearingin ceremony; and national and statewide speakers. Please support us by registering at www.arkbar.com/annualmeeting/home. Thanks to our many sponsors for supporting our programming! I ask that each of you stand together with our new leadership from all across our state and allow our association to serve you for good—to do so we ask you to renew your membership. In this difficult financial climate, please contact Karen or me to review payment options including a monthly pay option. Renew online at www. arkbar.com/for-attorneys/membership/membership-application. As our statewide association, we provide professional governmental relations through Jay Robbins; we research and monitor all cases and legislation through volunteers, staff and a contractor; and we provide access to the latest articles in multiple fields of interest. We also provide free legal research. This year we will offer six free CLE hours on technology to help as we learn new ways to practice.
