Feature - Passing the Baton: President LaBorde’s Energetic Leadership

Passing The Baton

President LaBorde’s Energetic leadership

by Shekka Drayton, Law Office of Patrick Martin, GEICO Staff Counsel

As the world buzzed with excitement from the Summer Olympics, our Panhandle community ceremoniously ushered in the 2021–2022 leadership of the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association. At the helm is Garrett P. LaBorde, the newly installed President of the ESRBA.

With a transition that would gain the respect of any relay Olympian, LaBorde prepared early and pushed forward with a skilled handoff from Heather Lindsay, ESRBA Immediate Past President. Celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, LaBorde now steps into the shoes of a long lineage of dedicated and driven leaders of the ESRBA. With energetic, service-based and visionary leadership, LaBorde is prepared for the marathon that awaits.

In true Olympic fashion, Laborde centers his leadership around the strongly held values of ESRBA: “camaraderie, collegiality, competence and mutual respect.” With these core values in mind, he hopes to promote safe and exciting member engagement opportunities, expand member benefits and incentives, increase sponsorship opportunities and reinvigorate collaboration with various community institutions/ partners.

Implementing his vision is no easy task, but LaBorde has hit the ground running. LaBorde facilitated a joint/plenary meeting among the ESRBA’s Executive Council, Foundation Board and Young Lawyer’s Division Board on August 11th. With the implementation of “Boardable,” a board management software that he lobbied for, the ESRBA Executive Council & Staff now can conduct its business and archive all resources on a modern, cloud-based platform.

To maximize his goal of greater community engagement, LaBorde has planned joint meetings, social events and community service opportunities with affinity institutions and partners in the community like the Escambia Medical Society, the Pensacola Area Realtors, the NW Florida Paralegals Association and others throughout the year. He hopes that such collaborations endure well beyond his tenure as ESRBA President.

One thing LaBorde has in common with Olympic athletes, his journey took patience, preparation

and dedication. Before his transition to Florida, LaBorde served as the Young Lawyer Delegate to the ABA House of Delegates for the State of Louisiana. He has been a dedicated and active member of ESRBA for over a decade. He has presented Technology and Law Practice Management CLE’s dating back to 2009, valuable contributions since Florida lawyers have come to covet technology CLE credits like Olympic gold.

Under Past President Jodi Dubose, he led and served on the Communication/ Website Committee. This volunteer service did not go unrecognized as LaBorde was nominated to join the Executive Council in 2016. LaBorde’s other past professional/community involvement includes The Florida Bar Business Law Section, Leadership Pensacola, Catholic Charities of NW Florida, St. Paul Catholic Church & School and a host of other philanthropic and community-based organizations. His track record of service and leadership continues to light his path as ESRBA President.

“If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” Reflecting on this proverb, LaBorde knows the value of community and collaboration. His energized spirit is undoubtedly fueled by the support of his family and friends. LaBorde passionately notes the importance and support of his parents, his wife, Dr. Jennifer LaBorde, and their three children in his development personally and professionally. LaBorde also credits the long, inspiring history of ESRBA and the legacy of its past presidents. He endeavors to lead from a place that honors his deeply held community values.

Just as Team USA continues to bring home Olympic gold, our Gulf Coast community continues to strike gold with our enduring history of passionate and purpose driven leaders. Leading the bar is certainly a marathon and not a sprint. The horn has sounded. We are off! Godspeed, President Garrett LaBorde.

Note: Garrett P. LaBorde is a Business and Intellectual Property Attorney with Lorium PLLC, a statewide business-centric law firm. To collaborate regarding ESRBA/professional values and ideas, he encourages you to reach out to him anytime at glaborde@loriumlaw.com.