President’s Message

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE By: Loretta G. Cravens

Cravens Legal

AT YOUR SERVICE

Somewhere in the photographic history of my family exists a snapshot of five-year-old me sitting cross legged in front of the Christmas tree, wearing pajamas, blond hair shining, grinning ear to ear with the excitement and anticipation of whatever wonders I was about to discover. That is how it feels to be sworn in as President of this association. That little girl could have never dreamed of such an honor; in fact, I am not sure that little girl could have even dreamed she would go to college. I know she would have never dreamed that she would lead much of anything. Maybe the New Radicals were right when they sang of dreamer’s disease and warned “You get What you Give.” I am not confident that I have given nearly enough to receive what I have. I am humbled by the faith placed in me by the members of our bar as we begin 2023, and I am excited about all the things we will accomplish together.

This year, the KBA will continue the tradition of providing the highest level of service and to support to our members with emphasis on servant leadership, civility in public discourse, and equipping our members with the tools, resources, and professional development needed to better serve our clients and community. These are not revolutionary concepts. They are at the core of the work done every day by dedicated committees and sections of the KBA and the incredible KBA staff. I am in awe of the amount of work accomplished, often in the background, for the benefit of our association. Please join me in thanking them. We will revisit these areas of emphasis throughout the year in this column and elsewhere in the KBA’s work, but let’s begin with service and servant leadership.

It is no secret that the Knoxville Bar has a high reputation for civility and competency. We are all very blessed by that truth regularly. We must not become complacent. We must work to maintain and elevate those values for our own benefit, for the new lawyers who have recently been welcomed to the bar, and for all of those that will come to our profession in the future. In 2023, we will continue to have difficult conversations aimed at advancing our profession, improving the environment in which we practice law, and the mindset in which we do so. I hope we can always speak openly and authentically with each other.

Practicing law is a privilege. It is an honor. It is a monumental accomplishment to join our profession. It can also be difficult. I have found that the difficult moments can be eased in a number of ways, not the least of which is engaging authentically with one another. I hope each of you will make that a conscious goal for 2023. In the wise words of Jim Morrison: “A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself.” You, dear reader, whether we have met or not, are my friend, and with me, within your KBA family, you have total freedom to be yourself. Celebrate your uniqueness.

Bar service is one of the mechanisms that I have learned gives me great peace when the practice of law is challenging. Engage with me, engage with the bar. Renew your dues and join a section or committee. In doing so, you will not only better the profession, but your wellbeing, and will establish a network of other lawyers on whom you can call when faced with professional challenges, unfamiliar legal issues, or just selfdoubt. If you are uncertain who to call, please reach out to me or the staff; there is unquestionably someone in this organization who stands ready to be of service. If you want to be of greater service to our bar but are uncertain where your talents might be best utilized, again, reach out and we will help you find the right fit.

If you cannot commit to serve on a committee or section, or even if you do, there are other ways you can (and many of you do) serve our profession. If there is a topic of interest you would like to see addressed in a DICTA article or CLE, let us know. If you meet a new lawyer in our community who has not been clued in to the KBA community, take the time to educate them about all the services the KBA provides. This year there are two new member benefits: Decisis, which provides a free-to-members intuitive legal research tool, and the CLE easy pass, which will allow members to pay $350 for 15 hours of CLE through the KBA’s in-person and virtual events. Tell them how the KBA has served you and given you opportunities to serve. Give them my number if they need more encouragement. This admitted bar junkie is always ready to promote our association! If nothing else, meet your fellow lawyers with authenticity, openness, and a servant’s heart. The blessings of our bar will flow through you.

Here’s to 2023! Let’s start discovering the wonders it will bring, together!