PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Kate McGrath Ellis

Signs of hope blooming as spring arrives

Last March, like other organizations around the state, the State Bar of Montana started a long year of working differently due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This issue of the Montana Lawyer arrives with signs of spring and renewed hope that we are starting to turn the corner on the pandemic after our long and challenging year.

In Helena, this time of year also brings the biennial gathering of Montanans, in person and remotely, for the legislative session. This year, the session coincides with a change in administration in the office of the governor, as well as new faces in other state agencies.

Many of those serving are members of the State Bar of Montana and have been involved with our organization over the years, including Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras, Attorney General Austin Knudsen, and the following attorney members of the Montana Legislature: Ellie Boldman, Robert Farris-Olsen, Steve Fitzpatrick, Tom France, Bill Mercer, Shane Morigeau, Andrea Olsen, and Katie Sullivan. Others, such as former United States Attorney Kurt Alme have taken positions in the new administration.

The Preamble to the Rules of Professional Conduct states, “as a public citizen, a lawyer should seek improvement of the law, access to the legal system, the administration of justice and the quality of legal services rendered by the legal profession.” We thank our fellow attorneys for their public service, particularly during a very challenging time.

In that same spirit of service, your Trustees and executive leadership at the State Bar of Montana are beginning to look to the future. While we have met remotely over the last year to continue with the business of the State Bar, we postponed our strategic planning meeting during the pandemic. We are looking forward to meeting in late June to set goals for the next three years in light of the lessons we’ve learned in the past year.

Planning is underway for the 2021 Annual Meeting which will take place September 9-11 in Missoula. It is our hope and plan that this meeting will be in-person, though we are very likely to have remote options for those who prefer. In fact, we received such positive feedback about last year’s online-only event from members around the country that we are looking to find ways to carry a remote option for the annual meeting into the future.

Over the next nine months, I am also happy to report that the State Bar will begin a major project to streamline and update its digital infrastructure. Much of this work will be behind the scenes but stay tuned for a new and improved online lawyer referral service, as well as improvements to the bar’s website and member portal.

The past year has been challenging at best and filled with loss for far too many. But as we look to the future, I am optimistic about the spirit of service of our members. I believe that we will come out of this pandemic stronger as an organization and as a bar. As we begin to return to in-person events in the coming months, I look forward to seeing each of you.

Kate McGrath Ellis is a staff attorney with the Montana Auditor’s Office in Helena.