MBA SEEKS OFFICER, DELEGATE NOMS FOR 2016-17 10
CHANGES COMING TO LAWYERS JOURNAL IN 2016 12
SEE PAGE 2 FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF THIS ISSUE’S CONTENTS.
VOLUME 23 | NUMBER 4 | DECEMBER 2015
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PRESIDENT’S VIEW ROBERT W. HARNAIS
A warm welcome to our newest lawyers Last month, Supreme Judicial Court Clerk for Suffolk County Maura Doyle swore in 1,176 new lawyers here in Massachusetts. The new lawyers took their oath during eight separate admission ceremonies over the course of six days at Faneuil Hall in Boston. I had the privilege of speaking to many of our newest Massachusetts bar colleagues at the ceremonies. But if I had more time and the opportunity, I would have loved to pass along some words of wisdom to help them get started down the right track. One of my friends suggested the best words of wisdom I could provide might be, “Don’t do what I did.” But the truth is, I must have done a few things right because I love my profession. I love being a lawyer. So here are a few tips for our newest attorneys: • Surround yourself with good people. The best part of being a lawyer is the people I get to practice with. Not just people in my office, but the judges, clerks and so many others I see in court day in and day out. • Don’t be shy about asking for help. Everyone was new at some point. You can get valuable advice from veteran lawyers; most are happy to share their considerable knowledge. If you’re in court, introduce yourself and talk to the people who work there. The more you know about how things work, the better you can perform for your client. • You will make mistakes. Everyone does. Learn from them. Don’t make them twice. • No matter which kind of law you are practicing, you will begin to accumulate “wins.” They can come in the form of prevailing in court for your client, making a useful suggestion to an office associate or getting over some other hurdle. They are all good. At the same time, don’t let those “wins” go to your head. We work in an adversarial profession. You will have ups and downs. Keep a level head. Stay grounded. • Get involved with the Massachusetts Bar Association. We can help you get a strong start with free access to legal research, networking opportunities and so forth. We can help surround you with 2 those good people I mentioned
Mirick O’Connell: A century of client and community service MBA Honor Roll Firm Mirick O’Connell’s attorneys actively participate in MBA activities, which gives the firm an opportunity “to collectively and collaboratively address issues at the intersection of law and society.”
Founded in Worcester in 1916, Mirick O’Connell has served clients in Central Massachusetts, MetroWest and Boston for nearly a century. In June 2016 the firm will celebrate its 100th anniversary. Mirick O’Connell is a member of the MBA Honor Roll, which is open to all law firms with five or more Massachusetts lawyers, and which enroll 100 percent of their attorneys in the Massachusetts Bar Association within an association year. The Honor Roll acknowledges the strong commitment that many firms have made to full MBA membership. “The Honor Roll is a formal recognition of the firm’s support and dedication to the MBA,” said Christopher P.
Sullivan, MBA treasurer and partner at MBA Honor Roll firm Robins Kaplan LLP. “It’s a win-win situation for the firm and the MBA, because the MBA appreciates the support and the firm has great opportunities to provide speakers for CLEs and leadership opportunities for lawyers within the firm.” Based in Worcester with offices in Westborough and Boston, Mirick O’Connell began as a business law firm but has since grown strong litigation, labor and employment, trusts and estates, tax law, corporate finance and domestic relations practices. The firm is made up of more than 60 attorneys, 32 of whom are partners. David E. Surprenant is the managing partner of the firm, which also features a four-person
management committee. Richard C. Van Nostrand, firm partner and MBA past president, described the firm as a “big fish in a somewhat smaller pond” and added that they could be described as a “sophisticated Boston practice with a Worcester location.” The firm is also known for its high level of mentoring in which experienced lawyers serve as role models to help younger attorneys with their professional development. “For me, one of the greatest attributes of the firm is the attitude toward mentoring,” said Van Nostrand. “The firm and our attorneys have always had an appreciation and enjoyment for the mentoring function here.” 4
MBA holds first HOD meeting in new Springfield office BY MIKE VIGNEUX
The Nov. 19 House of Delegates meeting was held at the TD Bank PHOTO BY MIKE VIGNEUX. Conference Center at 1441 Main St., Springfield. The MBA’s newly relocated Springfield office is on the ninth floor of the building.
The Massachusetts Bar Association’s House of Delegates (HOD) tackled a busy agenda at its Nov. 19 meeting — the first HOD meeting to be held at the MBA’s newly relocated Springfield location at 1441 Main St. The building houses the MBA’s Western Mass. office on the ninth floor. Gathered in the building’s TD Bank Conference Center, MBA President Robert W. Harnais opened the meeting by thanking those who traveled to Springfield and acknowledged the importance of a statewide bar association 7 being visible in various locations