In early August, CBA Executive Director Lisa McPherson and I had the privilege of attending the National Conference of Bar President’s (NCBP) Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado. The NCBP Annual Meeting’s focus was “Building a Next Generation Bar.” Bar association leaders and executives from around the country gathered to exchange ideas on how to strengthen our bars, better serve our members, and solve challenges common to the profession and bar associations. Lisa and I attended sessions on bar association offerings to increase attorney mental and physical wellness, the development of artificial intelligence in the legal profession, how attorneys can contribute to restoring trust in democratic institutions, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The NCBP Annual Meeting coincided with the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Annual Meeting. Between the two annual meetings, I learned a great deal and want to share some of that with you.
The overall takeaway — whether or not we like or embrace it, artificial intelligence is here, a part of our profession, and will have an ever-increasing impact on legal professionals as it further develops. Like all technology, AI has benefits and drawbacks. Benefits include increasing access to justice for litigants and staffing cost savings for solo practitioners. Drawbacks…think the New York attorney who relied upon AI to his, and his client’s detriment. AI is a tool to assist but not a complete replacement for an attorney’s work. The CBA will be hosting CLEs and other learning opportunities in the future. We want to make sure that our members know what is available to them, how to make the best use of the new AI tools, and how to avoid ethical pitfalls that will inevitably come with this new technology. Be on the lookout!
Retired Judge J. Michel Luttig, who served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and was an advisor to former vice president Mike Pence, challenged bar leaders to “lead the nation’s lawyers in the most important effort ever undertaken by the legal profession…to stand up for the U.S. Constitution, democracy, and the rule of law.” William Hubbard of the World Justice Project challenged bar leaders to avoid the pitfalls of politicization, while still working with lawyers to take advantage of opportunities to unassailably stand up for access to justice and judicial independence as essential elements of the rule of law. As part of the session, the group looked at the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index, which ranks 140 countries on civil justice, criminal justice, open government, order and security, regulatory enforcement, fundamental rights, absence of corruption, and constraints on government power. I encourage you to look at the WJP Rule of Law Index and the information accompanying it.
As part of its annual meeting general assembly meeting, the ABA presented Fred D. Gray with the ABA medal, the association’s highest honor. Fred D. Gray, was described by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as “the chief counsel” of the civil rights movement. Gray awed the audience as he spoke of his representation, at the young age of 24, of Rosa Parks and 15-year old Claudette Colvin, who both refused to give up their bus seats so that a white person could sit in their place. Gray also represented the victims and families of the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment. Gray’s career is beyond impressive. Equally impressive is his passion for his purpose “to destroy everything segregated I could find.” Gray is now 92. Immediate Past ABA President Deborah Enix-Ross told the audience that when she called to tell Gray the ABA wanted to honor him, she was surprised to find that he was in his office, working. Gray does not have to work, he continues to work because he is passionate about his purpose and resolute that “racism is not going to go away by itself.” First, I hope I make it to 92. If I do, I hope that at 92, I have the same passion for the legal profession, purpose in my work, and work ethic as Gray still does.
I left Denver, Colorado with much more than I came with.
Trotter Bratton is a judge with the Municipal Court of Hamilton County and the 2023-2024 CBA president.