MD State Bar Association wraps up annual meeting

Daily Record, The (Baltimore), Jun 23, 2006 by Ann W. Parks

The 111th annual meeting of the Maryland State Bar Association in Ocean City on Saturday morning was marked by a few milestones, some humor and much appreciation for those who make the Maryland legal community a better place to be.

Paul V. Carlin, MSBA's executive director, reported that the MSBA this past year exceeded 22,000 members for the first time in its history, with 730 members registered at the conference.

And though members might be paying more for oil and electricity this year - through no fault of the MSBA, we might add - they can now save a few dollars by using FastCase, a Washington-based online legal research tool. Totally free to all MSBA members as of May 15 (just log in at the MSBA Web site), the service will not cause any increase in dues.

In their remarks to the crowd, outgoing President (and new District Court Judge) J. Michael Conroy Jr. and Court of Appeals Chief Judge Robert M. Bell both noted the spirit of congeniality that exists between the judiciary and the MSBA - a virtual partnership, according to Conroy.

The Court of Appeals could order us to do something, but that isn't how it occurs, Conroy said. We want to be helpful in the partnership.

Bell called it a most successful bar year, noting that with the support of the MSBA, the Court of Appeals amended rules to allow lawyers displaced by Hurricane Katrina to practice law in Maryland. The MSBA also successfully intervened, he said, when opponents of the Jan. 20 decision striking down the state's ban on gay marriage sought to impeach Baltimore City Circuit Judge M. Brooke Murdock - remind[ing] them of the importance of and adherence to the rule of law.

Bell spoke of future challenges, like professionalism and contested judicial elections.

I look forward to the next year, to all the accomplishments that I am sure you will make, he said to incoming MSBA President Edward J. Gillis.

Gillis cited his mission for the coming year - which includes promoting professionalism, diversity, access to justice, service to the public and adherence to the rule of law [see Excerpts, page 2B].

You are examples of all that is good about the profession, he told the crowd, and role models for lawyers to come.

Eney and other honors

It was a day of awards. The Anselm Sodaro Judicial Civility Award went to Prince George's County Circuit Judge Richard H. Sothoron Jr.; the Presidential Best Section Project Awards went to the Real Property Section (for service to members, regarding a MICPEL collaboration) and to the Administrative Law Section (for service to the public for its video, Branded DUI.)

Winners of prizes given by individual MSBA sections included Chief Judge Robert M. Bell (outstanding leadership in ADR); William C. Brennan Jr. (Criminal Law Section's Robert C. Heeney Award); Judge Ann N. Sundt (Family Law Section's Beverly Groner Award); Karren Jo Pope-Onwukwe (Small & Solo Practice Section's Hjortsberg Award); Lawrence A. Shulman (Real Property Section's Distinguished Real Property Practitioner of the Year); and Evelyn W. Pasquier (Taxation Section's Tax Excellence Award).

Pro Bono Service Award winners were Ann Baer Cogan; Anu B. Kemet; Sharvari Dalal-Dheini; Reese & Carney LLP; Bregman, Berbert, Schwartz & Gilday; Saul Ewing LLP; and the Carroll County Circuit Court judges.

Maryland Bar Foundation Award winners were Omalade R. Akinbolaji (Edward F. Shea Jr. Professionalism Award) and Charles O. Fisher Sr. (H. Vernon Eney Award, presented the prior Thursday).

Maybe they ran out of people to give it to, Fisher, a Westminster lawyer who's been practicing for 60 years, joked yesterday - adding that he's always been active in community affairs. The award is given to recognize contributions to the legal profession and public service.

My favorite cause is helping people, which as a lawyer, I have a great opportunity to do, Fisher said.

Maybe they ran out of people to give it to.

Charles O. Fisher Sr.