What is this, another article about the incredible value of being a State Bar member? While it could be, it is not.  This article really is meant to showcase how lucky Minnesota’s citizens, legal professionals, and justice system are to have the support of our legal services organizations, offices, and staff. These highly skilled and …

Wow, has time flown by!  Here it is, the middle of the spring, and I was just informed I have only this column and one more to pen.  This means that my year as president is almost over and when I’m asked how has the year been and have I enjoyed it, my standard response …

Taxation of legal services, the topic of this column, is a policy the Bar has long opposed, so I must ask myself, “Why am I procrastinating.”  Unpleasant as it is to go back over old ground, this is an issue that we must again discuss and clarify, among ourselves as professionals and with both our …

A few months ago, I devoted my President’s Page to detailing some of the benefits gained from MSBA membership.  I discussed our online tools to make attorneys’ jobs easier with streamlined research and assistance in document-creation, advertising, and electronic filing.  This month I want to share one of the unexpected joys of serving as MSBA President: …

The onset of the New Year, coming at the end of an often hectic and emotional holiday season, offers some relief from the craziness and, before we plunge back into the daily grind, a good time to step back and think about what’s important.  For me, like many of you, the answer is family.  It’s …

Here it is, the last day of deer hunting for many of us in Minnesota and it is an absolutely beautiful day in the woods in the northern part of the state.  The sun is out, there is not a cloud in the sky, and the wind is not blowing.  No threat of snow or …

It is that time of year again. Soon, at least 1,500 of our fellow members will receive a notice informing them that their membership in the state bar association has been terminated. Why? Because they have not paid their membership dues, which leads me to ask in turn, Why? Given all of the benefits of …

I’mmm baaaccckk!!” Who can forget this memorable line uttered by Randy Quaid in the movie, Independence Day?  Like Quaid, the topic of pro bono may echo that unforgettable phrase as I address it in this month’s column. Pro Bono Month It should be no surprise to anyone that an attorney who is employed by a …

Back in February, our most recent past president, Brent Routman, discussed a concept that was aptly named the “AMICUS Society.”  The concept was, from my understanding, the brainchild of Chief Justice Gildea and past president Lew Remele and envisioned an approach whereby attorneys, as a profession, can become true “friends to the court.” The underlying …

In the wake of the shooting in Aurora I am sitting here and wondering, who in the heck needs a 100-round magazine for his or her hunting rifle?  I know that asking this question is going to provoke a reaction, and more likely than not, a negative reaction, but I honestly think that as attorneys …