Year End Report
By Mark Shusted

I have been honored to serve at the Sacramento County Bar Association President in 2002. There are many individuals to thank, but space limits me to naming just a few. The Executive Committee, consisting of First Vice-President Bion Gregory, Second Vice-President Joan Stone, and Secretary/Treasurer Stuart Home, has offered wise and timely counsel throughout the year. With the addition of Jack Laufenberg in 2003, and the continued presence of Joan and Stu, Bion should enjoy a successful and productive year ahead. Carol Prosser, our Executive Director, has also worked tirelessly to improve our Association.

I am pleased to report at year's end that the Association is on sound financial footing, even as other bar associations statewide are facing cutbacks and closure. The Bar Council this year considered and acted on a number of options to sustain and increase membership, including upgrading the SCBA's website to a state of the art standard, enhancing our health insurance package for attorneys, and improving customer service for members.

The Attorney Referral Service has generated increased revenues as a result of an advertising campaign and policy changes that decreased potential client no-shows.

The Indigent Defense Panel continues to provide representation in criminal cases where the Public Defender has declared a conflict. We have instituted training, continuing education goals, and a discipline system for panel attorneys, and obtained rate increases as a result.

Our Events continue to break even or generate revenue.

The Conference of Delegates committee remains vibrant and productive.

The Executive Committee has met with the Barristers' leadership and is working on continuing to improve communication and teamwork between the two groups.

The Sections remain the backbone of our organization, and the SCBA continues to welcome their contributions of time, money and ideas.

The Association also has continued its many outreach programs. Some, such as the student outreach program we co-sponsor with the Federal Bar Association, are just getting underway. Others, such as increased bench-bar participation at the Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Dinner (see article in this issue), are about to bear fruit. And still others, such as our partnership with the River Cats on Law Day, are ongoing.

Whether anyone says so or not, lawyers and judges are expected to lead, and to set the example of good citizenship that others may emulate. In my years in Sacramento I have noted that we do that here, almost always with no expectation of reward or accolade. The members of our Association are, on the whole, exemplars for the community. Let us continue to meet the standard set by our predecessors, while at the same time, aiming even higher.