PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

By RANDALL O. SORRELS Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Matthews & Friend

Volunteer Opportunities

This issue of The Houston Lawyer is devoted to volunteerism. All of us do some amount of volunteering; some more than others. Here, we salute the volunteers of the Houston Bar Association and hope you are inspired to increase your volunteer activities with the HBA.
I fully understand your current ability to perform volunteer work involves many different factors and circumstances. Certainly the amount of available time you have is one of the biggest factors. The circumstances of your practice, your family, and your health are also important to your availability to participate in a particular project. But, I recognize that sometimes there is not an outlet available to you for the energy you have to devote to volunteering on an activity.
I cannot control most of the factors noted above – except one. There are numerous outlets through the HBA for your volunteer energy, and I am asking you to become involved.

If you believe strongly in our profession, there are opportunities to become involved in the advancement and improvement of our profession. These include: the HBA’s 27 substantive law sections, the Administration of Justice Committee, the Continuing Legal Education Committee, the County Law Library Committee, the Fee Dispute Committee, the Gender Fairness Committee, the Historical Committee, The Houston Lawyer Editorial Board, the Judicial Polls Committee, the Law & the Media Committee, the Member Benefits & Technology Committee, the Membership Committee, the Minority Opportunities in the Legal Profession Committee, the Professionalism Committee, and the Senior Lawyers Forum.
If you believe strongly in the betterment of our society, there are opportunities to become involved in the advancement and improvement of our society. These include: the Adopt-A-School Committee, the AIDs Outreach Committee, the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, the Campaign for the Homeless Committee, the John J. Eikenburg Law Week Fun Run, the HBA Charity Golf Tournament, Habitat for Humanity, the Interprofessional Drug Education Alliance, the Inmate Changes Program, the Law Week Committee, Lawyers Against Waste, Lawyers for Literacy, Lawyers in Public Schools, the Speakers Bureau, and the Special Olympics Committee.

If you believe strongly in equal access to the justice system for all socio-economic groups in our society, there are opportunities to help provide access to the justice system for all persons in need. These include: the Elder Law Committee, the Houston Lawyer Referral Service, the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program and the LegalLine Program.
Finally, I encourage you to help our 2006-2007 HBA President, Glenn Ballard, achieve his goal of serving more clients of lesser means than ever before. Stay tuned for some fresh, new ideas to become involved in the equal access emphasis during Glenn’s administration.

I ask you – when your circumstances permit – to consider volunteering some of your time to serve the profession, serve the community, or assist those of lesser economic means to access the justice system. Please call the HBA at 713- 759-1133 or check the HBA website (www.hba.org) to find out what opportunities are available.
Certainly, the natural disasters over the last year shined a spotlight on our membership’s generosity and volunteer spirit. But that spirit is not an exception to the rule. I have learned firsthand the Herculean efforts of so many volunteers spotlighted in this issue and so many others who have participated many years in HBA volunteer activities. I have personally observed the staff of the Houston Bar Association, year after year, adeptly juggle project after project serving the profession and our community.
The Houston Bar Association is the most powerful voice for the legal profession in the Houston area. Whether it is powerful because of our substantive accomplishments or because of our community achievements, or both, is a matter of personal opinion. But, there is not another local organization that speaks louder about the legal profession than the HBA. I ask you to become an active part of this powerful voice.

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