PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

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

See You in the Trenches

As I sit down to write my last President’s Message, I am aware of the tradition of summarizing the accomplishments of the Houston Bar Association during the most recent bar year. However, because of the hard work of committees, sections, volunteers, and the HBA staff, any attempt to recap the numerous achievements over the last year would well exceed the allotted space. Thus, I will forego the recapitulation of HBA successes this year and refer you to previous issues of The Houston Lawyer, the Houston Bar Bulletin, and HBA.org. To those who participated: Job well done!
There is another tradition that I will not, however, forego: the tradition to thank those closest to me who sacrificed their time and helped me over the past year. My wife and children are surely on the top of my list of people to thank. Cheryl had to serve as mother and father more often than ever before, but she did a terrific job and I need to publicly thank her for everything she did this year. The kids, Ashley, Stephanie, Darby, and Garrett, will get me back as a full-time dad - for better or worse. I promise to make up for lost time.
My partners, Nick Nichols, David Matthews and Benny Agosto, were supportive in every activity, and I appreciate their patience this year. Now, of course, I must go back to work and hope to continue the 55-year tradition of Abraham, Watkins providing hard working, ethical plaintiff’s personal injury and business litigation representation. I also want to thank the other lawyers and staff at our firm. Jay Jackson labored my oar far more than normal. Julie Rhoades served as editor-in-chief of my bar writings. Shirley Yarbrough, my assistant, never became flustered with the numerous events or sheer volume of paperwork. She kept me on schedule and on task day after day, and I want to acknowledge her efforts.
Finally, there is the staff of the Houston Bar Association. They are the best! I have come to learn the HBA enjoys a national reputation as one of the cream of the crop of local bar associations in the country. Over the last 30 years there have been exceptional HBA presidents and less-than-exceptional HBA presidents; but the quality of the HBA staff just seems to get better with time. Kay Sim (Executive Director), Tara Shockley, Lucy Fisher, Rusty Bienvenue, and Ron Riojas (all department heads) have a combined total of 96 years with the HBA. There is no finer bar staff than the one here in Houston, and for years to come the lawyers of Houston are in fine hands.
This is my last opportunity to write something substantive. We, the lawyers, are the front-line defenders of the rights of the people. There are forces who believe that our fundamental rights are often an impediment to them achieving their goals. We must remain vigilant to prevent the slow erosion of our rights. I believe the proverbial camel already has its nose under our tent now, and we must be at the ready to counter any further intrusion. Some of us are our on feet; others are not. If you are not, I urge you to stand and rededicate yourself to be a guardian of the Constitution, to speak out against those who spread untruths and falsities about lawyers and the law, to rebut the propaganda spread by those who seek special treatment under the law, to correct those who wrongly criticize our profession and those we represent (individual or business), and to zealously defend our judiciary at even the first hint of disparagement or aspersion.
The future of the Houston Bar Association is now in the hands of Glenn Ballard. We must set our sights on the future as we enter Glenn’s administration. We also must stand up for what we believe in today. Do not count on others to do it. Tomorrow may be too late. I will see you in the trenches, and together we will prevail.

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