IN REVIEWING THE Bar’s initiatives of the past year, I want to point out that the debate over judicial reform has perhaps slowed but not stopped us from making headway on the agenda with which I began my tenure: The future of the legal profession and what New Hampshire lawyers need to know and do about it. Despite the time and attention spent on legislative matters, the Bar leadership and staff did not abandon all work on the forward-looking issues. Far from it — we succeeded in conducting nine outreach programs (dubbed "Can the legal profession survive the dot-comet?") throughout the state, launched a popular and effective Web site at www.nhbar.org, and moved forward with several task forces and committees probing many issues.

The centerpiece of the local bar outreach program was a fast-paced, concise Powerpoint program that generated much dialogue and, hopefully, raised awareness of the many competitive challenges New Hampshire lawyers face or may soon face in a world (and legal market) made much smaller by improving communication technology. (See article on page 2.)

The Bar’s new Web site (which went public in January) makes a number of Bar services available to all on a 24/7 basis. Our Web site improves responsiveness to members, provides easy access to accurate legal information for the public and establishes a modest but secure foothold in the emerging world of e-commerce. Bar members can now easily and securely register online for NHBA CLE programs or purchase tapes and videos —and online delivery of our own CLE programs is being seriously explored.

The Future of the Legal Profession Task Force and the Technology Task Force, each created last year, are proceeding on several fronts, and you will hear more about their efforts in the coming year.

Another area of progress for the Bar has been the enhancement of services for the substantive law sections. Staffing has been realigned to provide greater continuity of liaison work for the sections, and, within the past few months and continuing this fall, sections members will have free access to e-mail discussion groups (known as "listserves").

The Board of Governors also improved the ability of the Bar to manage the staggering array of committee and staff programs and projects by forming four Board committees to better coordinate the utilization of Association resources for member and public services, Bar administration, and to support the administration of justice.

The Web site and the listserves are only the opening chapters in the Bar’s efforts to meet members’ needs in the demanding 21st century law practice environment..

In the past year, I have spoken or heard from many members of the Bar —on judicial reform as well as the challenges our profession faces in an era when all professions face redefinition from a host of cultural, technological and political forces. It has been an exciting, sometimes exhausting year.

Although I step aside as Bar president, I don’t intend to disappear. I plan to continue sharing what I’ve learned about the trends shaping the profession with all of you. It has been an interesting year, and the coming year promises to be no less challenging. I look forward to hearing from you.

— Gregory Robbins

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