Bar News - May 6, 2005
Board of Governors Discusses Justice System Initiatives
At its April 21, 2005, meeting, members of the NHBA Board of Governors agreed to fan out during the next few months and hold discussions with their constituents on their concerns and hopes for justice system improvement initiatives.
NH Supreme Court Chief Justice John T. Broderick has launched several task forces to consider various aspects of how the courts and the legal system need to adapt to the needs of the 21st century to make the legal system more accessible, affordable and understandable. NHBA President-Elect Richard Uchida said the Chief Justice, in meetings with the Association leadership, has indicated he is very interested in hearing from the bar about its perceptions of the challenges and opportunities for the practice of law and the justice system in the years ahead.
The first meeting of the Citizens' Commission on the State Courts, one example of these efforts, took place on April 18. (See article for coverage, and below for more information on the various justice system initiatives.)
In other actions, the Board:
- appointed Catherine E. Shanelaris as the NHBA representative on the Pro Bono Governing Board, for a three-year term.
- discussed the scheduling of a new Board of Governors' orientation. The meeting will be held June 16. Prior BOG orientation meetings took place in July, following the official installation of the new officers at the conclusion of the NHBA Annual Meeting. This year, NHBA leaders decided that new members and their constituents will benefit if the new members have the opportunity to be updated on the activities and initiatives of the Association and meet with the outgoing members of the Board. The location of the meeting has not yet been determined.
- Immediate Past President Russell Hilliard, also a member of the CLE and Professionalism Committees, was delegated to represent the Board in speaking before the Supreme Court's Advisory Committee on Rules at its June 1 public hearing. The NHBA Board opposes proposed changes to the NHMCLE rules and regulations that would eliminate the requirement for live and ethics credits.
- The Board voted to approve the appointment of retired Associate Justice Sherman Horton as the NHBA appointee to the NHMCLE Board. He would join the NHBA President-Elect and the NHBA Executive Director as the Bar's representatives on the NHMCLE Board. Horton had been a member of the NHMCLE Board for many years when he was actively serving on the court.
- The NHBA Board reiterated its direction to NHBA Executive Director Jeannine McCoy to work with the Association staff who administer the NHMCLE rule on behalf of the NH Supreme Court's NHMCLE Board, on ways to simplify administration of and compliance with the NHMCLE rule, especially for attendance at seminars provided to Bar members through the Bar Association's CLE program. The Bar administers the NHMCLE rule, under contract to the Supreme Court, as a service to Association members; the Board of Governors noted that the Association has an obligation to ensure the NHMCLE reporting process is made as easy as possible for members, while keeping within the intent of the rule.
- The Board began a discussion of how disciplinary actions issued by the Attorney Discipline System, such as public censures and suspensions of six months or less are to be reported by Bar News. (Before the creation of the new system, the actions of the Professional Conduct Committee were not made public until the NH Supreme Court issued them as orders.) The discussion will continue at a future meeting.
For more information: The Winter 2005 issue of the New Hampshire Bar Journal contains versions of four key reports: The Pro Se Task Force, the Vision of Justice long-range planning report, the Family Law Task Force and the Family Division Implementation Committee, as well as an interview with Chief Justice Broderick in which he elaborates on his concerns about and vision for the future. Also, the Chief Justice has convened a Task Force on the Status of the Legal Profession, co-chaired by retired Associate Justice William Batchelder and Franklin Pierce Law Center Dean John Hutson. See Feb. 18, 2005 issue of Bar News.
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