SOC eNews January 2008 | What I Wish . . . Perspectives from a Past Chair

ABA Section Officers Conference

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VOL. 1 NO. 1
January 2008

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perspectives from a past chair
What I Wish . . .
By Paul R. DeMuro,
Immediate Past Chair, ABA Health Law Section

When my dear friend, Lametrea Gray, asked me to pen this column for the SOC e-News, at first I thought, could I really recall enough from my year (2006-2007) to be useful to the current leadership of the Sections? I detected a bit of a message being sent from my other colleague and friend, Deborah Enix-Ross, who is the SOC Chair. After reflecting on the assignment for a number of hours, I realized that this was a chance for me to author my 13th Chair's column, and to have another audience—one more time.

Well here goes! I wish I would have:

Begun to prepare a list of topics for my Chair's Column as soon as I became the Health Law Section's (HLS's) Chair-Elect, kept it in a very safe place, and updated it periodically.

It is incredible how fast 30 days or so goes by when you are penning a Chair's Column every month, or in my case a Chair's Column for the monthly e-Source and another column for The Health Lawyer. If I had thought about this AT ALL, as Chair-Elect, I would have started to jot down my ideas on my nightly jog or as I got up early in the morning. What seemed like an incredible chore early in my Chair's year, later became a joy. In fact, I miss it now, and thus the chance to pen my 13th Chair's Column was one I looked forward to. If you do not look forward to this opportunity when you are writing it, your members will know. Put everything you have into it. You are the embodiment of your Section.

Been prepared to delegate as many things as possible to our Council Members, Leadership and our ABA Section Staff, while ensuring that no one is taking advantage of the HLS's staff.

You will receive more e mails and telephone calls about Section business than you can ever imagine. If you also have the privilege of practicing law, it can be quite daunting. Delegation is key, but you have to delegate to the right folks who will follow through. You have to let some tasks go because you cannot do it all. Also, you have to ensure that certain members and leaders do not treat the Section staff as their personal administrative assistants. This is not good. It causes staff to be unhappy, is unfair and not constructive to the relationships you want to foster.

Recognized that all of my appointments would not follow through like I thought they would.

Whether they accepted the leadership position because they wanted the prestige, they wanted to support me or they were hesitant to say that they did not have or would not commit the time, not everyone followed through. Choose your appointments wisely. If you do not know someone you are appointing, it helps to speak to others about the individual and his or her track record. It would be most unfortunate to have appointed someone to a key position, and then he or she drops the ball. However, you should recognize that some of your appointments may not be as good as others. C'est la vie.

Continually considered how everyone could assist in adding value to the HLS's members.

After all, it is all about membership, adding value to your current members, and growing membership. Think about what you can do in working with your leadership to add value to your members, pen a column about it, speak with members, create a hospitality committee for conferences, and make sure all section members feel comfortable and welcomed. Recognize that you may not think you are unapproachable as the Section Chair, but others will. Think about the first year lawyer.

Been prepared for the fact that any member's issue is my issue. I (and now you) own it.

If a member raises a concern or issue, try to work toward having it resolved as expeditiously as possible. You might even consider mentioning the matter in your column without mentioning the member, of course, and how you or the Section have or are resolving it. I learned this after a little while in my term, but it would have been great to have been better prepared for this.

Been more prepared to work closely with the HLS members who are in the House of Delegates (HOD).

Get to know your Section's Delegate to the HOD well. You should be working with them on initiatives of your Section that go to the HOD, ensuring that they explain their views to your Section's Governing Council, and their advice as to what your Section may or may not decide to support, object to or co-sponsor. Recognize that all the Sections need to work together, and thus, foster a most constructive approach. Understand what the HOD does and its processes.

Recognized that many people will vie for my attention (in addition to my young children).

You will be contacted by other Section representatives, students, young lawyers, non-ABA folks, and others seeking favors of one kind or the other. Will your Section co-sponsor or support this? Can you help me find a job? Can you counsel me about my future as a lawyer? Will your Section support this pro bono project? You need to be gracious in your dealings with all, recognizing that it will be quite time consuming, but also respectful of your Section's resources, time and finances, and recognize that ultimately, many such decisions should be made by your Council.

Realized how significant the resources of the Greater ABA are, and that the ABA Staff ARE there to help in my position as Section Chair.

Try to ascertain as soon as possible what the resources of the greater ABA are that might be able to assist you and your Section and learn how to access them, in conjunction with your Section's Director. Recognize that the ABA staff is there to assist you and your Section, and treat that relationship in a most constructive manner. I cannot tell you how helpful Janet Gibbs and her staff has been to me over the years. They continually answer the same queries of Section leadership year after year in different forms.

Realized on my first day that as Section Chair, I became the face of the HLS.

Everything you do and say will be seen as the voice of your Section. Think before your take a position. Are you being asked for YOUR opinion or of that of your Section? Should you consult with your Council? Recognize that if you are responding to a member, this may be one of the few times a member has tried to access the Section leadership. Ensure that you make the individual feel comfortable. If you are speaking to the press, make sure the matter is peculiarly a Section matter, not one of the greater ABA, and that it is one that you should speak to.

Been prepared for the time when my year was over. When it is over, it is OVER.

Your successor will be there in August at the end of your term, and he or she will be ready for his or her day (or year). Recognize this a few months in advance, and prepare for it. You have had your day in the sun, and when it is over, it is over. Exit gracefully, and let your successor take the lead, as he or she has been in training for over the last many years. You will be surprised what a great job he or she will do. If you offer advice, only do so if you are asked.

What I did know before taking the reigns of the HLS leadership was that the Health Law Section's Director, Jill Pena, and my relationship with her was key. Thankfully, I did not have to learn that. Having had the privilege of spending time in the SOC leadership, I also knew that Lametrea Gray was another key, along with the SOC Chair at the time, Tony Patterson. If you have not realized it yet, you will soon realize that your SOC Director, Lametrea Gray, and this year's SOC Chair, Deborah Enix-Ross, will be keys to your success.

Finally, do not hold your breath thinking that you will get a chance to pen your 13th Chair's Column after your year is over. Make sure your last one is your l3th, and pinch yourself everyday in realization of how lucky you are to have such an incredible opportunity to serve the members of your Section and the ABA.

The SOC e-News is published three times a year by the Section Officers Conference (SOC). Each issue will contain information and resources specially designed for Section, Division and Forum officers. Please feel free to contact us with your comments or questions, so we may include them in future editions.

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