State & Local News Vol. 21, No. 4, Summer 1998 Chair's Message By Frederick W. Leonhardt Since my term as Chair ends at the August Annual Meeting in Toronto, I want to use this final column to overview the status of our organization. First, we are doing as much as possible to deliver useful services to our members. Our CLE efforts have produced numerous top quality programs throughout the year, with several great programs planned for Toronto. Our publications are better than ever.The Section continues to stay at the forefront of important issues, including the areas of "pay to play," legal ethics, and government reform. The Urban Lawyer continues to be the leading scholarly treatise in our substantive areas of the law. The State & Local Law News has improved by allowing each of the Section's substantive committees to "adopt" an issue and give a current overview of legal trends. Our books continue to be bestsellers, with several new books published this year and strong demand for our existing inventory. Our members have been given unprecedented opportunities for involvement in the Section and the American Bar Association, and they are responding with great enthusiasm. Our Committee Officer's Training Program in Chicago in September was well attended and has produced new leaders for many of our committees and subcommittees. Our Section's numerous past and present leaders have been given a new avenue of continued involvement by the creation of the Jefferson Fordham Society. Hearing from nationally renowned community planner Andres Duany at the first Jefferson Fordham Society dinner was one of the most intellectually stimulating opportunities in the Section's recent history. Leadership in the profession is now recognized by the creation of our Section's new Jefferson Fordham Awards program, honoring a lifetime or service to state and local government law, outstanding advocacy in the law, a leading law firm or professional organization in the area, and an "up and comer" young lawyer. The first recipients of these four awards will serve as inspirations for years to come. Our members have had wonderful opportunities to meet, work, and have fun in Asheville, North Carolina, and Amelia Island, Florida. The Toronto meeting should be one of our best ever. The Section's financial affairs are solid, thanks to our book program and prudent financial management by our prior leadership. No report on our Section would be complete without recognizing our hard working and dedicated staff, who are backed up by the resources of the ABA. Finally, I want to thank the hundreds of people who have helped make this year a success for our Section. Without these volunteers our work product and service to members would not have happened. Service to the Section as Chair has been an honor, and I thank you. Let's continue working together for the benefit of our profession to make us all better lawyers and citizens. State & Local Law News home page | Table of Contents