How quickly time goes by, especially when you’re doing something you really enjoy with people whom you respect and like. In August 2023, I had the honor and privilege of starting my term as TIPS Chair, which will come to an end at the conclusion of the ABA Annual Meeting in August. At that time, Chris Nolan will start his term as TIPS Chair, to be followed by Marcy Greer (Chair-Elect) and then Meade Mitchell (Vice-Chair). Newly elected TIPS Council members Peter Biging, Christine Forsythe, Aaron Greenbaum, Roscoe Mutz, and Richard Vanderslice, along with Finance Officer-Elect David Becker, Revenue Officer-Elect Leland Kellner, Secretary Lisa Dickinson, and Section HOD Delegate Floyd Holloway, will also start their new terms. TIPS is in great hands with these new and returning leaders at the helm, along with the many newly appointed and returning chairs, chairs-elect, and vice-chairs of our general and standing committees and task forces.
As I stated at the start of my term, the primary focus this year was on preparing and transitioning to “TIPS: The Next Generation.” Mission accomplished! TIPS leadership will be guided by an updated Section strategic plan that was approved by the Council at our Section Conference in Los Angeles in May. Thank you to the many contributors to the strategic plan and to the Section officers and staff who will be implementing the plan in the months and years ahead.
In my final message as Chair, I want to thank TIPS for the many opportunities that I and many others have had through the years and to encourage new and returning TIPS members to consider getting involved in a leadership role and to volunteer for the many TIPS public service projects.
TIPS offers unparalleled leadership, networking, publishing, and speaking opportunities. I’ve benefited professionally and personally from decades of involvement in TIPS and TIPS leadership. I have had legal scholarly papers published, spoken at numerous CLEs before audiences of existing and potential clients and colleagues, and developed lifelong personal relationships with fellow TIPS members throughout the country.
I’ve also had the opportunity on numerous occasions to give back through participation in various public service projects organized by the TIPS Law in Public Service Committee (LIPS), including our current Financial Literacy Project and past projects involving high school peer mediation, domestic violence safety brochures, and service at homeless shelters, animal shelters, and food and clothing drives. The professional and personal satisfaction has been beyond measure, and I firmly believe that TIPS has made a positive difference in the lives of many. As Winston Churchill is quoted as saying: “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” And as Gandhi said: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Finally, as my good friend and new HOD Delegate Floyd Holloway regularly reminds us: “If service is beneath you, leadership is beyond you.” At a time when American jurisprudence, our judicial and legal systems, and the legal profession as a whole are being challenged and questioned by many, it’s crucial that lawyers step forward as representatives of and protectors of American democracy and our legal system. The ABA and TIPS offer opportunities to do so on a local and national basis.
If you are not already a TIPS member, please consider joining us. If you are already a TIPS member and are interested in a leadership position, please contact Theresa Livingston at [email protected]. If you are interested in volunteering for a LIPS project, please contact Briana Lindsey at [email protected].
I look forward to seeing many of you at the ABA Annual Meeting in August in Chicago and at the TIPS Fall Meeting in October in Hawaii. I’m so grateful for the many opportunities I’ve had with TIPS through the years and the trust placed in me as the 2023–24 Chair. We have accomplished a lot together, and there is so much more to come. With the help of our incredible TIPS staff, led by Director Theresa Livingston and Associate Director Janet Hummons, and all of you, the future is bright and the sky is the limit. Let’s take the journey into the future together.
