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McGrane assumes Bar presidency Associate Editor On the morning Coral Gables attorney Miles A. McGrane III was sworn in as the new president of The Florida Bar, he told the story of the feared warrior tribe of Africa, the fabled Masai.“When one warrior greeted another, the greeting was, ‘And how are the children?’“The traditional answer given, even by warriors with no children, was, ‘All the children are well.’”Looking out at those gathered at the General Assembly June 27 in Orlando, McGrane continued: “Just think: If every lawyer helped just one child, we could assuredly say, ‘All the children are well.’”Giving thanks for his blessings of a devoted wife Patty, and three fine children — Blake, Ashley, and Miles IV — McGrane’s first official act as the Bar’s 55th president was a passionate plea for lawyers to rise to the challenge to do more to help all of Florida’s children.The General Assembly ceremony, with the procession of past presidents and Florida Supreme Court justices, was a time to acknowledge the good works of lawyers and others, an opportunity to hear highlights from Tod Aronovitz’s year as president, and a time to look forward to reaching new goals set by new Bar leaders.And McGrane made it clear during his term as president this will be the year of the child.He praised the Young Lawyers Division for committing $25,000 toward his goal to raise $250,000 in The Lawyers Challenge for Children program that will be administered by The Florida Bar Foundation.“While this is an unprecedented sum we are seeking, we have unprecedented needs for children in Florida that must be addressed,” McGrane said.He asked lawyers to redouble their efforts in pro bono work by representing non-profit organizations that help children.The blueprint of where to begin on many reforms to help children embroiled in court proceedings already exists with the 2002 final report and recommendations of the Bar’s Commission on the Legal Needs of Children.“During this year, we will complete the commission’s work for the children,” promised McGrane, who has made helping children his top priority of his presidency.When Rev. Philip Craig, a mentor to the McGrane children and a close family friend, gave the invocation, he, too, remembered the children.“We pray this day for all children,” Rev. Craig said. “They are growing up in an unsteady and confusing world.. . . Carry them to safety.”McGrane recalled when he was young he watched a television show called “Lamp Onto my Feet,” with Bishop Fulton J. Sheen.“He ended each program by saying, ‘If everyone lit just one little candle, what a bright world this would be.’”McGrane challenged Florida’s lawyers to be a beacon of positive change for children caught up in foster care, languishing in mental health facilities, trying to survive alone on the streets, and bounced around various courts – from dependency to delinquency to divorce.Other goals in the upcoming year, McGrane said, will be to continue spreading the word about the good lawyers and judges do through the Dignity in Law program launched by outgoing President Tod Aronovitz.“Though our profession is often maligned and we are used as scapegoats for our country’s ills, it is truly our profession that guarantees liberty and equal justice for all,” McGrane said.He quoted constitutional lawyer John W. Davis: “We build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures. But, we smooth out difficulties. We relieve stress. We correct mistakes. We take up other men’s burdens. And by our efforts, we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”McGrane described the process of shifting the costs of the courts from the counties to state government as “a painful process which will not be completed until after the next legislative session.”The Article V, Revision 7 issue, McGrane said, should not be left to Bar leadership alone.“I call on all lawyers in Florida to join with our Chief Justice to speak out on this issue,” McGrane said. “We must educate the citizens of Florida and the members of the Florida legislature the vital role our courts play in our day-to-day lives.“If fully funded, as needed, the total cost of this third branch of government— in the nation’s fourth largest state—will be only slightly more than 1 percent of the entire state budget. When the day is done, our courts must have the capacity they have today. Nothing less is acceptable. Chief Justice Anstead, you have our commitment to continue our role as guardians of the independence of the judiciary.”McGrane also pledged to continue to try to get full funding of $10 million annually for the Florida Access to Civil Legal Assistance Act, the hallmark of Terry Russell’s 2001-02 term as Bar president. While grateful for the legislature giving $1.5 million during this year’s extremely tight budget, McGrane vowed to try for much more next year.“Hopefully, we can identify a permanent funding source in the legislature so that we can count on a stable and relatively fixed amount of dollars each year,” McGrane said.McGrane has what it takes to lead Florida’s lawyers toward ambitious goals, said Frank Brogan, former lieutenant governor and now president of Florida Atlantic University, McGrane’s alma mater.“As we search for our leaders, we should look for the very best we can find. Our times dictate that we do so,” Brogan said in introducing McGrane.“In this particular case, while many will come no doubt after, the man you have called upon to represent this very, very important collegial body, that of The Florida Bar association, I can tell you without fail that he will provide for you a compass that will take you forward, with honesty, integrity and dignity.” State of The BarDignity was the catchword of outgoing President Aronovitz’s 2002-03 term. Aronovitz was proud of a huge statewide public awareness campaign called Dignity in Law that got out the message: “Our courts are open to all Floridians. The Florida Bar is the gold standard of all bar associations. And our lawyers and our judges work hard every single day for our clients, in our courtrooms, and in our communities.”His late father, Miami lawyer and federal Judge Sidney Aronovitz, was the role model for Dignity in Law.“A year ago, I stood before you asking you to help me draw a line in the sand and to stand up for our profession. We started with an idea and a lot of heart and not much more,” Aronovitz said.A year later, he shared documented results and statistics that showed the negative stories about the legal profession declined, while positive stories increased. From meetings with editorial writers, columnists, and reporters, Aronovitz said, he turned some “from foe to neutral to friend.” There were consumer promotions around the state, including halftime shows at college football games. A bi-lingual Web site gets 4,300 hits a month from people seeking to learn more about The Florida Bar. The All-Bar Conference, chaired by Alan Bookman, explored ways local bars could carry out the Dignity in Law message in their communities. A creative campaign of Blast emails sent to legislators reaped the highest award given by the Public Relations Society of America.Positive stories were pitched to the media and those stories were told.“My favorite headline was in Tallahassee: ‘Tallahassee attorney is angel of law,’ talking about an attorney named Richard Smith and his pro bono work and his efforts on behalf of senior citizens,” Aronovitz said.He beamed as he ticked off other positive stories:• Coral Gables attorney Matthew Dietz, incoming chair of the Public Interest Law Section, who made headlines when he refurbished an apartment to be accessible for a wheelchair-bound woman.• Eleventh Circuit Judge Norman Gerstein’s work to expand a summer camp program for foster kids.• Third District Court of Appeal Judge Mario Goderich, founder of the Cuban-American Bar Association, who made the news for his great work as a lawyer and judge committed to community service.“My vision of Dignity in Law is best described by author John Grisham in A Time to Kill, the compelling account of a criminal trial in a Southern town,” Aronovitz said.“In the novel, the author describes the defense attorney on the eve of trial by saying, ‘I want to be in the courtroom. I love criminal trials, big trials, where there is a life on the line and pressure so thick you can see it in the air.’”Later, Grisham describes the proud state attorney in that criminal trial: “The magnificent district attorney rose slowly and walked importantly to the bar. He explained that he was the people’s lawyer, his client the state of Mississippi. He had served as their prosecutor for nine years and it was his honor for which he would always be grateful to say that he represented the fine folks of Mississippi.’“Who presides over a case like that? The wise and fair judge of the courtroom,” Aronovitz continued. “In each civil and criminal trial, the judge is the voice of reason and the protector of the rights of the litigants, all too often criticized and not recognized enough for their diligence.“The author captured the essence of Dignity in Law. Proud attorneys and judges working hard every day for our clients, in our courtroom, and in our communities,” Aronovitz said.“I urge our Board of Governors to continue to speak to editorial boards, to our neighbors, about the pride in our profession. And the Dignity in Law program can make a difference.“Lastly, I reflect upon one of my favorite quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson: ‘Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.’ It has been my honor to serve as your president.”One last time, Aronovitz summoned up his favorite motto, words spoken by Willie Marabel, who worked in Aronovitz’ college fraternity house, a black man with humble beginnings and an infectious positive spirit: “Don’t never give up.” McGrane assumes Bar presidency July 15, 2003 Jan Pudlow Associate Editor Regular News read more