By Suma V. Nair
As I finished my term as President of the Boston Bar Association, I found myself reflecting less on any single event or initiative than on the extraordinary people who made this year possible.
Their commitment has mattered especially during a consequential time for our profession and our country. With the United States celebrating the 250th anniversary of its founding, we have been reminded that the principles at the heart of our democracy cannot simply be celebrated. They must be protected, renewed, and put into practice.
During the past year, the Boston Bar has reaffirmed that courts must remain free from political interference; that due process belongs to everyone, and that no one is above the law. We have expanded access to justice in the Commonwealth while building a legal community that is more inclusive, connected, and committed to public service.
None of that happens because of one person, and certainly not because of one president. It happens because of the volunteers, leaders, members, and staff who give their time and talent to the Boston Bar every day.
Several lessons from this experience will stay with me.
First, our voice matters. The Boston Bar has a respected place in the legal world, but that reputation matters only if we are willing to use it. I have seen firsthand that what we say and do can make a difference. We have an obligation to speak when the values underlying our legal system are threatened.
I have also been reminded how much more we can accomplish together. The Boston Bar Association and Boston Bar Foundation are at their best when they operate as two parts of the same mission. The Foundation brings philanthropic reach through its grantmaking, while the Association brings members willing to volunteer, mentor, advocate, teach, and serve.
Another lasting lesson is just how essential the Boston Bar staff are. Officers and Council members come and go, but our staff provide the institutional memory and steady hand that carry the organization from one administration to the next. They turn ideas into action and make the Boston Bar stronger every day.
Perhaps the most important lesson feels especially urgent this year: the cavalry is not coming. We are the cavalry.
The founders articulated principles that have endured for nearly two and a half centuries, even as our nation has struggled to live up to them. The rule of law, an independent judiciary, due process, and equality before the law are not self-executing. Their survival depends on each generation choosing to defend them.
Lawyers have a particular role to play. As officers of the court, we have both the privilege and the duty to protect the institutions that make the rule of law possible. We must also remain visible and connected to the people we serve. When our community is embattled, we help it fight. When it hurts, we help it heal.
That commitment does not end with a leadership term. The Boston Bar continually creates opportunities for lawyers to contribute throughout their careers through mentoring, public service, advocacy, leadership, and simply showing up for one another.
I pass the gavel to Mark Fleming knowing the organization will be in excellent hands. Mark has spent the past year supporting the work underway while preparing thoughtfully for what comes next.
Serving as President has been the privilege of my career. At a moment when our country is honoring its long history, I am thinking just as much about the future. The strength of our institutions, and of the Boston Bar itself, will depend on people willing to sustain them.
If this year has taught me anything, it is that this community is ready to do exactly that.
