by Suma V. Nair
As I near the end of my term as President of the Boston Bar Association, I find myself reflecting less on any single event or initiative than on the extraordinary community that made this year possible.
Together, we reaffirmed that courts must remain free from political interference, and that due process belongs to everyone. We continued the hard, patient work of expanding access to justice in the Commonwealth, because a legal system that only works for those who can afford it isn’t a system of justice at all. And we kept building the kind of legal community we all believe in: one that is more inclusive, more connected across practice areas and generations, and more committed to public service.
None of that happens because of one person, and certainly not because of one president. It happens because of an extraordinary community of volunteers, leaders, members, and staff who give their time, judgment, and talent to this Association every day. Throughout this year, I was privileged to stand alongside them as they defended the rule of law, expanded access to justice, strengthened our profession, and served our community. To all of you, thank you.
Looking back on this year, there are three lessons I’ll carry with me, and three core beliefs I hope will continue to guide the Boston Bar Association in the years ahead.
What I’ve Learned
Our voice matters.
One of the greatest lessons of this year is that what we say and do matters. Our voice is powerful. People listen, and the courts listen. We must continue using that voice in service of the values we hold dear, especially when they are under threat, but even when they are not. Complacency breeds insignificance.
We have the greatest impact when we work together.
The Association and the Foundation make the greatest impact when they work hand in hand. When we combine the Foundation’s grantmaking with the Association’s volunteer network and member engagement, we create a virtuous cycle of innovation, service, and generosity. That partnership is one of our greatest strengths, and I hope we continue finding ways to strengthen it in the years ahead.
Our staff are the heart and brain of the Boston Bar.
Perhaps the most important lesson I’ve learned is just how extraordinary our staff truly are.
Officers and Council members come and go—that is part of the design of a volunteer organization. But our staff are the Association’s institutional memory, its engine for growth, and its steady hand every single day. They turn ideas into action, solve problems before most of us know they exist, and make this organization stronger with every passing year.
The Boston Bar Association’s reputation has been built brick by brick through their professionalism, commitment, and care. I am deeply grateful for everything they have done—not only for me this year, but for our members and our profession every year.
What I Believe
The cavalry isn’t coming. We are the cavalry.
If this year reinforced anything, it is that no one else is coming to defend the rule of law for us.
We can accept as inevitable that we are drifting away from the founding principles of our democracy, or we can stand firm in defense of judicial independence, due process, and the principle that no one is above the law. As officers of the court, we have both the privilege and the responsibility to protect the rule of law on which our democracy depends.
Our community needs us to be visible.
There is a reason we are the Boston Bar Association.
Yes, we are the oldest bar association in the country, but our significance comes from something much deeper than history. We are inextricably connected to this community. When our community is embattled, we help it fight. When it hurts, we help it heal.
If we are not visible, we become irrelevant to the community we serve. We must continue to show up when they need us, even when doing so is difficult. Especially then.
Service to the profession is a career-long commitment.
One of the greatest gifts of the Boston Bar Association is that it continually creates opportunities for lawyers to contribute, whether through mentoring, public service, advocacy, leadership, or simply showing up for one another.
Once you’re part of the Boston Bar, you never really stop serving it. Each of us has more to give to this profession, to this community, and to this Association. When the call comes, and it will, I hope you’ll answer it. Just as my successor, Mark Fleming, has.
As I pass the gavel to him, I do so with complete confidence in his leadership and in the future of this Association. Mark has spent the past year quietly supporting today’s work while preparing for tomorrow’s, and I know the Boston Bar Association is in excellent hands.
It has been the privilege of my career to serve as your President. Thank you for your trust, your partnership, and all that we have accomplished together. I look forward to seeing all that this remarkable community will continue to achieve in the years ahead.
