C. Ronald Baird
Baird, Lightner, Millsap & Harpool, P.C.
Springfield

It has been a privilege to serve you as President of The Missouri Bar. My presidential duties allowed me to experience lawyers in many different settings throughout this great state. In all those venues, my observation was that lawyers have the knowledge, talent and energy to address not only the issues of our clients, but also the complexities and dynamics which are inherent in our “Foundation of Liberty-Separate Branches-Balanced Powers” – in other words, our democracy.

In my opportunities to address various groups around the state, I tried to remind lawyers and others in the audience of just how great our profession is. Our profession dates back to ancient Rome, according to some historians, and Athens or Egypt according to others. But we are the present generation of lawyers with the obligation to make sure that the fundamental ideals of this country — life, liberty and the “pursuit of happiness” while pursuing a “more perfect union” — are championed by our profession.

One of the privileges of the President of The Missouri Bar is to attend and witness the swearing in of newly licensed lawyers in the State of Missouri – the new guardians of this democracy. One of the speakers reminded the new lawyers that despite the rhetoric one may hear about lawyers, the citizens of Missouri respect lawyers and the courts for what they do for their communities and our society. While watching the new licensees take their oath, I was once again reminded of the importance of our role in maintaining the rule of law.

When we were admitted to the bar, we all took the oath that reads, in part, “…that (we) will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Missouri…; respect…(the) courts of justice and judicial officers; …(and) will abstain from all offensive personality….” Take a minute to look at your oath of admission. What does the oath suggest to you? We will do our job and be professional about it?

It is clear, without question, that our professional actions and mannerisms and our attitude can influence the cost of litigation, the difficulty of resolving the issues and the image of the profession. With this in mind, how do you go about being professional and civil when the stresses of our daily lives are directly influencing our attitudes? We should be constantly striving to deal with such stresses – whether they stem from family issues, our advocates, financial matters, timelines, or disgruntled clients – with this professional viewpoint in mind.

I looked up the definition of professionalism and found that it meant to have the skill, competence, or character expected of a member of a highly trained profession. Lawyers should constantly remind themselves of how highly trained they are, the importance of their profession, and their duty to safeguard this democracy. The manner in which we conduct ourselves will have a direct effect on not only our families and friends but our communities, our states and the citizens of this state as well as they watch our actions, listen to our words and observe our attitude when dealing with the difficult issues and circumstances of our times.

We should always keep in mind the need to balance our personal and family lives with our professional obligations. Remember that the principle of moderation is applicable to the busy professional – to carefully balance our various roles in life and society so that our professionalism and attitude are positive. Aristotle reminds us: The virtue of justice consists in moderation, as regulated by wisdom.

I can’t close this page without once again asking you to continue to use your highly trained skills and talents in the schools, as well as community and civic groups, in the area of civic education. The Missouri Bar has initiated programs for Constitution Day (September 17) and Bill of Rights Day (December 15) each year in order to focus attention upon the civic education of the citizens – both youth and adults – of this great state. This is only the beginning for these efforts, and they need your help in making sure they continue into the future. The Missouri Bar has a wealth of other information and tools available for the area of civic education and we welcome your participation. Don’t forget our websites – www.mobar.org  and www.showmecourts.org.

I hope during this last year that you have been defined as a hero by your family, friends and the other professionals practicing with you in your community. I know that, after observing the many different ways that you – the members of The Missouri Bar – serve the citizens of this great state, my definition of hero includes the lawyers and judges of Missouri.