At its Spring meeting on April 16, 2011, the State Bar's Board of Governors approved a $2 dues increase, raising the annual assessment for active members from $236 per year to $238. That makes the dues amount for inactive members $119, because it is set at half the active member rate.
State Bar President Lester Tate explained that this dues increase, the first since 2008, is largely the result of the State Bar taking on $881,378 worth of programs in the past couple of years, which previously had been funded by the Georgia Bar Foundation, such as the Law Related Education Program and the BASICS-Bar Association Support to Improve Correctional Services-Program, as well as the creation of the Military Legal Assistance Program. (The economic downturn and low interest rates on IOLTA-Interest On Lawyer Trust Accounts-have reduced the bar foundation's funding.)
These programs were absorbed or created without going through the bar's dues indexing policy, which calls for using small, frequent dues adjustments as needed to adequately fund programs.
The per member cost of absorbing and creating $881,378 worth of programs in the past two years is $22.78. This has been done without a dues increase because the State Bar has had budget surpluses, due to the frugality of its staff spending just 92 to 95 percent of its budget, and also due to addition of new lawyers.
President Tate explained that if these programs continued to be funded merely through surpluses, that eventually the State Bar "will run off a cliff" in about five or six years, necessitating a large dues increase that would hit the $25 cap on annual dues increases.
Thus, Tate suggested a "glide path" to get back to dues indexing, that involves raising dues in small increments, while still using some surplus.
"Can we slide by [without a dues increase]? Sneak this in one more year? We might be able to do that. Is it a responsible thing to do? I don't think it is," Tate said, adding that postponing a small dues increase would only create potential fiscal problems for the future.
The $2 dues increase reflects a concurrent requirement for the State Bar staff to decrease the first draft of the 2011-12 operating budget by $160,000, which is the equivalent of $4 per member.
Honorees
In other action, the board honored two late Court of Appeals judges, the Hon. Debra Bernes and the Hon. John H. Ruffin, for their work with the Law Related Education Program.
In addition, the board recognized Dr. Elbert Parr Tuttle Jr., whose father, U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Elbert Parr Tuttle, has been honored by the naming of The Marshall-Tuttle Award. This award is given to an attorney for commitment and service to the Military Legal Assistance Program.
The award was given at the winter meeting, which Dr. Tuttle had been unable to attend.
Legislation
The board received an update on matters the State Bar was supporting in the recently ended legislative session, which State Bar Secretary Robin Clark pronounced was "pretty darn impressive." You can find on-line at this link updates on all of the measures the bar was tracking: http://www.gabar.org/programs/legislative_program/
Recognition of Retiring Board Members
Fifteen members of the Board of Governors who are retiring from service were recognized. These include two from the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit: Johnny Mason, who has served twelve years on the board, and Tara Lee Adyanthaya, who has served two years on the board. Thank you to you both for your service to the legal profession.
Don't forget that there are contested elections underway in the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit to fill each of their seats. (That's in addition to a contested race for secretary of the State Bar.) You can find information on the candidates at this link: http://www.gabar.org/news/vote_here_2011_state_bar_of_georgia_election_information/
Votes must be cast by May 2 and results will be available May 13.
In addition, President Tate announced that Gwen Keyes Fleming has resigned from her post on the Board of Governors for the Stone Mountain Circuit and that he has appointed Department of Juvenile Justice Commissioner Amy Howell, who is the immediate past president of the Young Lawyers Division, to fill her unexpired term.
Lawyers Without Rights Exhibit
The Spring board meeting was held at the State Bar headquarters in downtown Atlanta while the Lawyers Without Rights Exhibit was showing from April 13 to April 22 on the third-floor of the Bar Center. This exhibit, which is in conjunction with the German Federal Bar Association, provides the historic account of the lives and fates of Jewish lawyers during Nazi rule in Germany. You can find more on the exhibition at this link: http://www.gabar.org/news/state_bar_hosting_lawyers_without_rights/.
ABA News
Linda Klein, who is speaker of the American Bar Association's House of Delegates, encouraged board members to urge Congressional support for the Tax Intercept Act, which she says could lead to the recovery of $15 billion in uncollected fines and fees assessed in state courts. These funds would be intercepted from income tax refunds.
President's Advisory Council
The newly appointed President's Advisory Council was introduced to the Board of Governors. While the board met, the council heard from Chief Justice Carol Hunstein and Justices Hugh Thompson and David Nahmias, as well as Court of Appeals Chief Judge John Ellington and Hall Superior Court Judge Kathlene Gosselin. The council members also toured the Bar Center. The council, comprised of lay persons and non-practicing lawyers, is designed to further the public advocacy work of the State Bar.
Katie Wood
Stone Mountain Circuit, Post 1
