Washington Lawyer - July/August 2021 - 13

FEATURE
I'd like to think that my experiences and extensive relationships across
our community have well prepared me for the unique situation we are
currently in. From lawyering and leading in a dangerous place like Bosnia
to advocating and adjudicating in stressful courtroom circumstances, to
mentoring and leading in challenging classroom settings, hopefully I can
bring my comfort with crisis to the position. I often say to my kids, " When
things get tough, if you can be the person who helps, keep a calm head.
You'll do better and you'll be in a position to help others do better, too. "
Your prior involvement with the Bar has helped inform your sense
of the team you will be working with. Where will you look for
guidance and assistance in succeeding in your role as president?
I've been involved with the Bar going back many years; the experiences
have always challenged me in a positive sense, and the Bar itself has
always helped me meet the challenges. So now, facing presidential
leadership trials ahead, I'm very fortunate to have worked with Bob
Spagnoletti, our fabulous CEO, on and off over the course of the last
20-plus years. The fact that he's the CEO is strong reassurance that the
Bar is in a good place and headed in the right direction. I've spoken with
Susie Hoffman and Esther Lim, incredible lawyers and Bar leaders, who
were so candid and so generous with their time in trying to peel back
the onion of what it might look like to serve in the position of president.
Frankly, I find it intimidating to try to rise to their level of acumen and
accomplishment.
Those before me, Susie Hoffman and Geoff Klineberg, have really done
so much of the work through this challenging time. I don't think most
of us will ever realize their hard work, dedication, and creativity to help
navigate these turbulent waters, but if I can help us crest the last part
of the wave, to continue the nautical analogy, I'll do my level best.
Over the course of my career, I have come to appreciate that great leadership
does not always mean having the right answer, but it at least
means asking good questions, the right kinds of questions, and then
recognizing good answers wherever they may be found.
There are some incredibly talented people thinking about the impending
challenges. Becky Troth, executive director of the D.C. Bar Pro Bono
Center, is a fabulous leader who has her finger on the pulse of what her
part of the solution can be, and so many of the Bar's partners who are
regularly engaged in the pro bono space are looking at the problems
carefully, day in and day out. I think those folks are going to be responsible
for a lot of the innovation that I am confident we at the Bar can
support meaningfully.
I've heard that you repair and maintain classic cars in your free
time. Is there any wisdom you can take from that hobby that would
apply to your work with the Bar?
I hadn't thought about that, but I guess if there's anything that dabbling
in old cars has taught me it is that preventative maintenance is everything.
So, for example, as president-elect I have worked to make sure
that we are good stewards of the Bar's finances, both in the sense of
addressing member needs today and preparing for the crush of pro
bono needs tomorrow as we leave the pandemic behind. The goal is to
have the Bar's machinery well oiled and race tuned. But it also helps to
have a mechanic's keen ear for the problems at hand, a watchful driver's
eye for possible trouble ahead, and a well-stocked toolkit to field
whatever the road throws at us.
Reach D.C. Bar staff writer Jeremy Conrad at JConrad@dcbar.org.
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Washington Lawyer - July/August 2021

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