Message from the Immediate Past President, John M. Stewart Thank You and Farewell

Welcome from the President Welcome from the President-Elect YLD/Florida Bar Brochure

As I approach the end of my term as President of the Young Lawyers Division of The Florida Bar, I am amazed at how fortunate I have been to hold this position.  I was elected from the 19th Circuit to the Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors eight years ago.  At that time there were no young lawyers sections in my circuit and I had no real idea as to the myriad of projects, the complexity of the issues or the personal dedication and time commitment of the Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors members.  I simply saw an article in the Florida Bar News, decided that the opportunity sounded interesting, and ran for election.  Six years later to have been elected by my peers on the Board of Governors to serve as their President is humbling to say the least.

The Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors members are some of the most dedicated attorneys I have ever met.  Their service on the Board represents true public service in its purest sense.  I would like to thank my Board for their dedicated work, friendship, wise counsel and their service to the attorneys of the State of Florida.

As a result of the Board’s work, the Young Lawyers Division has enjoyed a year of outstanding success in all of the activities the Division has undertaken.  Some of those accomplishments include:

• Educated our young lawyers through eleven substantive CLE courses in addition to the Practicing with Professionalism program.
  
  
• Cemented our relationship with the Florida Bar Foundation in order to fund over $40,000.00 worth of charitable projects organized throughout the State by our young lawyers affiliate sections.
  
  
• Recognized many young lawyer leaders throughout the State through our eight awards and delivered 10 scholarships to deserving law students.
  
  
• Hosted our annual Orseck Moot Court competition.
  
  
• Worked diligently with the Legislature to support student loan assistance legislation.
  
  
• Led by example in the area of diversity ensuring that over 50% of all our CLE speakers are minorities or woman.
  
  
• Provided free programs at each of Florida’s ten law schools.
  
  
• Hosted our annual Government Symposium and allowed attendance live via the web for the first time.
  
  
• Revamped the YLD website to provide useful information for all young lawyers.
  
  
• Held our annual affiliate outreach conference.
  
  
• Published our Quarterly Newsletter.

I would like to thank my family and especially my wife, Brandy, and children, Mitchell and MaryClaire, for allowing me to undertake this endeavor and all the sacrifices that it required.  I also want to thank my law firm, Stewart & Evans, P.A., and the firms’ attorneys and staff who helped the practice run smoothly while I spent so much time out of the office.  I also want to thank our Immediate Past President Jamie Billotte Moses for continuing to take my calls and assure me that the YLD ship was not sinking on my watch.

It has been a true honor and a pleasure to serve with The Florida Bar’s Board of Governors and particularly to learn what it means to be a leader from The Florida Bar President Hank Coxe.  The Florida Bar has been very fortunate to have president Coxe as its leader for the past year and is also very fortunate to have the future leadership of soon to be President Frank Angones and Jay White immediately following.  For those who have occasion to work with The Florida Bar you also know what a tremendous gift we have in our Executive Director, Jack Harkness.  These individuals assure The Florida Bar’s prominence around the country as a leader of lawyers.

The future of the YLD is in good hands with many returning leaders and in particular with incoming President Scott Atwood, who has served this Board impeccably for many years.  Scott will represent the Young Lawyers Division as its President with the utmost competence and with the assistance of his soon to be President-Elect Jewel White Cole.

Thank you all for taking the responsibility to assure that our profession maintains its honorable and significant place in society.  The young lawyers of Florida are some of the best in the nation and leading the Young Lawyers Division has been an unforgettable experience, which I humbly thank you for allowing me to enjoy.

Sincerely yours,

John M. Stewart,
President Young Lawyers Division
Board of Governors 2006-2007