Page 4 - October2019_BarJournal

COLUMN FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

IT’S ALL ABOUT

JUSTICE

Rebecca Ruppert McMahon

uring the past year, the of the Real Estate Law Section, to see if have seats at the table are too important to
CMBA’s Thought Leadership they would consider helping us build a ignore. In addition to continuing coverage
Committee has devoted “Future State of Justice” issue. We zeroed in the Bar Journal and periodic membership
significant time to considering in on October because we needed time to updates, our monthly Hot Talks happening
nd
Dthe myriad of issues that plan (six months in the making), we thought at noon on the 2 Tuesday of every month
surround justice in our community. This has our environmental and real estate lawyer will be devoted to the subject of the Justice
included the state of bail/bond reform, the members would be engaged by the topic, Center for the rest of 2019 and into 2020.
th
conditions of the county jail and the build/ and because the 8 Judicial Conference is These conversations are free, open to the
rebuild project at the Justice Center. Much of being held this month and we wanted to help public and streamed live on Facebook.
that thoughtful consideration has focused on inform those who will be in attendance as I encourage every member to put these
how best to focus the CMBA’s programs and they take up discussion of what comes next conversations on your calendars so you can
activities in order to keep you, our members, up in Cuyahoga County. As you can see, Tasha participate in some form. Our community
to date and engaged on what are unquestionably and Dan jumped on board and went to work deserves the engagement, commitment and
some of the most important and complex issues drumming up support and excitement ... and input of every one of our members.
facing our community. great article ideas ... from their respective If the discussions regarding the Justice
During a spring meeting of the 15-person sections. I am grateful for their leadership in Center were merely focused on building
committee, then-Thought Leadership Chair, pulling this landmark issue together. a building, I likely would not have the
Karen Giffen, offered a suggestion: why not In the intervening months, as you’ve been same burning sense of urgency to see the
devote an entire issue of the Bar Journal to our reading in a variety of recent updates from CMBA gain voting access to the Steering
justice system and literally show our members Ian Friedman and me, the CMBA has been Committee. But the Justice Center Project
just how focused we are on these issues? working toward creating a more direct line is about far more than building a building.
By way of background, each Bar Journal of access between our membership and the The Steering Committee members — all
issue is developed based upon an established, decisions that will be made in the coming of whom exist in the politicized world of
annual editorial calendar. That process months about the kind of justice system that elections and public appointments — have
ensures every issue will include 8–12 articles will exist in our community. The CMBA the quintessential chance to transform our
selected for submission by the chairs of two was overlooked from the outset when our justice system, to do far better tomorrow
or three sections that are being highlighted county’s leaders convened the Justice Center than we did yesterday.
in a given issue. Authors are not given any Project Executive Steering Committee. We The CMBA exists to promote the rule of
real direction about what to write other than believed that oversight could and would be law — not for certain constituencies but
a word count limitation and a request to pen remedied. We were wrong. While no one for all. And so we will continue to create
an article that addresses some topic relevant has offered a legitimate reason as to why the pathways that enable the many voices of our
for the section being spotlighted. CMBA should not have a seat at the table, a diverse, multi-faceted legal community and
To the best of our organizational few individuals have expended great effort their clients to be heard.
knowledge, we have never devoted an entire to keep out.
Bar Journal issue to one overarching subject. Whether we are inside or outside of the
With Karen’s suggestion in hand, I formal structure, the CMBA will continue Rebecca Ruppert McMahon is the CEO of the
reached out to Tasha Miracle, Chair of to shine a light on the discussions that are CMBA. She has been a CMBA member since
the Environmental, Energy & Natural happening. The future course that is being 1995. She can be reached at (216) 696-3525 or
Resources Section, and Dan Hinkel, Chair charted by the 12 public officials who do rmcmahon@clemetrobar.org.

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