Roxeanne Giedd
Pierre, South Dakota
Telephone:
Fax:
Bar Admission:
South Dakota
Education:
University of South Dakota School of Law,
Vermillion, South Dakota
Born:
At the Annual Meeting in Aberdeen a resolution which provided for an increase in the annual membership fee for the State Bar and increasing the additional annual membership fee for the State Bar’s continuing legal education was presented and approved. The resolution set forth that the annual membership fee will increase from $115 to $190 for active members who have been in practice for five years or less. For active members who have practiced more than five years, the annual fee will increase from $240 to $315. The annual additional membership fee for continuing legal education will increase from $75 to $100 for all active members with the exception of the Supreme Court Justices, Circuit Court Judges, and Full-Time Magistrate Judges.
Procedurally, the resolution will be presented to the Supreme Court at the August 2007 Rules Hearing. If the resolution is approved by the Supreme Court, the annual increases will be effective for calendar year 2008 and thereafter.
While it is never a pleasant task to recommend an increase in the annual membership fees, it was, without question, necessary to do so. The costs to operate the State Bar and the costs to deliver services and programs to members of the State Bar have increased over the years. There has not been an increase in the annual membership fees since 1996. I cannot identify any other commodity, service or organization which has not increased its costs since 1996.
Notwithstanding Greg Eiesland’s assertion that the annual membership fees increases make me a “tax and spend liberal,” the State Bar is operated extremely efficiently and economically by Tom Barnett and the staff. The annual fees paid by our members are well below the median of the fees charged by other unified bar associations. That is particularly true when one considers that the fee for all the continuing legal education programs is included with our annual membership fees as virtually all other states impose a fee for each continuing legal education program which is attended.
The 2007 SD Trial Academy had another banner year. Chet Groseclose, the Trial Academy coordinator, best summed it up when he wrote in a preliminary report, “While I believe the 2005 Trial Academy was successful beyond our expectations, I also believe that this year’s event was even more successful. Chet and the Trial Academy committee devote a significant amount of time and effort in the planning and conduction of the Trial Academy and they are to be commended for their efforts as are the other members of the bar and judiciary who volunteer their time to participate in the Trial Academy. All the individuals involved in the Trial Academy will be identified and publicly recognized upon receipt of Chet’s final report.
Roxanne Giedd and I had the opportunity to attend and participate in the 2007 Bar Leaders Retreat hosted by ALPS. The programs presented during the retreat were nothing short of outstanding, and Roxanne and I had a chance to interact, brainstorm and share thoughts and ideas with bar representatives from 15 other states.
Recognizing the ever increasing concerns and complaints over healthcare options, the attendees at the retreat were provided with a summary of a program which ALPS has implemented whereby bar associations will be offered an opportunity to establish a self-funded health benefit program for their members. I do not know enough about the program or the potential benefits to our members to even be dangerous at this point in time. However, the concept is very intriguing, and in this day and age of significant increases in healthcare costs and health insurance premiums, the concept is going to be investigated, discussed and evaluated. Further information will be provided as it is gathered.
I have received correspondence and I have had phone conversations pertaining to several bar related topics, and I want such dialog to continue. Discussion can never be counterproductive.
Enjoy the remaining days of summer.
As I
commence my duties as President, I thank each of you for the opportunity to
serve the Bar and its members, and I am very honored to do so. I had the
opportunity to attend the Past Presidents’ Breakfast at the annual meeting in
Moving into the “club” of Past Presidents is Cris Palmer. On behalf of the State Bar, I want to again thank Cris for his leadership during the past year. The State Bar undertook the challenge presented by Amendment E, and with the leadership of Cris and Tom Barnett, together with many members of the State Bar and statewide volunteers, the efforts expended were incredibly successful. In addition, Cris and his far better half, Peggy, were exceptional representatives and ambassadors of the State Bar at regional and national meetings. Cris, to you and Peggy, and on behalf of the State Bar, thank you very much for your commitment and service.
The past year was somewhat of an aberration for the State Bar in that the time, effort and resources of the State Bar were devoted to the defeat of Amendment E, and as a result, other programs and projects had to take a back seat. Even though we will continue to be vigilant and conscious of the potential future efforts of the proponents of Amendment E to implement similar measures, we will also forge ahead with other projects.
Among the programs and projects that I intend to keep on the front burner this year are two projects in particular, the enactment of legislation to provide a funding mechanism for Access to Justice and the commencement of the process to implement a program to assist the members of our profession who suffer from depression.
It is anticipated that legislation will be proposed in the 2008 Legislature which will generate a source for financial assistance for Access to Justice. If those plans come to fruition, members of the State Bar will be asked, at a minimum, to contact their local legislators and request support of the legislation. In addition, it is anticipated that some members of the Bar will be asked to undertake more significant involvement including, but not necessarily limited to, testifying at committee hearings.
The issue of depression and the corresponding personal and professional problems generated when one suffers from depression must be addressed. The issue of alcohol and other drug related problems is at least in part addressed by Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers. I think it is imperative that an assistance program be implemented to address depression. I do not have any specific ideas or proposed solutions. However, I have taken advantage of opportunities provided to me in my capacity as President-Elect to visit with representatives from other states when I attended meetings and training sessions. Programs are in place in other states. Thus, we do not have to “invent the wheel,” but rather, we have to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the programs in other states and use those programs as a framework to create a system for our members. I am committed to such a project, and it may take more time than that what is provided in my tenure to put such a program into place. With commitment from future Bar leaders and perseverance by all, the goal can be accomplished.
On behalf
of all the members who attended the annual meeting in Aberdeen, my sincere
thanks to those members of the Bar in the Aberdeen area who assisted Tom, DeeAnn,
Kelly, and Lary in organizing and hosting a very successful meeting.
Particular kudos go to the group who hosted the Thursday evening social at the
office of Harvey Jewett. To say that
A personal highlight of the annual meeting was the presentation of the McKusick Award to Bob Frieberg. The time, effort and energy Bob has devoted to the State Bar and many, many other organizations and entities are virtually unmatched. He was a truly deserving recipient. It was Bob who impressed upon me the significance of service to others and service to the Bar and for that I am forever grateful. After this year, there may be members of the Bar who wish that Bob had not directed me upon this course, and if so, you know where to find Bob to tell him of his error.