ABA must 'change rapidly to be relevant,' President-elect Linda Klein says
ABA President-elect Linda Klein. All photos by ©Kathy Anderson.
On Tuesday morning, the ABA House of Delegates elected Linda Klein of Atlanta as ABA president-elect for 2015-2016.
In her brief speech, she called for ABA members to spread the word among lawyers about the many worthwhile things the ABA does. And, she said, the ABA must “change rapidly to be relevant.”
She said that “lawyers must see the ABA come to them. It may not be your state or your practice area, but we can’t afford to let even one pillar fall.”
Klein, who is managing shareholder at Baker Donelson’s Atlanta offices, opened remarks with thanks to supporters and her family, specifically calling out her nephew who showed early signs of being interested in being a lawyer when at 6, he asked if he could accompany her to court to be her “assistant arguer” to help people.
“We need lots of assistant arguers like my nephew,” she said.
Klein, a former president of the State Bar of Georgia and the 2010-2012 chair of the House of Delegates, told delegates she’s been listening to ABA members since her nomination as president-elect and has identified what she hears time and again that lawyers want.
Klein says lawyers tell her they want a diverse profession, mentors, lower costs for legal education, and a collegial profession. They also want the ABA to be on the front lines helping lawyers with their practices. And ABA members want access to justice for all.
She pledged to continue listening and work on addressing these issues with the help of many “assistant arguers.”
Outgoing ABA President William Hubbard; President-elect Linda Klein; incoming ABA President Paulette Brown; and James Silkenat, the ABA’s immediate-past president.
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