Moving On in 09

Well, my six year tenure as President of the New Hamsphire Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers has ended. I should have more time for other things - like blogging maybe?

My letter to my brothers and sisters of the New Hampshire criminal defense bar:

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

It is now 2009 and my tenure as President of the New Hampshire Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers has come to a close. Over the past six years you trusted me to represent you, your interests and the interests of our clients. I thank you and hope that I lived up to that trust. NHACDL represents everything that is good about the criminal justice system in New Hampshire. Over the past six years I had the privilege to observe and support you all as you did your jobs. I saw you represent the impoverished, the middle class and the wealthy. I can confidently claim that when it comes to the effort of this bar - there is no disparity between rich and poor. (That is not to say that we don’t face detrimental institutional and financial disparity in our
system generally.) Likewise, there is no disparity in effort based on the alleged seriousness of crime. I saw mundane questions such as the effect of a reckless operation charge on a Maine commercial drivers license - pursued with the same level of diligence as major Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Amendment issues. You truly represent the best of the legal profession. It was a distinct honor to serve as your president.

Over the past six years we have tried to address systemic issues in our criminal justice system. We have tried to raise our level of exposure in the legislature and within the labyrinth of court rule making. We have steadily increased our legislative presence. Whether it is the death penalty or administrative license suspensions; sex offenses or underage possession; discovery or DWI; we have provided a voice in the legislature where one did not exist before - a voice for the poor, the forgotten and the despised. People sometimes ask me why I bother to "bang my head against the wall" in Concord. Call me an optimist, but having seen the spirit, intensity, and passion that you all bring to our bar, I can’t help but think that, with the right institutional framework, we can truly make New Hampshire a place where justice is done right - not from revenge and retribution but from evidence based principles that work to keep us free, safe and fiscally sound. A place where liberty remains our most valued possession and is treated with reverence. If that flame did not burn bright within this organization, then our efforts might reasonably be called a waste of time. But so long as NHACDL brings that passion for fairness and justice to Concord then our endeavors are worthwhile and we will continue to be "liberty’s last champions."

In addition to our legislative efforts we have grown in size and sophistication over the past six years. Your support, active, moral and financial, has helped us provide high quality continuing education programs, an active list serve, a valuable web site and an array of services to assist the criminal defense lawyer in the trenches. Our strike force has assisted our sisters and brothers who found themselves in harm’s way. Our amicus briefs have addressed perennial issues that disadvantage the common man charged with a crime. Through hard work and perseverance you have made NHACDL an effective and influential voice in the legal community and in the community at large.

Although no longer President of this stalwart organization, I hope to hang in and help with the NHACDL legislative agenda and in any other way that serves the organization, its members, and our clients. Under the leadership of our new President, Andy Schulman, and our board of Directors, your passion for liberty, fairness and justice will continue to burn. I wish Andy the best of luck as he leads us into a new era. And I thank every one of you for allowing me the privilege of serving this great Association.

Respectfully,
Mike