Challenges met.

Nearly a year ago, when I had the honor of becoming ATLA president, I wrote on this page that we were facing immense challenges. Well-funded opponents were intent on spreading distortions and outright lies about civil justice. Our job was to tell the truth.

We rose to that challenge. In the past year, we focused our message, improved ore communication tools, and dispelled myths about the civil justice system.

At the same time, ATLA maintained and improved its member services and benefits, so that membership in our association is more essential than ever for providing the best possible legal representation.

One of our first major efforts of the past year was to strengthen ATLA's ties with our allies in the state trial lawyer associations, which share our mission and goals. At a September meeting of the Partnership Task Force, President-Elect Ken Suggs, other ATLA leaders, and I met with representatives of the National Association of Trial Lawyer Executives. We affirmed our common purpose and explored ways to become more effective by working together. The meeting laid a strong foundation for further critical cooperation between ATLA and our friends in the states, who are fighting the same battles in their capitals as ATLA is fighting in Washington, D.C. Additional meetings have occurred throughout the year.

On Capitol Hill, we faced an even steeper climb after the November election. A second-term President Bush and a stronger anticonsumer majority in both houses made our work harder--and cemented our resolve to protect consumer rights against far tougher odds. We continued opposing bills that would drastically limit the rights of injured people, including victims of medical negligence and asbestos exposure. When a bill to federalize class actions finally passed, the media carried our message about the true nature of the legislation: that it was anticonsumer and a gift to the insurance industry and other corporate interests, not a boon for ordinary Americans as its proponents claimed.

We reached out to the media continuously, thwarting the president's attempts to use his bully pulpit to vilify trial lawyers and miscast legitimate legal claims as "junk lawsuits." Media stories covering his anti-civil-justice campaign included ATLA's message and diluted our opponents' propaganda. Since January, a new e-mail newsletter, ATLA Protecting Your Rights, has carried that message every week to reporters, congressional staffers, and consumers, as well as ATLA members. The response we've seen so far suggests that the e-newsletter is making a significant difference in the way the press and decision-makers are talking about civil justice issues.

We reached out aggressively to ATLA members all across the country with the Seventh Amendment Project, intended to help trial lawyers communicate proactively to the American people our positive impact in preserving their basic rights.

Coordinating all this activity behind the scenes is ATLA's new CEO, Jon Haber, who has brought renewed energy, and enthusiasm to members and staff alike.

Building for the future

In tandem with this public policy work, we continued to enhance member services and benefits for ATLA's nearly 60,000 members. In particular, with an eye to the future of our profession, we made great strides in recruiting law student and new lawyer members.

We continued to build our ties with law schools through programs such as the Student Trial Advocacy Competition (this year's was the largest ever, involving 900 students and 138 law schools), the revitalized mentor and ATLA Ambassador programs, and grassroots efforts to build ATLA law school chapters. The result? Nearly 3,700 law student members, a growth of 6 percent over last year and 14 percent over two years ago.

Our New Lawyers Sponsorship Program has also been very successful. ATLA members in almost every state have sponsored more than 2,800 new plaintiff lawyers into the association, giving them an opportunity to see firsthand the tremendous benefits ATLA membership provides--including cutting-edge education programs, in-depth research assistance through the Exchange, and opportunities to network with colleagues in sections and litigation groups, at conventions, and online via ATLA's numerous list servers.

I have so many to thank for the success we had this year. The ATLA staff is truly remarkable. We are fortunate to have them, one and all. The officers and Executive Committee provided enormous support for the wide range of projects we pursued. And the association could not be in better hands as Ken Suggs assumes the ATLA presidency for the coming year. I know Ken is committed to our effort to fight back and get the truth out to the American people.

Finally, let me say to all the trial lawyers of America what a tremendous honor and privilege it has been to serve as president of the finest association of lawyers in the world. I will always cherish the opportunity that you provided to me. Thank you!