OSBA Leadership Academy graduates several legal aid advocates
June 16, 2010
[from OSBA website]
The Ohio State Bar Association announced the graduation of the first class of its Leadership Academy designed to identify future leaders in the legal community and provide them with support and training.
"This is a remarkable group of younger attorneys who recognized the benefit of preparing for leadership roles in their firms and in their communities. This program provided them with access to the vast resources of the Ohio State Bar Association and the legal community, and will help them assume leadership roles in the coming years," said OSBA President Barbara J. Howard.
Specifically, OSBA's Leadership Academy seeks to:
- Identify and train lawyers for future opportunities for leadership in the Association, the profession and in the community;
- Nurture effective leadership with respect to ethical, professional and community service issues;
- Raise the level of awareness among lawyers regarding the broad range of issues facing the legal profession and to build relationships among legal leaders across state and experience levels; and
- Create a cadre of lawyers upon which the OSBA, state and local government entities, local bar associations and community organizations can call upon for leadership and service.
This interactive leadership training program was conducted during a six-month period consisting of five sessions between February and June 2010. The sessions covered issues such as:
- Leadership, ethics and professionalism;
- State and local government;
- Significant issues facing the legal profession;
- Community service;
- The business of lawyering;
- Economic and business development in Ohio;
- Policymaking and lobbying;
- Mentoring; and
- Civil and criminal legal services for the poor.
Speakers and mentors included leaders from the bench and bar, state and local government and the community. Participants learned skills to become effective writers and public speakers. They became problem solvers and effective lawyer leaders.
Each participant was asked to prepare an individual leadership plan based on his or her experience in the Academy. One member pledges to get more involved in the work of the juvenile court and serving the needs related to indigent defense. Several pledged their services to help several local human service organizations. Others look forward to working on immigrant support. Another will support her local theater board. Several expressed interest in becoming judges.
"We are very excited to send these new leaders back to their home communities," said Howard. "With the knowledge they have gained and the contacts they have developed, they are prepared to take on new leadership responsibilities in their personal and professional lives."
Legal aid staff members of the inaugural class included:
- Kimberly P. Jordan, Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio (Hamilton)
- Melissa A. McKenna, Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati (Cincinnati)
- L. Kate Mitchell, Legal Aid of Western Ohio (Toledo)
- Patrick Skilliter, Southeastern Ohio Legal Services (Zanesville)
- Julita L. Varner, Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc. (Toledo)
- Veronica L. Zoltowski, Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc. (Toledo)
View a list of all member of the inaugural class and a class picture.