By Sid Bahl, Chair of the Value Discovery Committee
sbahl@hselaw.com

When my wife and I moved to Rochester in 2016 after we graduated from law school, I didn’t know anyone in the area. To meet other attorneys, I joined the bar association (with no intention of it being more than a tool by which to network). Fast forward eight years, and my bar service has become (and remains) an integral part of my professional life. I’ve previously served on the Board of Trustees, the Executive Committee, the Foundation’s Board of Directors, the Young Lawyers Section Executive Board, the Finance Committee, and the Academy of Law. I currently serve as the chair of both the Fee Arbitration Committee and the newly formed “Value Discovery Committee.”

What is the Value Discovery Committee, you ask? With the support of current Board of Trustees Chair, Cassie Rich, MCBA Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Ryan, and MCBA Chief Operating Officer, Liz Novak Henderson, the Value Discovery Committee was formed with the stated purpose of helping “modernize” the MCBA and the services it provides to its members. The Value Discovery Committee’s objectives are to assess our members’ needs, analyze what other bar associations are doing, and develop concrete actions items and ideas for the consideration of the Board of Trustees.

After I finished my second (and, per the MCBA’s bylaws, my final) term on the Board of Trustees, I approached Cassie about how I can still contribute to the MCBA and its future. After a few meetings with great, thoughtful discussion, we decided that a steering committee focused solely on the MCBA’s future made good sense. We obtained the Board of Trustees’ approval and reached out to diverse, experienced, and accomplished attorneys in the area to invite them to the committee. I am proud and honored to work with the following folks doing this incredibly important work:

• Hon. Maija Dixon, Rochester City Court
• Jessica Clemente, Harter Secrest and Emery LLP
• Stephanie Fedorka, Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC
• Bridget Kehm, Law Offices of Pullano & Farrow PLLC
• Danielle Wild, Danielle C. Wild, Attorney at Law
• Curtis Jones, Product Integration & Mfg.

Thus far, the Value Discovery Committee has conducted preliminary analysis of similarly situated bar associations and has informally surveyed current and former bar association members (if a committee member reaches out to you, please engage!).

The MCBA has done so much for me and my professional development. I want the MCBA to flourish, grow, and develop so it’s around for the next generation of lawyers, and the generation after that, and so on. My Value Discovery Committee members and I are working hard to ensure that happens.

If you have concerns or ideas to share with the Value Discovery Committee, I invite you to reach out to me directly (sbahl@hselaw.com or 585.231.1484). Enjoy the weekend and I hope to connect with you soon!