Dear Members:

It is with great pleasure and honor that I write this as the newly installed President of the Foundation of the Monroe County Bar Association – the charitable arm of our county bar. It is humbling to follow in the footsteps of those who held this position before me. 

What does it mean that the Foundation is the charitable arm of the MCBA? In short, it’s a way for us, as attorneys, to give back to the community. One aspect of the various bar associations in Rochester – MCBA, GRAWA, RBBA – that I have always appreciated is that it brings our legal community together. Rochester is a small legal community in and of itself, but even within that, I may not cross paths with attorneys who work in different areas of the law than I do. So, the bar associations bring us together and create an environment that fosters camaraderie.

The Foundation then provides an avenue for us to focus that camaraderie to provide to the community. Most, if not all, of you have received some communication in the past from the Foundation asking for donations. Since the Foundation’s inception, those donations have gone toward funding programs or organizations that aid some aspect of legal services in the community. Over the years, those services have included Willow, the Center for Youth, the DEAFund, Hon. Roy King Diversity Clerkship program, Rochester Teen Court, the Empire Justice Center, The Legal Aid Society of Rochester. This past year, the Foundation received 13 grant applications, requesting more than $100,000 in total. The Foundation, though, only had about $45,000 that it could put toward grants. We were able to give grants to 11 of those who made requests, and we are proud to see that money go toward legal services to the less fortunate and programs that encourage diversity in our legal community and broader community as a whole. But we can always do more.

That’s where you come in.  In case you haven’t heard, our annual Raise the Bar campaign has kicked off for the 2022-2023 year. Donating is easy. You can go online at www.mcba.org/foundation or send in a check.

As always, the Foundation will offer more opportunities through the year for you to come together, donate, and contribute. We’ve implemented some “new” programs over the last couple of years – like a restaurant raffle – as a fun way to give.  Also, of course, Jazz for Justice is returning! Plans are already in place. We will have the same format, but one exciting piece of news is that we are changing the venue. Keep an eye out for your invitation to Jazz for Justice at The Commissary in the Sibley Building at the end of October. It will be a fun night to gather with colleagues, relax, hear great music, eat great food, and again – give back to the community!

I greatly look forward to working with Langston and the MCBA and all of you. It’s going to be a great year.

Pamela Reynolds
2022-23 Foundation President
preynolds@littler.com