Annual Meeting

Ken Shigley took over as the 49th President of the State Bar of Georgia and made his oping address at the meeting on June 4, 2011. Drawing on his broad experience as a former small town sole practitioner as well as his experience as a prosecutor, insurance defense lawyer and trial lawyer, Ken is looking toward the future of the Courts and the place that the Bar will have. He is establishing a commission on the future of the courts and wants to insitite a Federal style electric filing system in all 159 counties in Georgia. He also is dedicated to the small practicing lawyer and is establishing a committee on "Main Street" lawyers.

At the meeting, the Board approved a budget that cuts expenses of the State Bar by $4.00 per member following the $2.00 per member dues increase. The State bar will be further looking to cut expenses, to include the huge sums it pays in postage. The Board also elected four members to the at large seats on the Executive Committee. They are David Lipscomb for Lawrenceville, Bob Kauffman from Douglasville and Brian "Buck" Rogers from Atlanta. Rita Sheffey from Atlanta was elected to fill the unexpired term of Patrice Perkins Hooker who was elected Secretary

Opening Annual Meeting State Bar of Georgia

Today opens the Annual Meeting of the State Bar of Georgia and runs though Saturday, June 4, 2011. Each year, the annual meeting features the Plenary Session of the State Bar, Meeting of the Board of Governors and the inauguration of the new President for the coming year. This is a very special annual meeting for the Blue Ridge Bar Association.

At the Plenary Session on June 3, 2011, the Blue Ridge Bar Association will receive awards for the Best Law Day and Best Website. The Blue Ridge Bar Association competes for these awards with bar associations of the same side. In addition, the Blue Ridge Bar Association was selected to win the President's Cup. We compete for this award with every voluntary and local bar association in the state, regardless of size. That means, we beat out such organizations as the Gwinnett Bar, Cobb Bar and the Atlanta Bar Association. A very special thanks goes out to Laura Schuster, Will Carlan and John Early for all the work they have done with Law Day and the Web Site.

Also on the agenda for the meeting is Board of Governors where we will address the issues of the budget for the State Bar of Georgia as well as elect members to the executive committee of the Bar. The meeting will culminate Saturday night with the inauguration of Ken Shigley as the 49th President of the State Bar of Georgia.

Of course, the annual meeting is not all work. This year's meeting is being held at the Kingston Shores in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. tree will be plenty of time to hit the beach and attend some of the many social events that strengthen the camaraderie between the members of the bar and for families to have a good time.