January 1999 

 An Invitation to Become Involved

by Mark Gehan

Although I do not think of myself as being particularly old, I am increasingly aware that I am an elderly lawyer. The demographic fact is that the great majority of lawyers in Minnesota are younger than I am, and they are also younger than most of the other members of the Executive Committee and the Board of Governors.

The governance of the MSBA is in the hands of geezers. (My apologies to everyone in advance). I believe if one were to ask almost any one of us how we happened to be in such a position, the answer would begin like this, "Well, I went to this meeting . . .." When I became active in the Ramsey County Bar Association, the lawyers who were senior to me were respectful of younger lawyers, and they were appreciative of our participation. I know that this was the case elsewhere because other lawyers my age have told me this.

This is, therefore, an invitation to become involved in deciding what the MSBA will be and where it will go. On a larger scale, your involvement can affect what our profession will be and where it will go. The MSBA is the single most influential voice on matters relating to the practice of law. The Courts and Legislature look to us for leadership and reaction on questions of vital importance to every attorney in the state. Every member of the MSBA has the right to participate in this process, and more importantly, every member has the opportunity to do so.

Please take the time to look through this Directory and to read the descriptions of the sections and committees of the MSBA. If you are interested in the governance of the association, speak to your local bar association and you will certainly learn that there are opportunities to participate in the Board of Governors. It is in your interest to take a role in this organization.

MARK W. GEHAN of St. Paul is president of the MSBA. A partner in the firm of Collins, Buckley, Sauntry & Haugh, he received his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School and recently served as special master in the historic Minnesota tobacco litigation.