Time passes and we remember, or we forget. The HCBA Bar Memorial is a time-honored tradition to ensure that we in fact remember. On April 22, the annual special court session of the Fourth Judicial District will honor the lawyers and judges who passed away last year. Chief Judge Toddrick Barnette will call the session to order and welcome all in attendance; the speakers will share their thoughtful insights; reflective music will be performed, and the colleagues we have lost will be memorialized.
The HCBA worked tirelessly to ensure that the professional achievements, good deeds, and community service of these lawyers and judges are compiled for the permanent court record. Family, colleagues, and friends are deeply moved by these tributes and glad for the chance to once again remember.
Without fail, collaboration between the HCBA and the Fourth Judicial District produces a meaningful Bar Memorial every year. We are grateful for this commitment and goodwill. Not to mention that all this work was carried out and met the challenges of another year of the COVID pandemic. This year’s Bar Memorial will again be livestreamed. Last year’s virtual session was well-received and well-attended. We anticipate the same this year. Still, we look forward to once again being in each other’s company for an in-person event when the pandemic stabilizes. Hopefully, next year.
Two other initiatives are under way to deepen the historical knowledge of the HCBA Bar Memorial and the Fourth Judicial District. Howard Tarkow, a long-serving member of the Bar Memorial Committee, is archiving all written memorials. The early writings go as far back as the 1880s. And the Hennepin Judicial History Exhibits Committee continues its work to broaden the collective memory of the largest judicial district in Minnesota. These public exhibits span years of memorable moments, milestones, and landmarks in the court’s history.
Looking at the year ahead, we hope to gain additional Bar Memorial Committee members. The work is rewarding, and the volunteer time commitment is manageable. If you would like to serve, please contact Sarah Mayer at the HCBA at smayer@mnbars.org.
Let us not forget the work of remembering and honoring our colleagues who have gone before us. Without a solid collective memory going forward, these times of rapid change will leave our profession behind.
Read the list of all to be memorialized this year.
Kathleen M. Murphy
Chair, HCBA Bar Memorial Committee
km@kmurphylaw.com