by Dimetria A. Jackson

This year, the OCBA approved its long-term strategic plan that includes dynamic programming and services, such as the November 3rd seminar highlighting the contributions of Justice Thurgood Marshall.

Justice Thurgood Marshall—Legal Giant
The landmark decision Brown v. Board of Education inspired many of the marches and demonstrations of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, which ultimately led to the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. As noted in my January President’s Page, Inspiration & Initiatives, the Honorable Justice Thurgood Marshall, lead attorney in the Brown case, the first African American to serve as Solicitor General of the United States and as Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, inspired me to become an attorney. Upon reading my January column, Greg Berk, who also holds Justice Marshall in high esteem, was inspired to launch an OCBA program to pay tribute to legal giants who have had an enormous impact on our nation. Thanks to Greg’s concept and the commitment of the Education Committee, the OCBA staff, and our panelists, I am pleased to announce that on November 3rd the OCBA and UC Irvine School of Law will co-host a tribute entitled “Thurgood Marshall: A Salute to a Giant in Civil Rights Jurisprudence and Leadership.” I look forward to serving as moderator for the esteemed panel featuring Erwin Chemerinsky, Founding Dean and Distinguished Professor of Law, UC Irvine School of Law, and Rebecca Brown, Newton Professor of Constitutional Law at USC Gould School of Law and former law clerk for Justice Marshall. Justice Marshall inspired several generations of lawyers to pursue justice and to perfect their ability to use the court system to achieve the goals of the U.S. Constitution. The panel will address his contributions and how his jurisprudence still influences the U.S. Supreme Court. Please join us!

Strategic Plan
The OCBA Board and its Executive Director, Trudy Levindofske, met with facilitator Bob Harris, Certified Association Executive (CAE), on March 31 and April 1 to create a comprehensive, long-range strategic plan for the OCBA. The strategic plan will serve as the Association’s roadmap and guide the leadership, membership, and staff in achieving its goals and allocating resources.
After subsequent review, edits, and discussions, the Board voted to approve the 2012-2015 Strategic Plan, thereby establishing the direction of the organization for the next three years. Committees, including Board members, and staff will be responsible for implementation. It is anticipated that the Board will review the plan on an annual basis and revise it in three years.

Key Strategic Goals
The mission of Orange County Bar Association is to enhance the system of justice, to support the lawyers who serve it, and to assist the community served by it. The OCBA will strive to achieve the following key goals to fulfill its mission:
Programs and Services: To attract and retain active members through dynamic and quality programs, benefits, and services. The OCBA seeks to achieve this goal through networking, mentoring, offering benefits and discounts to its members that are not readily available elsewhere, enhancing its outreach to key target audiences, and using technology to serve members’ needs and enhance communication.
Community Service: To serve the community by expanding participation, increasing opportunities for members to volunteer, and providing a variety of high quality legal services. The OCBA seeks to promote programs, events, and participation that facilitate and recognize the positive contributions of the legal profession toward improving the reputation and integrity of the profession and access to justice through its relationships with affiliate and community-based organizations.
Education: To educate the general public about the law and the legal system, as well as the delivery of knowledge to lawyers. The OCBA seeks to promote and enhance its programs and the Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS) within the community, and provide the highest quality legal and practice management education to its members, including the integration of technology and social media into the legal practice. The OCBA plans to continually develop and provide innovative and effective programs to serve the changing needs of its members, toward enhancing their practices and their lives.
Access to Justice: To improve the justice system by strengthening relationships and communication with the judiciary, legislature, and community.
Increase Orange County Practice Visibility: To increase awareness of the Orange County Bar as an unsurpassed legal resource.
OCBA Leadership and Structure: To sustain and improve the structure and infrastructure of the OCBA. The OCBA aspires to enhance the interactions among and between the Board, the sections, and committees; to promote leadership development; to maximize the use of the OCBA’s new building; to maintain financial integrity; and to invest in technology necessary to be leading edge in application and integrity. 
Inclusion: Additionally, in accordance with its bylaws, the OCBA seeks to ensure the promotion of diversity and inclusion (e.g., minorities, women, geographic diversity, practice areas, solo practitioners, in-house attorneys, lawyers in firms of various sizes, and public lawyers) through all aspects of the Association. The OCBA will also continue to recognize and value the professional excellence and the generous, dedicated contributions of its members.


Dimetria A. Jackson is 2012 President of the Orange County Bar Association, a freelance attorney with Montage Legal Group, handling corporate transactional matters, and the Chief Executive Officer of redBAMBINA.com. She may be reached at president@ocbar.org.