Dear Friends:

On behalf of the Executive Board for the Minority Bar Association of Western New York (MBAWNY), I would like to thank you for your continued support of this organization. I have the privilege of serving as your President this year.

Having served on the Executive Board for the last two years, I have developed an appreciation for the organization’s rich history, including the strong foundation laid by several generations of minority attorneys in Western New York. I have also had the pleasure of working with many of the MBAWNY’s recent leaders and active members on various initiatives that made 2011 one of our most successful years ever. For these reasons, I am honored to build upon the MBAWNY’s legacy and excited to meet the challenges and opportunities that await us in 2012.

The obvious news is that we have our work cut out for us again – especially when it comes to increasing the diversity of the legal profession. The increasing cost of higher education and a tighter legal job market have made this goal even more of a challenge in recent years. But the good news is that the MBAWNY is better prepared than ever to meet this challenge. We have made great strides in recent years through the amazing work of our Recruitment and Retention Task Force and our development of clerkship and networking programs with the judiciary, UB Law School students and administration, and other partners. We look to continue and strengthen those relationships in 2012.

In addition to having a great structure in place, I am pleased to introduce our outstanding 2012 Executive Board: Vice-President: Leah A. Bouquard; Treasurer: Paul E. Dimoh; Deputy Treasurer: Soo-young Chang; Recording Secretary: Stephanie J. Calhoun; Corresponding Secretary: Gary A. Wilson; and Directors: Jennifer Metzger Kimura and Ericka N. Bennett. I look forward to working with this exceptional group of professionals — a group that I know is committed to continuing the MBAWNY’s tradition of excellence.

The Executive Board is also looking for ways to increase the profile and success of our individual members and enhance your professional development. One of the ways we plan to do this is to use technology for more effective communication with our membership and supporters. Of course, we cannot accomplish our goals without your active involvement. I therefore encourage all of you to attend our monthly meetings, join a committee, and take advantage of the opportunities for networking and professional development offered by the MBAWNY.

In closing, I invite you to contact me at jsbrown@hodgsonruss.com if you have any thoughts on how the MBAWNY can better serve its members. I further hope that you can join us for our first monthly General Body meeting on Wednesday, January 18, 2012, at 12:15 p.m. at Hodgson Russ LLP, The Guaranty Building, 140 Pearl Street, Suite 100, Buffalo, New York 14202.

Thank you and Happy New Year!

Best regards,

Joseph S. Brown