COMMITTED TO THE PRINCIPLES OF LEGAL EXCELLENCE, COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND INCREASED MINORITY PARTICIPATION IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW

William A. Snoddy, Past President 2004-2005

It is hard to believe that my term as president is almost over. Time truly does fly when you are having fun. It has been both a pleasure and an honor to serve you as president of this association. This year, the J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association continued its tradition of giving back to the community through its community service projects.

In February, Bourne awarded college scholarships to the top three finishers in our 4th Annual Oratorical Contest, which featured our largest and strongest field of competitors from high schools in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties debating the merits, or lack thereof, of Bill Cosby’s muchdiscussed comments on the parenting skills of economically-disadvantaged African-Americans. Congratulations to Loide Marwanga of Richard Montgomery High, Gerald Lambert of Frederick Douglass High and Bhavna Batra of Northwest High, who finished first, second and third respectively.

The Association continues to work in partnership with other local and specialty bar associations by sponsoring joint projects to encourage networking and provide greater involvement in the delivery of services to our communities. We partnered with the Prince George’s Chapter of the NAACP to sponsor an “Ask a Lawyer” and estate planning forum at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden, where JFB members and members of the church’s Legal Ministry dispensed free legal advice and answered questions.

In May, J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association Scholarship Fund, Inc. and the Monumental City Bar Foundation once again held their annual Scholarship Golf Classic to benefit their respective scholarship funds. This year’s tournament raised more than $12,000. As a result we are pleased to be able to award scholarships to law school students who are committed to the mission and objectives of our bar association. Congratulations to this year’s recipients: Michelle D. Thomas and Reuben S. Canada, both of Howard University’s School of Law and Kelley M. Lane of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. The Bar Association was also successful at recruiting new members.

This year, JFB increased its dues-paying membership by 45 percent. Many of the new members have demonstrated an interest in actively assisting the Association in continuing its mission. I look forward to working with them to build on the success of this organization. Before my term ends, some work remains to be done.

This month, JFB will publish the third edition of its Attorney Resource Directory, which identifies approximately 500 African- American attorneys who live and/or practice in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties. We have updated and expanded the directory since the publication of our second edition in 1999.

Thank you for the opportunity to lead this organization. I would especially like to thank the members of the Executive Board and the Committee Chairs without whose help none of this year’s success would be possible.

William A. Snoddy, Esquire

President's Message
CLICK HERE

February Joint Meeting 
Black History Month
Tuesday February 7, 2012 Greenbelt Courthouse
$30 & RSVP
CLICK HERE

10th Annual Highschool Oratorical Contest
Saturday, February 25, 2012
CLICK HERE

PAY YOUR 2012 DUES BY CREDIT CARD HERE
CLICK HERE

February 2012 Newsletter
CLICK HERE

With
Howard U. Sch. of Law
&
Black Women's Bar Association of Suburban Maryland