Sheehy, John C.

English

University of Montana

Montana Law Review Volume 17 Issue 2 Spring 1956 Article 4 January 1956 Montana Bar Association Activities John C. Sheehy Secretary-Treasurer, Montana Bar Association Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mlr  Part of the Law Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits you. Recommended Citation John C. Sheehy, Montana Bar Association Activities, 17 Mont. L. Rev. (1955). Available at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mlr/vol17/iss2/4 This Note is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Montana Law Review by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact scholarworks@mso.umt.edu. MONTANA BAR ASSOCIATION ACTIVITIESMONTANA BAR ASSOCIATION ACTIVITIESA modern practicing lawyer faces two major problems of public opin-ion which he must overcome if he is to achieve a solid success in the eyes ofthe public and the profession.The first problem is the opinion of the public, thoroughly erroneousand fortunately not universally held, that lawyers generally are untrust-worthy, high-fee charlatans; and the second problem is the opinion of thepublic, again erroneous and fortunately not universally held, that courts areso slow in operation and so staffed by incompetents that a litigant willeventually lose regardless of outcome.The Montana Bar Association has faced up to these problems and hasdetermined to do something about them.With respect to the first problem it is sadly true that the good thingsthat lawyers do, for their clients and for the public, receive scant attention,and far, far overbalance the discredits. The Association feels that it hasa duty to undertake public relations to bring forth to the public view thegood things that people should know and realize about our profession. Atthe convention of the Association held in Helena in July of 1955, the Asso-ciation expanded its public relations committee and made provisions to getthe funds to employ advertising media for the achievement of the resultsdesired. This money is now being made available to the committee and infuture years we hope, through intelligent emphasis upon the service andworthwhile activities of lawyers, to meet and overcome any distaste thepublic might have for lawyers as a class.The problem respecting public opinion about our courts is also beingstudied. The Montana Bar Association has two committees working at thistime on two facets of the problem and these committees will make reportsat the annual convention of the Association in Missoula in June, 1956. Oneof these committees will report on the subject of rules of civil procedureand make recommendations for such further action, judicial or legislative,as may be necessary to expedite litigation and obtain decision of cases onmerits.A second committee is making an exhaustive study of the method andprocess of judicial selection and will report on -the present system used, andsystems used in other states, so that the members of the Association mightstudy various methods of judicial selection. Elective and appointive judi-cial systems will be studied and reported upon to the end that our lawyerswill have the fullest opportunity to examine the systems and to decide inconvention whether to recommend changes in our present system.In other fields, the happiest accomplishment of the Montana Bar Asso-ciation this year was the erection of a Judge Pray Memorial Shelter inGlacier National Park. Judge Charles M. Pray has sat on the FederalBench in Montana for many years and has become ensconced in the ad-miration and affection of lawyers throughout the state. This gentle andlearned man is responsible, in the days when he was a member of Congress,for the designation of Glacier as a National Park. The Association thoughtit proper to provide memorial for him in the park and accordingly a com-mittee headed by John C. Harrison of Helena solicited voluntary contribu-1Sheehy: Montana Bar Association ActivitiesPublished by ScholarWorks at University of Montana, 1955MONTANA LAW REVIEWtions, which were cheerfully given in suffiicent amount to provide a fineshelter. Judge Pray was formally honored at the annual meeting of theCascade County Bar in Great Falls this spring, with officers of the Mon-tana Bar Association attending.This year for the first time, pursuant to a resolution adopted at theconvention in Helena last year, the Montana Bar Association sponsoredthe voluntary Moot Court Competition at the Montana State UniversityLaw School. The Association provided the prizes for the Moot Court Com-petition to encourage and aid the students attending Law School at theState University.The President of the Association, Russell E. Smith of Missoula("Rusty" to the law students) has done splendid work this year in organ-izing the activities of the Bar, supervising the committees, and represent-ing the Association at various legal meetings throughout the country. TheBar Association continues to be the best medium for lawyers practicing inthe State of Montana to express themselves on matters involving the pro-fession and the courts and to strive for the good of the profession. Mem-bership in the Association continues to offer the best source of up-to-the-minute professional action, and a wide acquaintance with the Bar in theState.The annual convention will be held this year in Missoula on June 28,29 and 30, with headquarters at the Hotel Florence. Graduate studentsare welcome to membership and attendance at the convention, and law stu-dents would be most welcome to attend the sessions.Respectfully submitted.JOHN C. SHEEHYSecretary-Treasurer,Montana Bar AssociationTHE JUSTIN MILLER PRIZEThe Justin Miller prize, a $100 United States Saving Bond is awardedannually to the student author of the note adjudged best of these appear-ing in the Review. The 1955 award went to William R. McNamer for hisnote entitled "Venue of Contract Actions in Montana," which appearedin the 1955 issue of The Montana Law Review.[Vol. 17,2Montana Law Review, Vol. 17 [1955], Iss. 2, Art. 4https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mlr/vol17/iss2/4

Montana Bar Association Activities

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Montana Bar Association Activities

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