Judge Smith urges lawyers to remember role is to help

A lawyer’s role is simple: Help people, the speaker said.

By ED RUNYAN

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — Judge Beth A. Smith of Mahoning County Domestic Relations Court used the words and actions of Robert F. Kennedy to address and inspire new members to the Mahoning County Bar Association.

During his term as U.S. attorney general under the presidency of his brother, John F. Kennedy, Robert faced a wide range of demanding problems, including the Bay of Pigs Invasion and his effort to stop the corrupt activities of Teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa.

But in tumultuous times, it is important, Robert Kennedy said, to “remember what matters most.”

The same can be said of the legal profession, Judge Smith said, as she addressed a courtroom full of lawyers for the annual opening of courts ceremony Monday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. The event is sponsored by the county bar association.

“As lawyers, our role is simple: We need to help people,” she said.

“I look and I see attorneys with a steadfast devotion to the rule of law. They know they can make a difference in people’s lives,” she said.

Here’s the situation

For example, defense attorneys explain the law to their clients; prosecutors explain the law to victims of crime; trial attorneys attempt to help people who are injured; and bankruptcy attorneys try to help people get a new financial start.

Despite that, a Gallup poll from 2006 showed that the public gives lawyers a ranking of 18 out of 100 on their honesty and ethical standards, she said.

“Sometimes we need to take more time to explain laws,” she said, adding that attorneys also need to “go into the community and speak passionately about our profession.”

J. Gerald Ingram, county bar association president, explained that the opening-of-the courts tradition stems from this being the time when jurors returned to the courthouse after a summer-long absence.

Jurors were not called for service from about June 15 to Sept. 15 because the courthouse was not equipped with air conditioning at the time, he said.

Ingram said the title character in the movie “The Outlaw Josey Wales” felt the key to being a good gunfighter was to “find an edge.” Similarly, in the legal profession, “The more prepared lawyer has the edge,” he said.

Also at the ceremony, the bar association recognized its 20 new members and awarded Atty. Vincent E. Gilmartin the Professionalism Award, given annually to an attorney who embodies the qualities set forth in the Lawyer’s Creed and who has practiced law for 30 years or more.

The new bar association members are Kevin L. Bradford, Kenneth J. Cardinal, Dorie Christian, Anthony J. Collucci, Scott M. Eckstein, Frank N. Fagnano, Robert V. Good, Maurice E. Graham, Mark G. Kafantaris, Charley A. Kidder, David A. Kovass, Dawn P. Krueger, Irene K. Makridis, Michael J. Palumbo, Marcie L. Patzak-Vendetti, John W. Perrotta, Michael J. Rigelsky, Joseph A. Shoaff, Roger S. Slain and Cheryl A. Zebrasky.

runyan@vindy.com