December 15, 2004


Dear MSBA Member:


I am pleased to present the MSBA Legislative Preview for the 2005 Session of the Maryland General Assembly. The purpose of the Preview is to provide you with timely information about the make-up of the legislature and the issues that the body will soon confront that are of interest to the legal community.

During the annual legislative session, over 2,500 bills will be introduced, many of which will affect provisions of law that will have a significant impact on Maryland attorneys, judges and our legal system. In order to influence these measures and to provide legislators with pertinent information in a timely manner, the MSBA Board of Governors will review pending legislation, adopt positions on selected issues and present these positions to legislators. The Board is assisted in this process by the Committee on Laws, the Section Councils and the Director of Legislative Relations.

The Legislative Preview is intended to provide you with information that you will find useful in following the Association’s efforts on behalf of the legal profession during the legislative session. Further, it is my hope that the information included here will help to encourage your participation in the legislative process on behalf of your clients and help to make that experience efficient and rewarding. If you have any questions or would like additional information concerning the MSBA’s legislative program, please contact your representative on the Board of Governors or our legislative director, Richard Montgomery.

Sincerely,

Cornelius Helfrich