A year ago, I accepted the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA) president’s gavel, knowing full well that lawyers don’t just argue cases—we build futures. And over these past 12 months, we didn’t just manage MSBA. We transformed it. We proved that when lawyers unite around purpose, not politics, we don’t just survive turbulent times—we shape them.
When I took office, I promised to strengthen MSBA, strengthen our community, strengthen the rule of law, and strengthen protections for our jurists in Annapolis.
I am proud to say we delivered.
We delivered on community. We delivered on engagement. We delivered on professionalism. And we delivered on the simple but powerful idea that MSBA is not a spectator sport. This is a working organization. A living organization. A “roll up your sleeves and get involved” organization. MSBA is not a place where you come to be seen—it’s a place where you come to serve.
The year got off to exactly the right start when the Board of Governors met at my home. At a time when we needed community more than ever, it reminded me that leadership is not just about governance—it’s about fellowship. It’s about people coming together in a real way, at a real table, with real commitment to one another and to this association.
And frankly, in a world where so much of life has become transactional, it was good to start the year with something deeply human. A home. A conversation. A shared sense of purpose. And enough food to suggest that nobody was planning to leave without being fully nourished in every possible sense.
That gathering mattered because the temperature outside was getting hotter by the day—not just in the weather, but in the rhetoric. We were living through a moment when public discourse felt increasingly strained, and in that environment, MSBA had an important role to play: to model civility, to strengthen the rule of law, and to keep reminding ourselves and others that our profession is at its best when it is firm in principle and civil in tone.
Let’s talk about the rule of law. First of all, do you know when the phrase was first coined? The concept of the “rule of law” dates back to Aristotle’s idea of “government by laws and not by men,” but modern popularization of the phrase is largely attributed to British constitutional scholar A.V. Dicey, who used that phrase in his 1885 work, Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution. Fast forward 100 years, and on March 8, 1983, then President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, stated in his speech to the National Association of Evangelicals, “Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant, and the rule of law under God is acknowledged.” In 1885 and to this day, A.V. Dicey defined the rule of law as the absence of arbitrary power, equality before the law, and the upholding of the law by the courts. The concept ensures that all individuals and authorities are accountable to publicly promulgated, equally enforced laws. This year, we acknowledged the rule of law early and often. Strengthening the rule of law is not passive work. Protecting jurists who enforce the rule of law is not passive work. Building trust in our institutions and our laws is not passive work. It takes vigilance, courage, and a willingness to speak up even when it would be easier to stay quiet. And let me say this plainly: the rule of law is not self-executing—it survives because people defend it. That means all of us have a role to play. If we want a system that is fair, respected, and strong, we have to act like it matters every single day, because it does.
That is why our advocacy in Annapolis mattered so much this year. We continued the work of protecting our jurists through legislation, and we made clear that the safety of judges is not a political issue—it is a constitutional one. We also recognized that while we may hold different political philosophies, we could still bridge those divides with respect and purpose. When we chose to make public statements, we approached each issue in a measured way, mindful not to alienate any member, because MSBA is strongest when it speaks with principle but without partisanship. If our courts are to function, our judges must be able to do their work without fear. That is not a luxury. That is not a talking point. That is basic to the rule of law. When we protect judges, we protect justice. When we protect justice, we protect the public. And when we protect the public, we honor the very reason MSBA exists. Full stop.
We also worked to keep the association connected to its members in more meaningful ways. We focused on communication, engagement, and leadership development. We worked to make sure that people felt included, informed, and invited in. Because the worst thing a professional organization can become is polite but irrelevant. Nobody wants to join a museum of good intentions.
We wanted MSBA to be alive. Responsive. Useful. Relevant. And I believe we moved the ball forward in exactly that direction from our amicus brief filings to our support for various bills in Annapolis. Some bills passed, some did not. But as Winston Churchill said, “ Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
We also had a strong year in skills training, including our new AI certification and Women’s History Month offerings. We doubled down on those sell-out programs throughout the year (our Basic Mediation Training, both iterations of Divorce Mediation Training, and the Anatomy of a Trial offerings) because our members wanted more than just information—they wanted tools, substance, and programs that sharpened their legal prowess. We delivered. We proved that MSBA can offer content people actually show up for (1,100+ Attorney Attendees in FY2026), and if and when mandatory continuing legal education comes to Maryland, MSBA will be ready to be the lead purveyor of that content. Frankly, we are not waiting around to become the go-to source for legal education—we have already been acting like it.
We also grew our Big Law membership and expanded our corporate counsel membership, which matters to me as the general counsel of Sciton, Inc. A strong association must reflect the full breadth of the profession. MSBA is stronger when it brings together lawyers from every practice setting, every sector, and every corner of the state. Whether you are in a large firm, in-house, in public service, or in solo practice, there is a place for you here—and the strength of this association depends on all of us.
One of the things I am most proud of is that we continued to elevate the importance of civility and professionalism. In my President’s Corner messages, I often returned to the idea that this profession is built not only on expertise, but on conduct. We do not just argue cases. We build confidence. We do not just make points. We make institutions stronger. And in times like these, that distinction matters.
Civility is not weakness; it is discipline.
Real leadership means showing up, staying steady, listening carefully, and not panicking every time the agenda changes. And if you’ve ever sat through an MSBA meeting, you know that is an acquired skill.
The best associations do not wait for momentum—they create it.
We also had some memorable wins along the way—strategic planning, stronger engagement, ongoing advocacy, expanded sponsorships, securing another five years of leadership under Anna Sholl, and continued work to build a leadership pipeline for the future. We laid the groundwork that matters. Because strong organizations do not just celebrate the present. They prepare the future.
And the future of MSBA looks bright.
Our next leaders are capable, committed, and ready. They will inherit not a finished job, but a strong foundation. And that is exactly how it should be. A great bar association is not built in one term. It is built across generations of lawyers who believe that service matters, that professionalism matters, and that doing the work with integrity still counts for something.
I want to thank the people who made this year possible: the board of governors, the staff, the volunteers, the section leaders, the committee chairs, and the members who showed up when it counted. I also want to thank my family for their love, patience, and support throughout the year, because no one serves in a role like this without an understanding home team. And to my adopted family, the Scotts, thank you for treating me like I am a Scott from Scotland instead of an Italian girl from Fallston. Your guidance and support are never overlooked and always appreciated.
I want to thank Bowman and Brooke for their support throughout this year, and Sciton, Inc., for its unwavering encouragement. I have been fortunate to have both institutions behind me, and I do not take that support for granted.
And I would be remiss if I did not thank my gaggle of advisors this year—Steve Nolan, David Shapiro, Jason DeLoach, and Raphael Santini. You steadied me when I needed steadiness, you cautioned me when I needed caution, and you encouraged me when I needed encouragement. In other words, you gave me exactly the kind of guidance every president needs: honest, loyal, and just pointed enough to be useful.
You made this year meaningful. You made this year productive. You made this year memorable.
And if I may leave you with one final thought, it is this:
Leadership is not about being the loudest person in the room. It is about being the one who helps the room move forward.
Or, put another way: if you want to change the direction of an organization, you do not need a bigger megaphone. You need a better mission and a better team.
I promised to strengthen this Association. I promised to strengthen our community. I promised to strengthen the rule of law. I promised to strengthen our protection of jurists in Annapolis. I promised to make sure MSBA remained a place of real value, real connection, and real excellence. And together, we did that.
It has been the honor of my career to serve as your President.
And as I hand off this gavel, I leave you with this reflection—drawn from the spirit of Maryland itself:
Like the oriole—bright through the storm.
Like the Labrador—steady, loyal, warm.
Like the black-eyed Susan—bold in the sun.
Like the white oak—rooted, never undone.
We do not bend when the work is hard.
We do not drift when the moment is uncertain.
We do not step back when the rule of law calls on us to stand forward.
We serve it.
We strengthen it.
We stand by it.
We serve the rule of law—now and evermore.
In the immortal words of Ronald Reagan, "Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, leave the rest to God." Thank you, God bless you, and may the next leaders of MSBA enjoy a full inbox, a strong team, and just enough humility to know they cannot do it alone.