As I prepared to address our BCBA membership for one last time the thought crossed my mind: could I deliver a final speech which was actually perfect and resulted in a sense of pure bliss and euphoria to you – the member? I know lawyers can be a tough crowd to please and would ultimately offer their opinion to me on whether I had succeeded in undertaking this audacious task. This could be the equivalent of hurling a perfect game – by throwing all strikes and no balls. Would it be taken as evidence of some unrestrained hubris by me as your President? Was it even possible or just pure fantasy?

Then it came to me – give the people what they want. What you really want is to get to the cocktail hour and dinner. What you really want is to talk and socialize with your colleagues and friends. What you really want is for me to sit down not much longer after I stand up to deliver my final formal Presidential address. What you really want: The Shortest Presidential Speech in Bucks County Bar Association History. And so it shall be done, and in that speech I also hope to possibly achieve at least a hint of perfection at some level in the eyes of the beholder.

So allow me to set forth below in writing some of the highlights of our 2012 BCBA year for you to read and review at your leisure, or to choose to disregard in their entirety if you think this message is already too long (or if you have not made it to this point and already closed your program) :

• Total overall membership at an all-time high
• Mortgage Burning Celebration at Opening of Assizes
• New logo, website and BCBA branding
• New membership outreach software program implementation underway
• Development of Membership Communication program commenced
• Review re potential new member benefits including online research
• Refocus and planning for Bucks County Bar Foundation missions
• Res Judicata donation to Legal Aid of $25,000
• WLD power summit at Spring Mill in attendance
• Support and advocacy re Bucks County Justice Center
• Planning with Bucks County Bench re Courthouse interior and attorneys room
• Develop potential access program for members and discussions with County and Bench
• Develop Bucks County Bar Association Speakers Bureau
• Promote civics education tools to schools throughout Bucks County
• Begin work on update to the BCBA History book
• Past Presidents convened re voluntarily funded digitally enhanced judicial portraits program
• 2012 Bench Bar at Ellicott City Maryland
• YLD annual meeting with in attendance

I hope and trust that this written message will suffice for the standard fare speech typically delivered at a bar association function. In conclusion and in all sincerity, it has been my great honor and privilege to serve in this position over the past year. I have truly enjoyed working with you and getting to know so many of you better personally and professionally. We have much to be proud of as an association. Thank you for your trust, support and confidence throughout 2012, and I look forward an energetic and bright future for the BCBA and our membership.

Jeffrey G. Trauger, President, 2012