3 www.loubar.org October 2024 “ PRESIDENT’S PAGE Building Bridges: How the LBA Connects our Profession to our Community through Public Service Bryan R. Armstrong LBA President Community service is more than an obligation for lawyers; it is a profound way to give back, promote justice and strengthen the bond between our profession and the community it serves. The LBA’s mission is to promote justice, professional excellence and respect for the law; improve public access to the judicial system; provide law-related services to the community; and serve our members. The LBA’s motto is “Law. Community. Edu- cation.” From a young age, my parents (who were and are amazing) instilled in me values of service to the community. Growing up, I was willingly thrust into Boy Scouts, Habitat for Humanity, our church and many other such organizations. My father was an OB/GYN and very active in Planned Parenthood and providing access to medicine in the underresourced areas of our city. A medical facility still bears his name and so does our church building. My mother seemed to run every organization my brother and I joined. And my uncles, Dave and Tom Armstrong, dedicated their professional lives to service to their com- munity through government. In my professional life, I have been active in numerous community organizations: Actors Theatre, Leadership Louisville, The Francis Parker School, Wilderness Louisville, Jefferson Memorial Forest, political campaigns, Rotary and obviously the Bar Association. I sincerely enjoy working towards a better Louisville. I will be the first to admit that the tangential benefits of client referrals and respect from counsel, the bench and others have helped me financially, professionally and personally. But at the end of the day, I love it and it’s just the right thing to do. Community service is the cornerstone of the legal profession and especially important for the members of the LBA. As stewards of justice with ready access to the courts, attorneys hold unique positions of influence and responsibility within our Greater Louisville community. Engaging in community service allows lawyers to give back, promote justice and bridge much needed gaps in access to legal resources. Such efforts strengthen trust in the legal community. They can also demystify the legal system for the public and organizations, making it more understandable and navigable. Most lawyers I know are engaged in board service or some kind of community involvement. In the unlikely event you are not engaged in some type of community service, I encourage you to do so immediately. I am especially proud of the LBA and the number of ways it and its members give back to the community. The Louisville Bar Foundation, led by Jeff Been, financially supports several fantastic organizations including Kentucky Refugee Ministries, La Casita, Catholic Charities, Legal Aid and countless others. The LBA and its members donate their time in a number of ways, including pro bono clinics, helping people with living wills and volunteering for organizations focused on suicide preven- tion and improving mental health. Every year, LBA members also donate and collect school supplies for the Back 2 School Project. The LBA hosts a variety of forums to help educate the public on issues ranging from new legislation to candidates running for judicial office. Finally, the LBA’s special relationship and engagement with Central High School and its students fills me with pride in our organization. By volunteering our time and expertise, LBA members help ensure that justice is accessible to all. It helps promote equity and fairness within our legal system. These efforts educate citizens about their rights, which fosters trust between the community and our profession. These efforts help us as lawyers to build relationships and broaden our understanding of the challenges our community and fellow citizens face. Community service is more than an obligation for lawyers; it is a profound way to give back, promote justice and strengthen the bond between our profession and the community it serves. Again, I am proud of the Louisville Bar Association, its mem- bers and staff, for continuing to have meaningful impacts on the lives of individuals and the overall well-being of our home city, Louisville.