By Paul C. Ray
This month Clark County Bar Association honors our volunteers and those who give pro bono service. Do not miss our Volunteer Appreciation luncheon on December 5! What service experiences are you most thankful for?
Besides our own career development, we have the opportunity and responsibility to provide legal services without compensation. We have great pro bono contributors to be thankful for and for the organizations which make it easy to give pro bono service, like Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, Senior Law Program, and Nevada legal Services. The Boyd School of Law teaches students the importance of pro bono service and is a great support for the strength of our rapidly growing community.
Our aspirational pro bono Rule 6.1 of Nevada Rules of Professional Responsibility gives us the wonderful opportunity to choose for ourselves how we want to give professional service. In addition to pro bono service, the aspirational rule includes participation in activities for improving the law, the legal system, or the legal profession and delivering services for law-related education.
The CCBA committees do amazing things to improve the legal system and the legal profession: community service activities like Blanket the Homeless; diversity, inclusion, and equity seminars on a wide range of practical, real-life issues; publish helpful magazine articles on timely, innovative subjects; provide continuing legal education on hot topics; and promote social and professional networking opportunities by, for, and with new lawyers.
For enjoyment, professional development, and opportunities to give back, attend CCBA luncheons, mixers, and extraordinary events. This year’s favorites included a judicial update from the Supreme Court of Nevada, Meet Your Law Students, the 40-Year Club Induction, Meet Your Judges, and New Admittees swearing-in ceremonies.
This full circle moment is a little bittersweet for me. It has been a joy and a privilege to serve as President of the CCBA this year. This year being President has allowed me the privilege and responsibility to lead at each CCBA meeting I attend. Committee work has long been a fun way to contribute and to socialize. It is both humbling and gratifying to learn about the acts of service people give.
Thank you for serving the people of our community. Thank you for serving each other. Thank you for allowing me to serve with you.
About the author
Paul C. Ray has practiced business and real estate litigation and appeals for 33 years and is with the law firm of Paul C. Ray, Chtd. Paul serves as CCBA President through December 31, 2024.
About the article
© 2024 Clark County Bar Association (CCBA). All rights reserved. No reproduction of any portion of this issue is allowed without written permission from the publisher. Editorial policy available upon request.
This article was originally published in the Communiqué (Dec. 2024), the official publication of the Clark County Bar Association. See https://clarkcountybar.org/about/member-benefits/communique-2024/communique-dec-2024/.
The articles and advertisements appearing in Communiqué magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the CCBA, the CCBA Publications Committee, the editorial board, or the other authors. All legal and other issues discussed are not for the purpose of answering specific legal questions. Attorneys and others are strongly advised to independently research all issues.