As members of The Florida Bar, we are familiar with the Oath of Admission, sworn to by each of us at the time we were admitted to the practice of law.
I will always recall my swearing-in ceremony. My father and mentor, also a member of the Bar, was in attendance, along with my future wife and members of my family.
At the time, I was struck by how similar the Oath of Admission was to a promise made during my youth, the Boy Scout Law:
“A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.”
Elements of the Scout Law also can be found in the Oath of Admission.
Both documents reflect the ideals of those who wish to advance and elevate our society.
They set forth high standards to which we must strive to live and work each day. They are idealistic and difficult to attain, but that’s the point behind their very existence.
They are taken by those who have made a conscious choice to join a coalition of like-minded individuals whose purpose is to make our community a better place to live.
A full examination of the two pledges would take up much more space than is afforded in this column, so I’ll focus on the elements of professionalism that are inherent in both.
The Oath of Admission charges each of us with the duty to respect the judiciary, as well as our fellow counsel and their clients. It requires us to refrain from besmirching the good name of those against whom we are pitted, save from advancing the cause of justice.
Elements of friendliness, courtesy, kindness and reverence are included in each of these provisions.
They demand that members of The Florida Bar practice with the goal of promoting discourse in our society by treating our courts, colleagues and clients with the respect they deserve.
It is said that “a rising tide lifts all boats.” By showing respect to those around us, as well as the institution which we are privileged to serve, we can collectively lift the conversation surrounding issues of justice and access to the courts, which is essential to the success of our democracy.
Professionalism can be difficult to achieve on a day-to-day basis. Many of us are very passionate about the practice of law, particularly about the niche we have developed over our career.
Due to specialization in practice, we often find ourselves matched up against a small group of our peers. Sometimes, we hold the proverbial “cards” on the part of our client; sometimes, the tables are turned against us.
It is important to keep in mind that our job as professionals is to provide good counsel to our clients and not allow personal feelings towards another member of the Bar to cloud our judgment or color our argument.
Always remember that our interaction with one another will likely extend far beyond any hearing, deposition or trial.
Don’t allow one case or cause to bleed over into future interactions with opposing counsel. Doing so would prove a disservice to our clients and would only diminish the reputation of our profession.
The Oath of Admission is much more than mere words uttered to become a member of The Florida Bar. It is in fact goals set out for each of us, as voluntary members of a segment of our society charged with elevating and advancing our community’s interest.
I challenge each of you to hold sacred the privilege afforded to us to practice in our courts and to always treat others with the respect they deserve.
Together, we can strengthen the reputation of our profession and, in turn, make Jacksonville a better place to live and work each day.
Robert Heekin Jr. is a partner with the firm of Thames Markey & Heekin. He serves as chairman of the board for the Jacksonville Bankruptcy Bar Association.