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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowOn Jan. 23, the Marion County Bar Association celebrated the installation of President Judie Hawley Conley, Esq. The following is the address she gave to the members, family, and friends in attendance.
It is my distinct privilege and pleasure to welcome you to the 2025 Installation Ceremony for the Board of Directors of our Marion County Bar Association. I especially want to welcome and thank my family who have come to support me as I begin my tenure as President. These are the people who challenge me to follow my dreams and to be the best that I can be. And through every step of every journey, they are there with me, and for me. For them, I am eternally grateful. And through it all, the highs and the lows, there is one constant in my life that never waivers. He is my rock and the best part of coming home at the end of the day. He loves me unconditionally, which I admit is no small feat, and I am so blessed to be the recipient of his love, my husband, Lonnell King Ro Conley.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our Immediate Past President Judge Charnette Garner. Under her leadership, our Bar Association has proudly gained a significant increase in membership and financial development. I have cautioned her that I will reach out to her, and will seek her support, guidance, and direction throughout this year. It has been said that the best job to have in any organization is “Immediate Past President”! I’m sure that those words are like Luther singing in her ears. Thank you, Judge Garner, for a job well done. I would also like to congratulate each member of our Board of Directors. Most of you are serving a second or third year of your term. We also welcome two new members. I have already seen the energy, enthusiasm, and commitment that you all bring to our Board of Directors, and I look forward to serving this year with you all. We are one, we are family!
Okay, now a word or two about this year. This year we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the founding of our Marion County Bar Association. As a result of the vision and commitment of six (6) steadfast and extraordinary attorneys, our Bar Association was created. Today, we gather as a Bar Association steeped in history and resilience, as we begin our yearlong celebration of the dedication of our Founders. However, we are also thankful for those who in the intervening decades, worked tirelessly to fulfill the dreams of our Founders. They have preserved a strong legacy for all of us who are members, and now we must go forward into the next 100 years and work to expand their vision.
Our Marion County Bar Association was founded in 1925 to combat racial injustices. It gave our attorneys and judges a sense of community and strength. One hundred years later, we can proudly reflect on their unwavering commitment to excellence and advocacy, as we continue to stand, as a beacon of hope and inspiration for all who seek to uphold the honor and integrity of our legal system. The core of our Founders’ commitment became our motto: Fairness, Justice, and Equality. It is the cornerstone of our legacy, and is the force that drives our mission, which is to cultivate excellence within our legal profession, while we build a network of support and opportunities for our membership.
And now, what is our task, our vision, our commitment for the next 100 years? Our Founders and the first Board of Directors were comprised of daring, dynamic, devoted and determined attorneys, who developed a plan to propel its members into the spotlight, that they so richly deserved. And we must continue to do the same. We know that we are facing a challenging time, where the very core of our existence as lawyers and judges may come under attack. But we cannot retreat, we must advance. We must strive to increase the number of law students, attorneys, and judges from diverse populations who will join our legal profession within our State. Our programming must reflect mentoring of law students and leadership development for attorneys who aspire to join our esteemed judicial bench here in Marion County. We must intentionally and unapologetically remain focused on living up to the values of our Founders. We must lead with purpose and celebrate those values. We must be, simply put, the best Bar Association that we can be. Poet Laureate Amanda Goorman said “there is always light, if only we are brave enough to see it! If only we are brave enough to be it!”
I have always been unconditionally proud to be a Black female attorney here in Indianapolis. Today, I am even more proud to stand before you as the President of my Bar Association during its Centennial Year, and I consider it to be one of the highlights of my legal career. You and I are the keepers of our legacy. We must work to be the lawyers that our Founders envisioned, and the lawyers that our communities need today. My promise to you is that I will endeavor to preserve our legacy as I serve as President. My charge to you as Board of Directors and members is that we remain resilient, impactful, and empowered. Remember, we are the keepers of our legacy. In the prophetic words of Senator Edward Kennedy, “the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die”.
In closing, I leave you with a spirited feeling of exhilaration and accomplished joy as we celebrate 100 years of Resilience and Excellence. It is truly a momentous occasion in which we all can be proud. Together, we will advance into the next 100 years!
Thank you all, for your presence and support here today.•
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