Presidential Perspectives: Jesse Diner — 2009-10
As part of a project to document the history of The Florida Bar, the former presidents were asked to comment on the same three questions. In this series, the News will share their answers, some of which were edited or condensed.
Jesse Diner — 2009-10
Q: How would you like to be remembered as a lawyer and a former Bar president?
Diner: I would like to be remembered as someone who always strived to be prepared and to put the best interests of his clients first. During the term of my Bar presidency, I strongly advocated for e-filing in the state court judicial system, advocated for legal representation of children in dependency situations, and for The Florida Bar to help young lawyers find jobs during the worst recession since the Great Depression.
Q: How do you think the legal profession has changed over the years?
Diner: I started practicing law in Florida in 1973. Shortly thereafter, the IBM Selectric typewriter became state of the art and law firms were just starting to utilize equipment with very little memory. The advent of technology since then has been both an asset and a detriment to the legal profession. Lawyers now are essentially available 24/7 due to the advent of emails, meaning that there is very little quiet time to reflect and think about matters before having to respond. This has created increased expectations and puts considerably more pressure on the lawyer to act promptly and accurately.
Q: What suggestions do you have for improving the profession or for young lawyers?
Diner: Many young lawyers find it difficult to obtain a legal position after graduating law school. They are then faced with the real dilemma of possibly not practicing law or opening up on their own. There needs to be even greater dedication by The Florida Bar and local bars toward mentoring those individuals to help them improve their skills, deal with the realities of the practice of law and the pressures related to client representation, along with ethical responsibilities. I jokingly tell people that practicing law is a hard way to make an easy living, but there is significant truth in that statement.
I applaud the Bar’s current efforts to assist lawyers in dealing with the emotional and mental pressures that accompany being a lawyer. Many lawyers deal with the strain of requirements placed on them by law firms, work/life balance issues, and the expectations of clients. As mentioned in one of my previous responses, technology adds to that stress in many ways. We need to work with lawyers, from the time they enter the profession, to help them navigate the external and internal pressures they will encounter throughout their careers.
