Blumberg, McGrane reflect on profession's evolution at 50-Year Member Luncheon
Edward Blumberg
The Florida Bar recognized more than 700 attorneys and senior counselors for 50 years of dedication to the practice of law during the 50-Year Member and Senior Counselor Luncheon, held June 27 at the Annual Florida Bar Convention in Boca Raton.
The annual luncheon featured remarks from former Florida Bar Presidents Edward R. Blumberg (1997-98) and Miles A. McGrane III (2003-04), who offered reflections on how the legal profession — and the world around it — has changed over the past five decades.
Blumberg noted that unlike the early 50-year luncheons in the 1980s and early 1990s, many in the room this year are “still in the trenches,” and quipped that 50-year members are the new 30-year members.
“It doesn’t matter what you are doing now, whether you choose to practice law — we have all earned our future,” Blumberg said. “So, if you are practicing, if you are teaching, if you are mediating or being an arbitrator, traveling, spending time with your family, it’s a great thing. But think about how far we have come in the practice of law.”
From law libraries and carbon paper to artificial intelligence and Zoom hearings, Blumberg recalled the dramatic technological transformation he and his peers have lived through — sometimes with amusement, often with concern.
“Used to get 10 letters a day if you were a big shot. Now you are not getting 10 letters a day but 10 emails a minute, and it’s overwhelming, and you can’t think straight, and you don’t have time to think at all,” he said. “There are many benefits to technology, but there are some curses to it as well.”
He reflected on a time when courtrooms were uniformly white and male and noted how much has changed since he entered the profession in 1975.
“In 1975 it was about 98.5% men — white males. And 17,000 members of The Florida Bar,” Blumberg said. “How many members are there today? This year it is expected there will be 117,000 members of The Florida Bar.”
While he welcomed that progress, Blumberg warned that the profession is at risk of losing personal connection and mentorship in the digital age.
“Now that doesn’t much happen, and we have lost the personal touch,” he said. “We were often adversaries, but we could also be friends.”
Blumberg encouraged the audience to lead by example — to get back to in-person practice where possible, mentor younger lawyers, and offer guidance to new judges.
“COVID was in 2020. Very soon there will be judges that are appointed or elected in this state that the only time they will have ever set a foot in a courtroom is for their investiture,” he said. “And what does that do for our country? What does that do for our democracy? What does it do to the rule of law?”
All in all, Blumberg said the last 50 years have been a beautiful run — and it’s not over yet.
“The law has been good to us, it’s given us self-esteem, it's given us a purpose in life, it has allowed us to serve justice and help others and I would not have done it differently in a million years and I’m sure you are the same way,” Blumberg said.
He concluded with a message about the enduring role of lawyers in the republic.
“A lawyer is the genius of the courtroom,” Blumberg said. “A lawyer is a historian when examining an abstract. A lawyer is an engineer in a construction litigation case or a patent dispute. A lawyer is harsh and reprimanding to neglectful parents or a wayward child, but kind and consoling to a bereaved widow. And a lawyer is a counselor to a young couple whose marriage is on the rocks. A lawyer is active in their church or synagogue, or local charity, and a lawyer gets involved in community affairs.”
He also noted a lawyer wrote the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and its Bill of Rights.
“A lawyer is the only one that stands between the lone individual and the abuse of judicial power, the abuse of legislative power, the abuse of executive power, the abuse of corporate power, and the abuse of the power of an ever-shifting majority,” Blumberg said. “The lawyer is the real American hero.”
Miles McGrane
McGrane followed with remarks that echoed similar themes of transformation, resilience, and legacy.
“When we took our oath in 1975, the profession was different — in its size, its makeup, its tools, and its outlook. And over the past five decades, the law has changed. The courts have changed. The Bar has changed,” McGrane said. “But through it all, one thing has remained constant: the deep commitment of lawyers like us to uphold justice, ethics, and the public good.”
McGrane walked the audience through the early days of his practice — manual typewriters, carbon paper, and rooms full of law grads taking the bar exam by hand — and reflected on how the legal profession has adapted through one wave of innovation after another.
“We started out with manual typewriters, pecking out briefs one carbon copy at a time. Then came the IBM Selectric, with that magical spinning typeball that felt like innovation incarnate,” he said. “Over the years, we saw the shift to desktop computers, then laptops, then smartphones — until today, when lawyers file motions from airports, conduct depositions on Zoom, and use AI to scan caselaw in seconds.”
McGrane emphasized that while the tools of the trade have changed, the core values of professionalism, mentorship, and public service must remain constant.
He said throughout the decades, The Florida Bar has placed a growing emphasis on professionalism — not just as a standard, but as a core value of legal practice.
He noted that in 2011, the Florida Supreme Court amended the Oath of Admission to add: “To opposing parties and their counsel, I pledge fairness, integrity, and civility, not only in court, but in all written and oral communications.”
McGrane said the creation of the Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism helped institutionalize that commitment, offering guidance, education, and accountability to ensure the profession’s work reflects the dignity and respect the profession demands.
“From civility in the courtroom to integrity in client relationships, professionalism remains one of the most important legacies we pass on to the next generation of lawyers,” McGrane said.
He also credited his generation with laying the foundation for a more inclusive profession — highlighting milestones such as the elections of Patricia Seitz in 1993, who became the Bar’s first woman president; Frank Angones, the first Hispanic president in 2007; Eugene Pettis, the first Black president in 2013; and, most recently, Rosalyn Sia Baker-Barnes, the first Black woman president of The Florida Bar.
“These milestones didn’t happen in isolation. They happened because members like us made room at the table, opened doors, and stood for progress,” McGrane said.
As he wrapped up, McGrane reminded attendees that their leadership and example have helped shape a Bar prepared for the future.
“Today is a great day to be a Florida lawyer,” he said. “I’m proud to be one…you should be too.”
