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President's MessageRhea TannehillPresidentThe Mississippi Bar2025-2026Thank you all so much for entrusting me with the honor and privilege of serving as the 120th President of The Mississippi Bar. I am humbled by the trust and responsibility you have bestowed upon me. It is hard for me to grasp that my peers have elected me to the same position as that of the many men and women I have admired serving as president while a member of this great organization.I want to thank Meade Mitchell for his leadership and mentorship during the past year. Meade focused his administration%u2019s efforts on reinvigorating local bar associations. Members of our local bar associations are the heart and soul of The Mississippi Bar, and after the pandemic many failed to resume regular meetings. Meade traveled the state and spoke to 13 local bar associations over the last year and held regional meetings in north, south and central Mississippi. Many of these local bar associations have reestablished their leadership and will continue to meet regularly as a result of Meade%u2019s efforts and leadership.There are 19 Sections of the Mississippi Bar, and each member pays dues of $15 per year. Meade recognized some of our Sections were not giving their members (i.e. customers) the value that they deserved. Meade held meetings with the leaders of the Sections to encourage them to make sure their members were getting their money%u2019s worth out of membership. A chair of a Section candidly admit to me during the Annual Meeting that his Section did more this year than in past years because of Meade%u2019s encouragement.Meade%u2019s legacy will live on because I will definitely continue to emphasize the importance of local bar associations and their regular meetings, and work to make sure that the members of our Sections are benefitted as a result of their membership. I also want to thank Executive Director Deanne Mosley and General Counsel Missye Scott for their support and guidance. Having an active practice, managing partner of 11 full-time employees, three kids, and a wife who works full time is tough to manage. Deanne and Missye have been so helpful to me in making sure I keep things on track, and I do not always make it easy on them. I would be remiss if I did not take the time to publicly thank the entire staff of The Mississippi Bar for the fabulous Summer School for Lawyers and Annual Meeting held in Destin this year. Every year I attend the Annual Meeting I just enjoy the meetings, lawyer%u2019s marketplace, and festivities. Serving as President-Elect gave me a new perspective. I have a new appreciation for everything the staff of The Mississippi Bar does on a daily basis to take care of our members. The staff manages membership and the financial obligations that go along with it; publishes a magazine and keeps us updated via email; hosts continuing legal education (they even provide us with free CLE online), a memorial service, Bar admission ceremonies, and events; monitors the legislature; makes sure that 19 Sections, and 19 Committees conduct the business of the Bar; and many other things%u2026 On top of all of these things the staff puts together an Annual Meeting that is second to none. We are fortunate to have employees who serve our members so well.Chair Michael Bentley and the Bar%u2019s Summer School for Lawyers Committee did an incredible job with the CLE this year. The consensus among attendees was that the programs were excellent. As I looked around, I noticed that eight of nine Mississippi Supreme Court Justices were in attendance, several members of the Mississippi Court of Appeals, and so many chancery, circuit and county judges were there. I could not help but think how fortunate we are to live in a state where a sole practitioner from a small town can meet in the hallway between CLE sessions with a Supreme Court Justice and an attorney from a firm that has 50 lawyers. In addition, this year%u2019s attendance at Summer School was the largest ever! Next year%u2019s Summer School and Annual Meeting will be held July 7-9, 2026 in Biloxi. One of my goals for the year is to have the largest attendance ever at the Annual Meeting and Summer School. Planning has already begun for next year, so I hope you will put the dates on your calendar and make plans to join us. You can get all of your CLE for the year, meet with your peers and judges, enjoy what our Gulf Coast has to offer, and not have to leave the state. My term as President will shine a light on the legal crisis in the small communities 6SUMMER 2025