Reflections on a Year of Progress and Purpose

In the July/August 2025 issue of CT Lawyer Magazine, Connecticut Bar Association (CBA) immediate past President and Pullman & Comley Litigation Attorney James (Tim) Shearin reflects on the year leading the Association, with a focus on growth, innovation and vigilance in defense of the rule of law.

Tim begins by noting the many milestones the CBA has achieved over the past year: a move to new offices in Meriden, the appointment of a new executive director, Lina Lee, and the launch of a year-long celebration of the Association’s 150th anniversary. He highlights the breadth of programming offered, including 187 CLE programs and 12 conferences that drew nearly 5,000 attendees, as well as record in-person participation at this year’s Connecticut Legal Conference since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CBA also revitalized its member benefits, introduced a new video series, Legally Brief, to educate the public on judicial independence and the rule of law, and reinvigorated its Solo and Small Firm Section with seminars tailored to practitioners’ needs. Tim underscores the CBA’s continued commitment to public service, with six standing pro bono programs providing assistance to roughly 2,000 people this year.

Legislatively, the CBA played a pivotal role in the passage of the Uniform Mediation Act and modernization of the Uniform Commercial Code. It also advanced efforts to expand access to affordable health insurance for member firms, with the Connecticut House of Representatives voting in favor of a CBA proposal to study new pathways for association-sponsored health care coverage.

Tim credits the CBA’s staff, officers, and section and committee leaders for these accomplishments. “Together, they make this organization a stand-out among others in the country,” he writes, emphasizing that collective effort defines the Association’s success.

But Tim’s reflections extend beyond organizational milestones. Echoing the concerns raised in his first column as president, he warns that threats to judicial independence and the rule of law have only intensified. From political calls to ignore court orders, to threats of impeachment and physical danger directed at judges, to law firms being targeted for their clients or diversity initiatives.

Given these challenges, he stresses the CBA’s role as a leading voice in defending courts and democracy. Other bar associations and ad hoc groups of lawyers have joined in, filing amicus briefs, teaching civics, and rallying to the cause. Still, he cautions, “We cannot let our guard down. The attacks are real; the consequences irreparable.”

Tim closes with gratitude for the opportunity to serve as president and with a reaffirmation of the CBA’s mission: to strengthen the profession, support its members, and protect the rule of law.

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