Candidate for the 3rd Division:

BETH KENNEDY

I have been an appellate attorney for 11 years. Working with trial counsel has allowed me to form relationships with attorneys in nearly all practice areas. And in this collaboration, I learned the importance of compromise and relying on each other’s strengths to achieve a common goal. I believe these skills are critical in the Bar Commission.

I have put those skills to use in my service to the Bar. I have served for 10 years on the Women Lawyers of Utah’s board and am its current president. I also helped to form the LGBT & Allied Lawyers of Utah, and served for four years on its board.

In these roles, I listened and strived to make sure more voices within our community were heard. I returned again and again to our mission statements to ensure that our choices—including our decisions about how and when to spend money—reflected the purpose of the organization. I focused my efforts on making sure that we provided valuable services and benefits to the people who choose to join our groups. I believe that these skills are also critical in the Bar Commission.

Our Bar has changed and continues to change. The sandbox has changed what it means to practice law and how it is regulated, and recent litigation has called into question what it means be a bar organization. I am committed to making sure that your voices are heard and that any transitions are smooth.

And the pandemic has taught us that many meetings—especially CLEs—are often better done virtually than requiring a commute. I believe CLEs should continue to be offered virtually, and for free. And I am committed to continuing to explore ways that technology can help improve attorneys’ lives and jobs.

I also deeply respect and admire the lawyers in our Bar, and I am grateful for the civil and professional legal community that we get to enjoy. I am committed to ensuring that this continues to be a place where practicing law can be a joy.