Durham promotes 'pro bono' service

ST. GEORGE — Utah Supreme Court Justice Christine Durham said Friday that lawyers need to begin their jobs with service and commitment to the community if they expect people to understand what they do.

"I haven't mentioned the word 'pro bono' yet today, but one of the best resources we have is our time and expertise," Durham told hundreds of lawyers gathered in St. George for the Utah State Bar's spring convention. "It requires countless hours of service to educate the public about what we do."

Durham was the keynote speaker for the two-day event, which included sessions on identity theft, Utah water law and ethics in property transactions.

This year's legislative session produced disappointing results for judges and lawyers, Durham said.

A bill that would have increased the compensation rate for judges was passed, but not at the amount recommended by an independent panel, Durham said. Judges ended up with a 3 percent increase.

Durham also criticized the Legislature's failure to approve $1.5 million in funding for the state's guardian ad litem office, which provides legal counsel for children involved in court proceedings.

"This was requested after a legislative auditor said there was a real crisis in resources for this program, and then it got turned down," Durham said. For many children who are crime victims, the program is "the only source of protection for them," she said.

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