Removing Barriers, Building Justice: A New Year’s Message from the New Philadelphia Bar Foundation President
The arrival of a new year presents an ideal moment for reflection – a chance to examine both the road that lies ahead and the ground that one has covered.
As I step into the role of President of the Board of Trustees of the Philadelphia Bar Foundation, and turn first toward the past, I do so with gratitude and respect for the dedication of the Foundation’s prior leaders. Over the course of twelve years as a Trustee, it has been a privilege to work with a number of them, from Debbie Gross when I joined, to Niki Ingram, most recently. They have done their part, and then some, to support the Foundation’s mission to remove barriers to justice in Philadelphia.
We should also thankfully acknowledge the hard, thoughtful, and creative work of the Foundation’s Executive Director, Jessica Hilburn-Holmes, and the entire Foundation staff. Their tireless devotion to the cause of meeting the civil legal needs of all Philadelphians is inspirational. As just one example of their work, in December, with nationally acclaimed Rutgers Law Professor J.C. Lore III and through the R. Nicholas Gimbel Fund for Legal Excellence, the Foundation’s staff organized an exceptional, multi-day trial advocacy training for more than thirty public interest lawyers in the Philadelphia area. Remarkably, the training, comparable to other top-flight programs typically paid for by elite law firms, came at no cost to any of its participants. In this way, and countless others, the Foundation furthers the vital goal of making justice more accessible.
Now moving to what comes next: you will be hearing much more from the Foundation and me in the coming months. We are deeply committed to strengthening civil legal aid through grants, programs, and partnerships, and continuously developing new ways to do so. We look forward to engaging with you, your firms, and the greater Philadelphia community again in 2026. Please stay tuned.
In the sage words of Oprah Winrey, "Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right."
Happy New Year.
Josh Snyder
