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Dear Members and Friends of J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association, Inc.
I bring to you greetings from our 2025-2026 Executive Members and I welcome you to J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association, Inc. (Bourne).
Thank you for placing your trust in me as the president of the Bourne for 2025-2026 year. This opportunity to serve and lead our outstanding organization fills me with both excitement and purpose.
The Bourne was established in 1977, and it has become one of the largest and one of the most active specialty bar associations in the state of Maryland. The Bourne is committed to legal excellence, community service, and the advancement of African Americans in the legal profession. Our membership primarily consists of African American attorneys who live and/or work in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties. Tax-deductible donations permit us to continue hosting free or low-cost community events, participate in and host pro bono legal clinics and social activism events, give back to underserved communities such as the homeless and at-risk youth, and provide our annual scholarships to law students attending area law schools.
Our association has grown stronger over the past decades and has produced men and women of calibers in all works of life. From judiciary to legal practitioners, to politics and captains of industries. Thanks to the dedicated work of our past leaders, active members and friends of the Bourne. Moving ahead, my focus will center on three main areas: growing professional development programs, building our mentorship network, and adding more opportunities for member collaboration.
As I mentioned during the executive’s swearing ceremony on July 1, 2025, to be a successful president, I cannot do it all alone. I count on every member of our organization to be part of that success in one way or the other. Your ideas and participation will shape the future of our association, strengthen the legal profession, maintain the Bourne’s legacy and defend the rule of law. My door stays open to your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. Let us work as one team to advance our profession and support each other’s growth and make 2025-2026 a successful year for our great organization.
Very truly yours,
Emeka Onwezi
President