Voice from the Outgoing Chair

By:  Jack Goodchild, Chairperson of the California Lawyers Association, Workers’ Compensation Executive Committee

It is hard for me to believe but after many years on the Workers’ Compensation Executive Committee, my term as Chair is coming to an end when we complete our next meeting on September 24^th of this year. The position of Chair will be assumed by our Vice – Chair Tiffany Boyland, Esq. I will remain on the committee for a year in my role as ex-Chair, seeking to assist our new chair and the committee.  In this way we endeavor to maintain our vision and to continue our multiple efforts to serve and our community and to improve our workers compensation system.

I have been a part of this community since my first legal job in August of 1976. For 45 years I have had the privilege of representing injured workers in our state. I have seen our system go through many reforms and changes. I have known many of the best practitioners and Judges and Commissioners and have grown to respect the level of professionalism and diligence that these people exude. I have strived to emulate the best and to learn from my mistakes.  I am deeply appreciative of the heart and passion that most of us bring to our careers.

Unfortunately, even a good system attracts “bad apples” and I have worked to address fraud in our system and intend to continue doing so. I also intend to continue contributing to the work of our committee. That in fact is most if not all of our past leaders have done.

I am also cognizant of the fact that I leave my position at a time in which things are still very much in flux due to the effects of the pandemic. However, as I entreated and predicted our legal world, and our global world is moving forward fully aware of the tenuousness of our present situation and the need to ensure flexibility to deal with this and other problems in the future. We have learned from our experiences and our efforts to adapt to work in the pandemic era. “Hybrid” is the theme most clearly relevant and appropriate to dealing with our continuing uncertain circumstances.

As I have stated before, the leaders of our system have risen to the situation and is apparently now planning to keep the best of what we have learned while ensuring flexibility where it is needed. I applaud them!

We will see this period through and will like a phoenix rise stronger and brighter than before.

I am proud to have been part of our committee for the last many years. I look forward to watching it grow its efforts and programs as it has always done. We have an extraordinary group of people on our committee as well as a number of new members joining us soon.

AS always, I remind the entire community that this is YOUR COMMITTEE!

Please reach out to us. We are always looking for more and new speakers and volunteers to write articles, do community outreach etc.

I wish everyone a safe and happy fall and holiday season!