August 2008 Nevada Lawyer
YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION
THE PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION
BY STEPHANIE ALLEN, YOUNG LAWYERS CHAIR
As the newly confirmed chair of the Young Lawyers Section of the State Bar of Nevada, I think it is appropriate in my first article for the Nevada Lawyer to consider the purpose and objectives of the section. However, before doing so, I would like to recognize and thank our outgoing chair and continuing executive committee member Jasmine Mehta for her extraordinary contributions to the state bar. Jasmine is an outstanding leader, a gifted attorney, and most importantly, a genuine person of integrity. Through her leadership this past year, the Young Lawyers Section successfully hosted the bar’s mid-year meeting, had representatives attend all of the American Bar Association meetings and implemented new volunteer programs such our law-related education program for middle and high school students titled “Choose Law a Profession for All.” We also offered Continuing Legal Education programs such as “Law Firm 101,” hosted our annual golf tournament in northern Nevada and continued all of our existing public service programs. Thank you, Jasmine for your leadership and thank you for helping us advance the purpose of the Young Lawyers Section.
Pursuant to our bylaws, the purpose of the Young Lawyers Section reads as follows:
[georgina – make this stand out somehow in a shaded box or something]
The purposes of this YLS shall be to further the objectives of the State Bar, to stimulate the interest of the young lawyers in the activities of the State Bar, to assist the State Bar in the identification of projects and to itself conduct programs of interest and value to young lawyers and those recently admitted to practice, and to participate … in the activities of the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association as a recognized affiliated young lawyer organization.
The Young Lawyers Section is both unique and diverse. We are the only section that is open to all practicing young lawyers. We are not geared toward one specific area of the law but rather toward membership service to the barand to our community. Our membership is open to any practicing lawyer who is 36 years of age or younger or who has been admitted to the State Bar of Nevada for less than five years. This broad range of membership allows our section to recruit and secure section leaders and volunteers who are committed to carrying out the objectives of the Young Lawyers Section and who are willing to serve as representatives of the state bar.
The Young Lawyers Section is always looking for new volunteers. The more volunteers we have, the wider range of service we can provide to the state bar and to the community. Presently, we have a variety of programs including, but not limited to, our Law Suits Clothing Drive, our Annual Judge Roger Foley Poster and Essay Contest, our golf tournaments, our Trial of Goldilocks program presented to fourth grade students, our annual Southern Nevada Toy Drive, our participation as judges in the House of Blues MLK Oratory Contest and our Choose Law a Profession for All program, presented to middle and high school students. You can find more information about our section and our programs on the state bar website under the Young Lawyers Section at www.nvbar.org/sections/Sections_Young_Lawyers or please feel free to contact me at sallen@kkbrf.com. The Young Lawyers Section regularly sends out requests for young lawyer volunteers via the state bar Enewsletter, so please keep your eyes open for volunteer opportunities.
As lawyers, it is our professional responsibility to serve the public through pro bono work and through legal organizations or associations such as the State Bar of Nevada. The Young Lawyers Section provides a great opportunity for young lawyers to offer public service and to meet and work with other lawyers, not just in Nevada but across the country. We all recognize that we are fortunate to be able to practice law in Nevada with a relatively small and extremely talented legal community. I would ask that the young lawyers share that good fortune by taking advantage of the opportunities offered through the state bar. By volunteering, you will find that you receive far more than you give.