New lawyers find strength in numbers
By Emily Aldrich and Alex Calero
California Young Lawyers Association (CYLA)
With 49,936 attorney members, the
California Young Lawyers Association (CYLA) represents one of the largest
groups in the State Bar of California.
We tackle the issues that face young
lawyers today as they transition from law school into legal practice. CYLA endeavors to assist new lawyers
in their professional and leadership advancement, while supporting the State
Bar’s charge to protect the public.
CYLA has a history of zealously
advocating issues important to its members and the public before the Board of
Trustees. We also offer new lawyers the best opportunity to get involved, encourage
pro bono service and practical skills training by providing education and
mentorship initiatives.
A little history about our group is
in order. Originally named the State Bar's Conference of Barristers, CYLA was
created in 1965 by the Board of Trustees. You don’t have to be young to be part
of CYLA. If you’re 36 or younger or within your first five years of admission
to the bar, you’re automatically a member.
CYLA participates in the Annual Meeting, which will take place
this year from Sept. 11 to 14 at the Grand Hyatt in San Diego. It’s not only
fun, but a great opportunity for new lawyers to network with lawyers in their
field of practice, fulfill their education requirements and learn about State
Bar programs and resources.
We have a number of programs aimed
at encouraging those who have never attended and others to come again:
■ At
this year’s Annual Meeting, we’ll kick off our 10 Minute Mentor Program. It features an online
collection of videos from leading lawyers in their area of expertise. Our goal
is to provide practical information to young lawyers to support their service
to the public.
The videos are
foundational in nature and provide valuable information for attorneys new to
the profession. They will be free, closed-captioned and posted on the CYLA web page in early 2015.
■ CYLA
will also recognize notable pro bono service with its annual Jack Berman Award
of Achievement. The award is named in memory of Jack Berman, a young lawyer who
demonstrated outstanding service to the profession and the public, and who was
tragically killed in a San Francisco shooting.
This year’s
recipient, Aaron J. Fischer, will be honored
for his work protecting the rights of vulnerable prisoners and of people with
disabilities. Because of litigation that Fischer was a key player in, the courts ordered
the removal of the most vulnerable prisoners from solitary confinement, reform
of the state’s use-of-force policies and an end to the practice of isolating
mentally ill prisoners in solitary confinement for non-disciplinary reasons.
Please join us at
the Legal Services Awards Reception on Friday, Sept. 12 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the
Grand Hyatt. RSVP online.
■ Can’t
attend because of your finances? To help new lawyers attend the Annual Meeting,
CYLA is offering two tuition scholarships. The scholarship pays for event registration
fees and travel expenses up to $750.
Scholarships will
be awarded based on financial need and a combination of: participation in pro
bono or similar work, community service and/or bar association involvement, leadership
activities or other unique contributions to the legal profession.
The scholarship application
deadline is Sept. 5. To apply, email Laila Bartlett, CYLA staff coordinator at laila.bartlett@calbar.ca.gov.
You
can also connect with CYLA and its members and find State Bar resources through
Facebook and Twitter. We’re constantly updating and posting local events, pro
bono opportunities and resources, and we invite all members of the State Bar to follow us on social
media.
Sign up and stay informed!
Alex
Calero is the chairman, and Emily Aldrich is the vice chairwoman and incoming
chairwoman of CYLA.