Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
The Official Newsletter of the Young Lawyers Conference of the Virginia State Bar Patrick J. Austin, Esq., Editor Volume 33, Issue 3 • Fall 2017
Doris H. Causey is a trailblazer. She is the first African-American president of the Virginia State Bar and the first legal-aid attorney to hold this position. Given her extensive experience helping low-income Virginians and commitment to public service, she has ambitious goals to take the VSB in a new direction. I had the privilege of interviewing President Causey to discuss her plans for the 2017-2018 term.
Q: Congratulations on becoming President of the Virginia State Bar. What goals and objectives would you like to accomplish during your term?
A: My goals and objectives that I would like to accomplish during my term are: (1) Pro bono reporting and an increase in pro bono work; (2) More diversity volunteer involvement in the bar; (3) Increasing member participation with Virginia.freelegalanswers.org and (4) Increased awareness of the need for pro bono and how members of the bar can get involved and help.
Q: You went to high school and college in Mississippi and law school in Texas. How did you wind up in Richmond, Virginia?
A: I came to Richmond, Virginia with my husband for his new job.
Q: Your educational background includes degrees in mathematics, political science, and education. What led to your decision to go into law?
A: I always wanted to be an attorney. However, my entire family is full of educators. Therefore, I was always told to have a backup plan. Thus, my backup plan was to teach. But, I taught first then went to law school when my husband finished his degree.
Q: You are the first African-American President of the VSB and the first legal aid attorney to ascend to this position. Please describe how the different perspectives and experiences you bring to the table can influence and impact the VSB.
A: The different perspectives and experiences that I bring that help influence and impact the VSB are diversity, the needs of legal aid, and the access gap. I help to bring an awareness that committees, panels, and functions should be representative of the entire Bar. I discuss topics from a poverty-law
perspective and the experiences of my clients when trying to access and maneuver through the judicial system.
Q: Did your predecessor, Michael W. Robinson, offer any tips or advice for managing the responsibilities of this position?
A: Yes, Michael W. Robinson gave wonderful advice and tips regarding managing the responsibilities of this position. Most importantly, he gave me his cell phone number.
Q & A with VSB President Doris H. CauseyBy Patrick J. Austin
In This Issue
Page 3 Young Lawyer, You Need a Business Plan
Page 4 Draft Carefully, Define Rarely
Page 5 President’s Message
Page 6 Young Lawyers Conference New Programs for 2017-2018
Page 6 Young Lawyers Conference STAR Contributors
Page 7 The Cyber Attorney
Page 8 Mark Your Calendars
Page 9 Young Lawyers Conference Board of Governors
Page 10 2017-2018 Involvement Guide
Page 13 YLC Board Liaisons for District Reps
Continued on next page Ø
page 2 • Docket Call • Fall 2017
Ø Q & A with Doris H. Causey, continued from previous page
Q: What steps do you believe need to betaken to improve access to representation to low and middle income Virginians?
A: Virginia should pass a law giving citizensa right to an attorney in civil cases.
Q: What advice would you give to an attorney whopassed the Virginia Bar Exam, is newly licensed, and looking to make a mark in the legal profession?
A: I would advise a new attorney to volunteer,do pro bono and get involved with the young lawyers conference of the VSB.
Patrick J. Austin is a 2013 graduate of the George Mason University School of Law and is currently an Attorney-Advisor for the U.S. Department of Justice in the Office of Information Policy. He also serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Docket Call.
Let’s Build Your Practice Together.
We take the calls, and you take it from there.
www.vsb.org/vlrs
Q: What are the day-to-day responsibilitiesassociated with being VSB president?
A: The day-to-day responsibilities are attendingmeetings, signing various documents, talking about pressing issues of the day, responding to staff about programing, and responding to e-mails concerning the bar/events.
Q: If you could change or improve one aspect ofthe current legal profession, what would it be?
A: If I could change one aspect of thecurrent legal profession it would be mandatory pro bono reporting.
Q: Is there a critique or issue raised most often bymembers of the Virginia legal community?
A: Most members contact us regardingissues of discipline.
page 3 • Docket Call • Fall 2017
Whether you are a first-year attorney fresh out of
law school, a third-year, or a tenth-year attorney, you
need a business plan. Whether you work for a big firm,
small firm, government, corporation, or as a solo, you
need a business plan. Why? Because a business plan
is a useful tool to become a better lawyer, to make
you more marketable, to develop your own business,
and to advance the interests of your employer. If
you prefer, you may call it an attorney-development
plan, but essentially you are your business.
Below are five recommended steps that should be
taken to help complete your business plan, as well
as a sample plan to customize for your future.
Step One
Think about yourself. Who are you? What do you do?
What do you want to achieve, etc.? Even if you do not
know the answer to these questions, simply thinking
about them will allow you to more critically assess
your strengths and weaknesses. Identifying potential
niches will allow you to focus your efforts. Evaluating
yourself will make you a better lawyer and achieve your
goals. What would you like to achieve? Is your goal
to become President of the Virginia State Bar Young
Lawyers Conference? You need to pinpoint your goal to
accomplish it. Perfect your thirty-second elevator pitch.
What do you say when a client, potential employer, or
leader of the bar turns to you and asks what do you do?
Step Two
Think about how you can develop your business and
yourself. Create concrete daily, weekly, monthly,
and yearly goals. Track your progress regularly.
Make a budget for your business and for activities
in your business plan like networking, blogging,
marketing, etc. Critically evaluate your activities and
abandon those with few referrals or little benefit.
Step Three
Get involved. Identify, join, and participate in
professional, local and bar organizations. Look for
speaking, writing and legal primer opportunities.
These actions help build your brand as well as it
establishes your name and competency to other
leaders and members of your community. Establish
and improve your internet presence. Build your brand.
Even as a law student or young lawyer, you can build
your brand. I recently listened to a podcast where
they detailed young lawyers who had achieved their
dream jobs against all odds because of building their
personal brand across multiple social-media markets.
Step Four
Build relationships and relationship groups and
networks. Connect people with the experts and
providers that they need. People want to help people
that they know, trust, and like. Developing relationships
across multiple groups will allow you to organically
create your own network for you and your business.
Step Five
Further your legal education. Attend seminars.
Observe leaders of the Bar. Go early and stay after.
Take the time to ask questions. Identify areas of
potential improvement for your skills and knowledge
in your niche. Identify electronic periodicals and other
materials for professional and social-media material.
If you follow these five steps, you will be well on your
away to achieving your professional objectives.
Corrie Sirkin is a 2010 graduate of the University
of Virginia School of Law and founder of
the Sirkin Law Firm located in Manassas,
Virginia where she practices family law.
Young Lawyer, You Need a Business PlanBy Corrie Sirkin
page 4 • Docket Call • Fall 2017
Defined term are like dinner guests: a few are nice, but too many will crowd out the conversation, and the wrong one will spoil the whole meal. Yet most lawyers draft contracts like they have to invite the whole neighborhood. They define everything from the parties’ names to common nouns like company and paragraph. They say these definitions are necessary for “precision.” But they’re wrong. As anyone who’s ever had to read a contract can tell you, defined terms often cause more problems than they solve. And too many can make the contract read as if it’s written in secret code.
The better practice is to define sparingly. By minimizing definitions, you’ll enhance readability. It’s easier to understand a document when you don’t have to learn a brand-new vocabulary first.
You have a few ways to do that. Maybe the best is not to define any term you’re using within its ordinary meaning. For example, you don’t need to define “corporation” as “a business organization that has the rights and duties of an individual.” Any dictionary will tell you that. If you put it in the contract, you’ve accomplished nothing but make your contract longer. That’s fine if you’re a paid-by-the-word hack. But you’re not—you’re a professional who’s writing a contract that will be used in the real world. So leave it out.
Of course, it’s not always possible to use words within their ordinary meaning. Lawyers deal in specifics, which require specific words. So occasionally, you will need to use a defined term. When you do, it’s better to restrict the word’s meaning than to expand it.
Take the classic hypothetical rule: “No vehicles may enter the park.” You could define vehicle to include only cars and trucks. Cars and trucks fall within the ordinary meaning of vehicle; in fact, they’re what most people think of when they hear the word. Your definition just excludes other things that might fall within the dictionary definition, like bicycles and roller skates. That’s what a good definition should do—eliminate ambiguity. On the other hand, you shouldn’t expand vehicle’s meaning to include horses. No real person uses the word that way; it’s borderline catachrestic. So if you want to keep horses out of the park, use a word that ordinarily includes them, like animals. Or better yet, horses.
Another way to reduce your definitions is to omit “short form” definitions. Many drafters add them to avoid ambiguity; but in fact, there’s often little chance of misunderstanding. For example, many lawyers would write, “This contract is entered into by Martha Washington (Ms. Washington), an
individual”—even when the contract refers to no other Washington, or indeed, no other natural person. That’s absurd. And it’s just as absurd when referring to a company. Let’s assume Time Warner Cable Enterprises, LLC is a party. If no other party with a similar name appears in the contract, you can simply refer to the company as “Time Warner” or “Time Warner Cable,” with no short-form definition. That won’t confuse any native speaker of English.
But as with other definitions, short-form definitions are occasionally necessary; for example, when two parties have similar names. In that case, you might use short-form definitions to distinguish them. But when you do, use real English words. Too many initialisms and acronyms will drown your contract in an incomprehensible alphabet soup:
This is a contract between the National Oil Development and Exploitation Council (“NODEC”) and the North Atlantic Oil Conglomerate (“NAOC”), a subsidiary of the North American Corporation for Natural Resources (“NACNR”). Under this contract, NODEC agrees to indemnify and hold harmless NAOC for all . . . .
See how quickly this can get out of hand? Soon, you’ll find yourself writing in a jargon unique to your contract, which just creates another hurdle for the reader. Instead, try using ordinary English words:
This is a contract between the National Oil Development and Exploitation Council (the Council) and the North Atlantic Oil Conglomerate (the Conglomerate), a subsidiary of the North American Corporation for Natural Resources (the Corporation). Under this contract, the Council agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Conglomerate for all . . . .
That’s not Shakespeare, but at least it’s English.
Now, I’m not saying a contract never needs defined terms. Occasionally, they’re the only way to prevent misinterpretation. But the emphasis here is on occasionally. Your attitude toward defined terms should be one of skepticism. If you find yourself including one, make sure you can justify it. Make sure it’s necessary. And if it is, make sure you’ve included the definition in the least disruptive way possible.
Alexander MacDonald is a 2012 graduate of the William & Mary School of Law. He works in the Office of the General Counsel of the United States Postal Service.
Draft Carefully, Define Rarely By Alexander T. MacDonald
page 5 • Docket Call • Fall 2017
Welcome to the beginning of a new year for new lawyers and your career. As young lawyers, we are, by default, starting our careers and our lives as non-students. The world is completely different; we have responsibilities now. We have to survive. However, this is the time to set up your life, to establish the fundamentals of your career and your life.
First Fundamental: You are Not AloneUnitedHealth Group decided to study their employees and volunteerism in 2013. Out of their employees who volunteered in the previous 12 months, 76% stated that it made them feel healthier and 94% reported a better mood after volunteering. It was not just the healthy feeling the effects. The older individuals and those with chronic conditions reported feeling better after taking on a volunteer project as it took their minds off their chronic conditions. One of remarkable findings reported was a deeper connection to others and their communities as nearly everyone in the survey felt empowered to better their communities.
Career-wise, volunteering develops professional skills. Teamwork, time management, people skills, leadership skills; all of these come into focus. The task can be as small as sorting coats to be given away for local children, keeping track of what sizes go where and letting other volunteers know how to find the right coat for the child.
The main point is that volunteering can connect you to others with similar passions, interests, or abilities. If there is any way to prove to yourself that you are needed in your community, go volunteer somewhere. Your presence and your talents are sorely needed!
Second Fundamental: Do Not Be Afraid to Say No Many of us know that we are needed; however, we fall into a trap where we feel too needed. If we are not there, the world falls apart! However, to be effective, we have to not spread ourselves too thin. Find your limits, communicate them up front, and stick to them.
We wrapped up our Young Lawyer Leader Institute this fall, and one of our guest speakers was Senator and former YLC President Jennifer McClellan. I was about to look up to end the presentation, but the audience was engaged like I never saw before. She hit a nerve and connected with all of us. During her speech, she discussed the idea of taking care of yourself first. While the inclination is caring for others such as family, friends, and colleagues first, you need to have something to give them. If you drain yourself caring for others first, you end up having nothing to give.
Part of that is saying no. When you starting doing tasks well, people notice. When people notice, they
ask you to do more and our natural inclination is to say yes. While it begins as no big deal, the potential is there to snowball into a larger problem where you find yourself missing commitments or not being fully present, as you are always worried about the next task. Set your limits, whether it is through time (one to two hours per day) or tasks (performing X, Y, and Z today only) and communicate those limits. Knowing and communicating limits manages expectations and prevents problems in projects from occurring in the future. Plus, it allows more people to be part of the volunteer project, taking the “only person who can do it” pressure off you.
We must be present for our communities and our profession. Staying engaged keeps your mind active and allows you to be in the conversation for clients’ business opportunities. You still hold an important role in the community, as you have shown that you know how to spot, study, and analyze issues that puzzle your family, friends, and neighbors. Do not be afraid of your new role. If any issues come up where you do not have the answer, please ask. Your fellow attorneys can provide insight and some answers to the issues that stump you, and they are willing to help. You are not alone in this journey called life. When you let us in, we will make sure to give you a more fulfilling career and life.
Christopher R. Fortier
President, VSB
YLC President
President’s Message
How to Survive and Thrive as a New Attorney
page 6 • Docket Call • Fall 2017
The Young Lawyers Conference (YLC) is starting a number of new initiatives that align with the needs of young lawyers. These committees provide new avenues for involvement with the bar and provide volunteers with different technical skill sets along with the leadership skills that come with being involved. YLC members can bring talents and time to these projects on a statewide level or in their communities at the District level.
Wellness InitiativeThe goal of the Health and Wellness Committee is to help attorneys learn and apply skills that promote a balance of developing their mind, body, and soul.
Through this holistic approach, the Committee partners with experts in the field of fitness and nutrition to develop programs that accommodate the busy and unpredictable schedule of an attorney. Programs will provide preventive measures to address substance abuse include collaborating with health professionals to hold workshops on stress management and mindfulness. The Committee will also teach mindfulness and stress management tactics to handle the stressful field of law.
Interested? Contact Harrison Powell, committee chair at [email protected].
Bench–Bar RelationsThe Bench–Bar Committee would develop standards for YLC events with judges, so that young lawyers and judges both have clear expectations for such events. Such standards would help encourage judges to participate in YLC events, as we understand that some judges are currently concerned about potential ethical issues arising during such events.
The Committee would also develop best practices and contacts for YLC events with judges and provide program planning resources to District Representatives seeking to organize an event with local judges. The Bench–Bar Committee Chair will also work closely the VSB’s Bench–Bar Committee to address concerns directly related to young lawyers.
Interested? Contact Latosha Ellis, committee chair, at [email protected].
Public Relations/Social Media CommitteeHow should we generate “likes” and “retweets” for that recent article, “Achieving Work-Life Balance,” in the Docket Call? This task will be among the responsibilities of the newly formed YLC Public Relations/Social Media Committee. The Public Relations/Social Media Committee was established in 2017 to bolster the exposure of YLC
through social media and press channels. It is anticipated that this committee will obtain and create content for dissemination through the YLC’s website and various social medial channels. YLC Program Chairs and District Representatives will also work with this committee to help promote YLC events. All committee activities will be governed by the applicable VSB rules and policies.
If you are interested in participating in this committee please contact Amanda Gregory at [email protected].
As always, the YLC welcomes your ideas for member service programs, continuing legal education programs, and public service projects. New ideas are how the YLC and, ultimately, the bar at large grows. These new projects also allow members to “make their mark” and let themselves be known to the community. While the YLC is not allowed to lobby as it is under the Virginia State Bar, a public agency, the YLC can work with the ideas with most other proposals.
Interested in bringing a new project to the YLC? Contact President Chris Fortier at [email protected].
YLC Star ContributorsStar of July - Carteia Basnight of Hampton! Carteia has served as District Representative for the First (and ad hoc) and Second Districts in 2016-2017. In that role, she has put together many public service projects aimed at promoting the Rule of Law. This summer, she completed a Rule of Law Day program at Mary Passage Middle School for their summer program with 32 students ranging from 12-17 years old. They discussed the rule of law and conducted a mini mock trial using a skit of the stolen car. Star of August - Alex McDonald of Washington, DC! Alex has been the chair of this new series that launched earlier this year. Currently, we are up to 20 articles (of which he has drafted or edited) that touch all parts of Virginia practice. Alex also serves as an managing editor of Docket Call, our quarterly publication that provides YLC news and relevant practice articles to our membership. Stars of September - John Morgan and Rachel Radspinner who have both put on successful Professional Development Conferences in Tysons Corner and Virginia Beach, respectively. Putting on one of these conferences requires securing a location for the conference, gathering speakers to cover six hours of CLE, getting materials together for approval from the MCLE Board, making sure there is lunch for the attendees, and coordinating the day-of activities.
Young Lawyers Conference New Programs for 2017-2018By Chris Fortier and Jon Puvak
page 7 • Docket Call • Fall 2017
Your technology infrastructure is the backbone of your practice. When the technology fails, it will have a major impact on your ability to serve your clients. Therefore, the proper setup and administration of your infrastructure is essential to the smooth operation of your practice.
This article will help you think about the decisions you should make in planning your infrastructure after you’ve decided on your servers. While these topics are all important, remember that you can go through this list over time and tackle one challenge at a time.
If you can only do two, make sure to check out the heat-management and physical-security sections. These two will give you the most bang for your buck in terms of providing and improvement to your infrastructure stability for the time, cost, and effort expended.
Heat Management
Heat can be incredibly destructive to computers. All computers generate heat. Server hardware is typically more robust and performant than PCs, but also generate more heat and run for longer periods of time. High temperatures can dramatically shorten the life of your hardware and can result in operational downtime.
You’ll want to maintain a temperature between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, with an optimal temperature between 68 and 71 degrees Fahrenheit. To maintain those temperature, you need a combination of good insulation, proper ventilation, low-heat lighting, and air conditioning. It is also important to note that you want to maintain those temperatures even when the building is closed. This can mean that you need to have an independent air-conditioning unit if the building’s air conditioners are not available 24 hours a day.
Additionally, consider adding a temperature alarm to alert you to problems before they become catastrophic. A typical alarm will issue a warning at 75 degrees and a critical warning at 80 degrees.
Physical Security
Physical security protects against several problems that can be caused by malicious external actors and insider threats. The key is to secure the hardware by means of access controls to prevent threats from everything from accidental, destructive tampering with the hardware or computer settings to the physical theft of hardware to
the installing of malicious software on the systems.
Begin securing your setup by putting a lock on the server room door. The only people that should have access is the one or two non-technical individuals in the office who may do basic monitoring, such as of the above temperature sensors, and your technical staff.
Next, make sure that all your servers have access controls on them as well. This includes physical locks to prevent the opening of cases and tampering with the hardware, physical locks to prevent the removal of a computer from the server room, and lock the door to the server rack if it has one. You should apply access controls to the server software. Only authorized employees or technicians should be able to log in or have administrative-access rights on the servers.
Finally, consider adding a camera to the server room. If something goes wrong you can easily determine who the responsible party is.
Power Management
Power protection comes in two main forms, surge protection and power-loss protection. The minimum amount of protection is a surge protector for each server. The surge protector should be appropriately rated. Consider talking to your building’s maintenance department or your IT staff for help in selecting an appropriate solution.
Next, every server should be on an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). A UPS is a battery which will power the server during an interruption in power. The purpose of the UPS is to prevent your servers from shutting down unexpectedly, a non-graceful shutdown, which can cause data loss or corruption especially in complex software solutions and databases.
Your UPS should be configured to send a shutdown signal to your server when the battery backup is activated after a short period of time. This will ensure that the server is properly deactivated without any data loss or corruption. Make sure the UPS is rated to supply sufficient power for a minimum of 150% of the time needed for your management software to power off the system.
Cable Management
Cable management is the art of making sure all your cables are connected in an organized and clean fashion. This process will make your access easier,
The Cyber Attorney, Everything but the Server – How to Set Up a Safe Server Room by Scott A. Nerlino
page 8 • Docket Call • Fall 2017
aids in the cooling of servers and helps promote fire safety, and to help troubleshooting problems.
Planning is the most important step. Determine where you want your servers to be and the lengths that your cables will need to be. Buy high quality cables with good cable heads, though you can skip the insanely overpriced cabled. Cables should be as short as possible to prevent signal degradation and never over 100 meters.
Consider adding patch panels to your server rack to control the flow of cables into your rack. Patch panels are a bit more of an advanced concept and should only be installed by a professional. Other methods of grouping cables can be colored cable ties bought at a local hardware store.
Finally, make sure to label all your cables. For more information search for cable-management pictures to get a clear idea of how you want to structure your cables.
Fire Suppression
Do you have a fire suppression system in your server room? If so, does it spray water onto your servers? Do I need to say more? Non-water based fire suppression systems can be costly and could be overkill, but you need to have a plan. This plan is tightly coupled with the next section.
Hard Drive Failure and Backups
Hard drives will fail; this is an unavoidable fact. You must have a plan to restore data when your hard drives fail. There are many solutions to this problem, and you need to consider whether you want to maintain that solution yourself and the security of the solution when determining the best course of action.
The main solutions include data replication using RAID in either a local server or network attached storage (NAS) or using cloud back-ups. If you are a small business, it is highly recommended that you use a reputable cloud service provider, as this will be easier to administer. Employing local solutions require a level of expertise that can be daunting for an attorney and the hiring of an expert can be costlier.
When you’re building out your infrastructure, make sure to take best practices in mind. Yes, this may cost a bit more and take a bit more time, but a proper infrastructure will pay off for your business in the long term. It will reduce costs and decrease down time, which ultimately will help you promote your client’s interests better. The best part, you can go and stress about your clients instead of your computers.
Scott A. Nerlino is a 2013 graduate of George Mason University School of Law. He is an attorney and currently a data scientist at Aptima, Inc. working on DARPA’s Plan-X, a foundational cyberwarfare program to develop platforms for the Department of Defense, to plan for, conduct, and assess cyberwarfare. He can be reached at [email protected].
Ø Cyber Attorney, continued from previous page
SAVE THE DATEDecember 13th at 12:30 p.m.: Metro Richmond Women’s Bar Association Luncheon at Willow Oaks, Women of Achievement Award
Noteworthy: The Professional Development Series (PDS) is a weekly podcast series devoted to our newly sworn in attorneys and young lawyers. The PDS will present programs bringing basic skills training, introducing the business of the law, educating on mental health issues, and showcasing long term career options. See: http://www.vsb.org/site/conferences/ylc/pds
page 9 • Docket Call • Fall 2017
Young Lawyers Conference Board of Governors
Christopher R. [email protected]
Brian T. WesleyPresident-electRichmond804-644-2888bwesley@thorntonwesley.com
Farnaz F. ThompsonSecretaryCharlottesville434-982-2941farnazfarkish@gmail.com
Kristopher R. McClellan1st District RepresentativeChesapeake610-761-4806kristopher.mcclellan@gmail.com
Shemeka C. Hankins2nd District Representative [email protected]
Melissa Y. “Missy” York3rd District [email protected]
Laura M. O’Brien4th District [email protected]
Jennifer A. Fulmer5th District [email protected]
Joshua M. Parrett6th District [email protected]
Nerissa N. Rouzer7th District [email protected]
Catherine “Cate” J. Huff8th District [email protected]
Helen Chong9th District Representative [email protected]
Rachel Wolfe10th District [email protected]
Melissa A. AlfanoAt-Large [email protected]
Giovanni DiMaggioAt-Large [email protected]
Craig E. EllisAt-Large [email protected]
Melissa A. LittleFairfax703-691-1235 [email protected]
Providence E. NapoleonAt-Large RepresentativeRichmond202 [email protected]
Dean E. LhospitalImmediate Past [email protected]
page 10 • Docket Call • Fall 2017
INV
OLV
EM
EN
T G
UID
EY
LC
20
17--2
018
The YLC coordinates a variety of programs in service to both the Bar and the public. If you are interested in assisting with any program or commission, please contact any YLC Board Member, Program Chair or Co-Chair, or your District Representative.
SERVICE TO THE BARADMISSION AND ORIENTATION CEREMONYThis committee is responsible for organizing and staging a special ceremony sponsored twice a year by the YLC at which time all newly licensed attorneys are given the opportunity to appear before the Supreme Court of Virginia to be admitted to practice in the courts of Virginia. Because the Court sits in Richmond, this committee typically is comprised principally of young lawyers practicing in the metropolitan Richmond area.
Contact: Annie Cai [email protected]
Sponsors Coordinators:Jasmine R. [email protected]
Volunteer Coordinator:Jennifer C. [email protected]
ANNUAL MEETING/PROGRAMSThis committee plans a CLE or other special interest program to take place during the Bar’s Annual Meeting held each June in Virginia Beach. During gubernatorial election years, this committee typically schedules a debate.
Contact: Colleen [email protected]
ANNUAL MEETING/ATHLETICSThis committee is responsible for organizing the “Run in the Sun” 5 kilometer foot race and the David T. Stitt Memorial volleyball tournament, both sponsored by the YLC during the Bar’s Annual Meeting in June in Virginia Beach.
Contact: Simone [email protected]
BENCH BAR CELEBRATION DINNER COMMITTEEEach year the YLC hosts a dinner to honor newly elevated women and minority judges from across the state. The dinner provides an opportunity for young lawyers to interact with judges
in a casual, relaxed atmosphere.
Contact: Anna [email protected]
BENCH BAR RELATIONS COMMITTEEThe Committee would also develop best practices and contacts for YLC events with judges and provide program planning resources to District Representatives seeking to organize an event with local judges. The Bench-Bar Committee Chair also works closely the VSB’s Bench-Bar Committee to address concerns directly related to young lawyers.
Contact: Latosha M. EllisArlington; [email protected]
FIRST DAY IN PRACTICE SEMINARIn conjunction with the General Practice Section, this committee plans and implements the First Day in Practice Seminar for new lawyers traditionally held the day after the Fall Admission and Orientation Ceremony.
Contact: Vacant
DOCKET CALL NEWSLETTERThe editor and editorial board of the Docket Call are responsible for publishing four issues of the YLC’s newsletter each year.
Contact: Patrick [email protected]
NON PROFIT BOARD MATCHBoard Match is a program that the YLC is developing to provide an opportunity for local non-profit organizations to solicit new board members and board participation from area lawyers.
Contact: T. Alex [email protected]
PRACTICE TIPS SERIESThis committee solicits and prints practice tips from a variety of young lawyers across the state in all areas of the law.
Contact: Alexander T. [email protected]
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCEThis committee implements a one day CLE program addressing practice tips and professionalism issues specific to young lawyers.
Contact:Laura Lieberman Washington, [email protected]
Jesse Beringer Washington, [email protected]
John P. Morgan, III (Tysons)[email protected]
Adam Yost (Richmond)[email protected]
Rachel Radspinner (Virginia Beach)[email protected]
Jonathan Puvak (Roanoke)[email protected] PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIESThe Professional Development Series (PDS) is a weekly podcast series devoted to our newly sworn in attorneys and young lawyers. The PDS will present programs bringing basic skills training, introducing the business of the law, educating on mental health issues, and showcasing long term career options. Programs will come from a variety of sources locally and from around the country.
Contact: Julie [email protected] Kiana Noorishad [email protected]
PUBLIC RELATIONS/SOCIAL MEDIAThe Public Relations/Social Media Committee was established to bolster the exposure of YLC through social media and press channels. This committee will obtain and create content for dissemination through the YLC’s website and various social medial channels. YLC Program Chairs and District Representatives will also work with this committee to help promote YLC events.
Contact: Amanda Lee [email protected]
WELLNESS INITIATIVEThe goal of the Health and Wellness Committee is to help attorneys learn and apply skills that promote a balance of developing their mind, body, and soul.
Contact: Vacant
Involvement Guide 2017--2018
page 11 • Docket Call • Fall 2017
SERVICE TO THE PUBLICCHILDREN AND THE LAWThe Children and the Law Commission was formed to address the unmet legal needs of children throughout Virginia. The Commission accomplishes this goal by developing new opportunities for recently admitted attorneys to get plugged into the legal profession while helping their local communities.
Contact: Sungtae [email protected]
Crystal [email protected]
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SAFETY PROJECTThe committee is responsible for developing programs to raise awareness about legal issues related to domestic violence. The DVSP has, for example, distributed a Safety Brochure and a Legal Pamphlet in both English and Spanish to domestic violence victims statewide. The DVSP also trains attorneys to provide pro bono representation to domestic violence victims.
Contact: Stephanie M. Kelly [email protected]
Sarah [email protected]
EMERGENCY LEGAL SERVICESThis committee, in conjunction with VBA-YLD, has developed and implemented a statewide Emergency Legal Services Response Plan, which includes training volunteers and working with other bar organizations to establish communication plans in the event of natural disasters and other declared emergencies.
Contacts: Sarah E. [email protected]
Emily M. [email protected]
IMMIGRANT OUTREACHThis committee designs projects, including the Immigrant Outreach-Education Regarding Deportation Ramifications of Criminal Convictions program, to raise awareness about the legal issues facing Virginia’s immigrant population.
Contacts: Elizabeth Nehrling [email protected] “Sasha” [email protected]
MENTAL HEALTH LAW COMMITTEEThis committee puts on a free, semi-annual CLE in different locations around Virginia. The CLE explains notable developments in Virginia mental health law as they apply to aspects of all practice areas. Mental health laws touch a broad range of practice areas, including employment, family law, trusts and estates, civil rights and criminal law. The course is presented in an engaging format consisting of panelist discussion, audience participation and hypothetical problems.
Contact: Vacant
MINORITY PRE-LAW CONFERENCEThis committee plans a seminar that strives to expose college students, especially minority students, to many aspects of a legal career. From LSAT prep courses, mock law school classes, and a mock trial to panel discussions with the bench, bar, and law students, this course provides valuable information to Virginia students considering a career in the law. The event is held in Northern Virginia, Southern Virginia, and Tidewater.
Contact:Northern VirginiaJazzirelle [email protected]
Hampton RoadsMyra [email protected]
Chanel Ann [email protected]
OLIVER HILL/SAMUEL TUCKER PRE-LAW INSTITUTEThe Virginia State Bar Young Lawyers Conference in conjunction with the Millennium Diversity Initiative and the University of Richmond T.C. Williams School of Law has designed a program, the Oliver Hill/Samuel Tucker Law Institute, to facilitate diversity in the legal profession. The program enables at-risk, minority students to attend a weeklong comprehensive seminar that encourages them to become members of the legal profession.
Contact: [email protected]
PRO BONOThis commission was formed to assess current pro bono programs and to develop programs designed to
improve the quantity and quality of pro bono activities of young lawyers.
Contact: Erin E. [email protected]
RULE OF LAW DAY AT THE CAPITOL The purpose of this program is to educate 400 at-risk middle school and high school students about rule of law principles and the operations of their state government. Students take a field trip to the Virginia Capitol where they learn about the legislative, executive and judicial branches from various government officials in these branches. Prior speakers at this program include the Governor of Virginia, the Virginia Attorney General, Justices of the Supreme Court of Virginia, and Senators as well as Delegates from the General Assembly of Virginia. After students listen to these speakers at the General Assembly Building and the Supreme Court of Virginia, students are divided into groups to discuss different factual scenarios with attorneys, judges, and law enforcement officers assigned to their specific group.
Contact: Breanna N. [email protected]
Drew D. [email protected]
Daniel [email protected] WILLS FOR HEROESIn response to the events of September 11, 2001, the Young Lawyers Division of the South CarolinaBar Association created a program called Wills for Heroes to allow the legal community to show its appreciation for the efforts and sacrifices made by firefighters, police, sheriffs and emergency medical technicians. This committee, in conjunction with VBA-YLD, has developed and implemented a program in the Commonwealth to provide simple wills, advanced medical directives, and powers of attorney to First Responders on a pro bono basis.
Contact: Jonas [email protected]
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE PROFESSIONThis commission was formed to assess current programs and to develop new programs to address the particular issues facing women and minority
INV
OLV
EM
EN
T G
UID
EY
LC
20
17--2
018
Involvement Guide 2017--2018
page 12 • Docket Call • Fall 2017
INV
OLV
EM
EN
T G
UID
EY
LC
20
17--2
018
young lawyers. The committee provides teleconferences and podcasts with prominent speakers on topics relevant to young lawyers.
Contact: Victoria [email protected]
DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES In 2016, the YLC updated the former circuit representatives with a District Representative program. This network is designed to meet three objectives: 1- to provide a liaison between practicing young lawyers on the local level and the Young Lawyers Conference Board of Governors; 2- to promote statewide communication and participation among young lawyers in the projects and activities of the YLC; and 3- to increase the quantity and quality of public service legal programming throughout the Commonwealth. The primary responsibility of each District Representative is to organize and carry out an annual project for young lawyers in his or her judicial district. These projects have ranged from CLE programs to community service programs to YLC membership projects. If you are interested in becoming a District Representative or assisting with any of the projects of the YLC, please contact any YLC Board Member or your District Representative.
FIRST DISTRICTJudicial Circuits 1, 3, 5, 7, 81 - City: Chesapeake3 - City: Portsmouth5 - Cities: Franklin & Suffolk
Counties: Isle of Wight & Southampton7 - City: Newport News8 - City: Hampton
Contact: Carteia V. [email protected]
SECOND DISTRICTJudicial Circuits 2, 42 - City: Virginia Beach Counties: Accomack & Northampton4 - City: Norfolk
Contact: Rachel F. [email protected]
THIRD DISTRICTJudicial Circuits 6, 11, 12, 13, 146 - Cities: Emporia & Hopewell Counties: Prince George, Surry, Sussex, Greensville, & Brunswick11 - City: Petersburg Counties: Amelia, Dinwiddie,
Nottoway, Powhatan12 - City: Colonial Heights County: Chesterfield13 - City: Richmond14 - County: Henrico
Contact: Amber L. [email protected]
Danielle B. [email protected]
FOURTH DISTRICTJudicial Circuits 17, 1817 - City: Falls Church County: Arlington18 - City: Alexandria
Contact: Allison [email protected]
Clarissa K. [email protected]
FIFTH DISTRICT Judicial Circuits 19, 3119 - City: Fairfax County: Fairfax31 - Cities: Manassas & Manassas Park County: Prince William
Contact: Krista N. [email protected]
Matthew C. [email protected]
SIXTH DISTRICTJudicial Circuits 9, 159 - City: Williamsburg Counties: York, James City, Charles City, New Kent, Gloucester, Matthews, Middlesex, King William, King & Queen15 - City: Fredericksburg Counties: King George, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Caroline, Hanover, Westmoreland, Richmond, Essex, Lancaster & Northumberland
Contact: Benjamin A. [email protected]
SEVENTH DISTRICTJudicial Circuits 16, 20, 2616 - City: Charlottesville Counties: Madison, Greene, Albemarle, Fluvanna, Goochland, Louisa, Orange, & Culpeper20 - Counties: Loudon, Fauquier, & Rappahannock26 - Cities: Harrisonburg & Winchester Counties: Frederick, Clarke, Shenandoah, Page, Rockingham, Warren
Contact: Lindsay J. Mohler [email protected]
Rachel [email protected]
EIGHTH DISTRICTJudicial Circuits 23, 2523 - Cities: Roanoke & Salem Counties: Roanoke25 - Cities: Covington, Lexington, Staunton, Buena Vista, Clifton Forge, Waynesboro Counties: Highland, Augusta, Rockbridge, Bath, Alleghany, Botetourt, Craig
Contact: VACANT
NINTH DISTRICTJudicial Circuits 10, 21, 22, 2410 - Counties: Appomattox, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Halifax, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, &Prince Edward21 - City: Martinsville Counties: Patrick & Henry22 - City: Danville Counties: Pittsylvania & Franklin24 - Cities: Lynchburg& Bedford
Counties: Nelson, Amherst, Campbell, & Bedford
Contact: Dayna [email protected]
TENTH DISTRICTJudicial Circuits 27, 28, 29, 3027 - City: Galax & Radford Counties: Pulaski, Wythe, Carroll, Grayson, Montgomery, Floyd, Giles, Bland28 - City: Bristol Counties: Smyth & Washington29 - Counties: Giles, Bland, Tazewell, Buchanan, Russell, Dickenson30 - City: Norton Counties: Wise, Scott, Lee
Contact:Meghan K. [email protected]
If you are interested in becoming a District Representative or assisting with any of the projects of the YLC, please contact any YLC Board Member or your District Representative.
A full listing of volunteer opportunities and a volunteer form can be found at http://www.vsb.org/site/conferences/ylc/getting-involved
Involvement Guide 2017--2018
page 13 • Docket Call • Fall 2017
INV
OLV
EM
EN
T G
UID
EY
LC
20
17--2
018
District Rep Liaisons: 1st District Kristopher R. [email protected]
2nd DistrictShemeka C. [email protected]
3rd DistrictMelissa Y. “Missy” [email protected]
4th DistrictLaura M. O’[email protected]
5th DistrictJennifer A. [email protected]
6th DistrictJoshua M. [email protected]
7th DistrictNerissa N. [email protected]
8th DistrictCatherine “Cate” J. [email protected]
9th DistrictHelen [email protected]
10th DistrictRachel [email protected]
If you are interested in becoming
a District Representative or
assisting with any of the projects
of the YLC, please contact any YLC
Board Member or your District
Representative.
YLC Board Liaisons for District Reps:
A full listing of volunteer opportunities and a volunteer form can be found at http://www.vsb.org/site/conferences/ylc/getting-involved
