ABA YLD

By: Victor A. Flores (TYLA ABA YLD District 25 Representative)

From October 20-22, members of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (YLD) met in Detroit, Michigan, for the 2016 Fall Conference.

The conference kicked off with the ABA YLD Council Meeting where district representatives from across the country discussed current and future YLD programs. The council’s next meeting will run concurrent with the ABA Midyear Meeting (February 2017 in Miami, Florida). 

The October Fall Conference offered multiple CLEs that covered, among other topics, Lessons from Detroit: Municipal Bankruptcy and its Implications; Women in Politics/Women in Leadership; and Work Life Management: Lawyering and Living. During the Work Life Management CLE, Tish Vicent (MSW, J.D., LMSW—program administrator for the State Bar of Michigan Lawyers and Judges Assistance Program) encouraged attendees to consider the following:

1.    Consider what you are saying “no” to by saying “yes.”

2.    Identify priorities (remembering that priorities change over time).

3.    Have positive escapes (working out; get off the grid—detach from e-devices; and meditation).

4.    Either work or do “house stuff” but don’t do both at the same time.

5.    It’s not “time” management but “activity” management.

There was even some fun as everyone connected at Dinner Dance – Jerseys & Jams at the Detroit Golf Club where the TYLA Executive Committee represented Motown (men donned fedora hats and skinny ties and women showcased matching glitzy gold dresses, white gloves, and matching white feather boas).

Most importantly, on Saturday morning at the Affiliate Showcase and Breakfast, TYLA President Sam Houston and Chair Zeke Fortenberry shared three of TYLA’s most important initiatives this year: Vote America!; Strength in Unity; and the Sexual Assault Survivor’s Guide.

The Fall Conference provided an opportunity to learn what other young lawyers are doing across the country. However, the greatest joy was sharing with other attendees the amazing projects TYLA continues to roll out every month.