Entries by NCBA YLD

Voices of Democracy: Law Day 2024

By Sidney Thomas and Nicholas Sorensen The American Bar Association hosts Law Day each year on the first Friday in May to celebrate the role of law in our society and to cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal profession. Law Day 2024 will focus on “democracy and encouraging Americans to participate in the 2024 […]

A Letter to My Younger Self

By S. Collins Saint Dear Younger Sully, There’s so much I wish I could share with you, especially about navigating the world as a young attorney. Here are some lessons I’ve learned along the way, including things that have become increasingly important — physical and mental health. Plus, there are some lessons from battles you’ve […]

Clear the Queue

By Brad Piland The holidays and new year can be a time of heightened emotions and contrasting circumstances. Joy and plenty abound alongside anxiety and need. Throughout December and January, the NCBA YLD Pro Bono Committee and the North Carolina Bar Foundation will strive to satisfy one of these needs through the Clear the Queue […]

Ten Key Points to Remember Throughout Your Career

By Mike McIntyre  1. The most important case you have is the one sitting in front of you, because that client is there for that moment, trusting that you are going to invest yourself in his or her case. 2. Your greatest source of referrals is your fellow lawyers. Value your relationship with other members […]

Supporting Lawyer Well-being with Animal Assisted Interventions

By Elizabeth “Brooks” Savage  The legal profession is in the midst of an occupational health crisis — particularly with regard to mental health. In 2016, the American Bar Association founded the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, which subsequently published a report that utilized research from a study of mental health and substance use disorders […]

Mark Your Calendars for This Year’s Giving Tuesday

By Justin Hill The Young Lawyers Division and the North Carolina Bar Foundation are teaming up for the third year in a row to coordinate #GivingTuesday on November 28 and make it another one to remember! For this year, the YLD and NCBF are raising money to fund the NCBF’s civic education and pro bono […]

What Makes a Good Advocate, Lawyer, or Law Clerk?

By Megan Reilly-Dreas In my role as a judicial law clerk, I supervise many law students and am often asked what I believe makes a good lawyer, advocate, or law clerk. Whether you are a 1L beginning to think about summer employment, a newly licensed attorney starting out in the legal profession, or anywhere in […]

Summer Experiences: Advice for the 1L

By Theresa DiCenzo, Kerry Sullivan and Zannah Tyndall As a first-year law student, it is understandable to feel overwhelmed about securing the “perfect” internship or externship for your first summer. There is so much pressure to get valuable experience and boost your resume. However, it’s important to keep things in perspective. The reality is any […]

Summer Experiences: Advice for the 1L

By Theresa DiCenzo, Kerry Sullivan and Zannah Tyndall As a first-year law student, it is understandable to feel overwhelmed about securing the “perfect” internship or externship for your first summer. There is so much pressure to get valuable experience and boost your resume. However, it’s important to keep things in perspective. The reality is any […]

A Letter to My Younger Self

By Kayla Britt Dear 11-year-old Kayla, As you sit in your treatment chair, taking intravenous chemotherapy treatments for 12 hours at a time, watching Mary Kate and Ashley movies and making crafts, fighting the nausea and fatigue, wondering what your future may hold, trust me when I tell you that you will live a “normal” […]