Where Service Becomes Leadership: Pro Bono in the Lives of Emerging Lawyers

Joshua, a Black man with black hair, wears a white shirt and black suit. Isabella, a Hispanic/Latina woman with brown hair, wears a pale blue blouse and black suit. By Joshua Batchelor and Isabella Reed

This spring, the YLD Pro Bono Leadership Cohort came together through a meaningful series of pro bono clinics, civic engagement programs and community-building events across North Carolina. Rather than functioning as isolated service opportunities, these experiences collectively reflected a shared commitment to access to justice and helped participants begin to see pro bono service as something deeper than an obligation, an evolving part of professional identity, leadership and how we show up in the legal community.

Throughout the spring, cohort members engaged in hands-on service, collaborative programming, and informal networking that created space not only for legal impact but also for reflection, relationship-building and professional growth.

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Report From the ABA Midyear Meeting

Chazle, a Black woman with black hair and auburn highlights, wears a blue suit and blazer and a pearl necklace.By Chazle’ Woodley

Happy April All!

As the new Young Lawyer Delegate to the American Bar Association (ABA) House of Delegates, I would like to take this opportunity to provide an overview of the resolutions considered during February’s Midyear Meeting of the ABA House of Delegates in San Antonio, Texas.

The ABA House of Delegates serves as the policymaking body of the ABA. The House is responsible for drafting, debating and voting on resolutions that shape ABA policies regarding both professional and public matters. It represents not only various constituent groups within the ABA but also the broader legal profession, including delegates from state, local, and specialty bar associations. As the ultimate governing authority of the ABA, the House is committed to advancing the legal profession by addressing issues of significance to the legal community and to the law itself. The ABA maintains active policies across a diverse range of topics pertinent to the legal field, many of which have been central to the Association’s advocacy for many years.

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More Than the Law: Why Having Hobbies Helps Lawyers

Courtney, a white woman with light brown hair, wears a dress with a black and white checkered pattern and a black blazer.

By Courtney Latourrette 

The practice of law demands precision, resilience and focus, but we’re at our best when we bring our full selves to the profession. How can we make sure we are at our best? That was the theme of a recent discussion hosted by NCBA YLD joined by NCBA BarCARES President Eric Richardson and members of the NCBA YLD Pro Bono Cohort.

The group explored what hobbies can teach us about being good people — and better legal professionals. From pottery to poetry, marathon running to yoga, the conversation highlighted that growth takes time, both personally and professionally. One participant discussed their passion for making pottery and what it has taught them about resilience and perseverance. Like mastering any craft, building a fulfilling legal career isn’t about instant perfection but about consistency and reflection.

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Building Pathways: Durham County Youth Home and the Future of the Profession

Quinn, a Black woman with curly black hair, wears a white blouse. Alex, a Black woman with black hair, wears a black blouse and a blazer with black and white checks.Joshua, a white man with brown hair and a beard, wears a blue shirt, grey suit and orange and white and blue striped tie.

 

By Quinn Byars, Alex Gwynn and Joshua Peacock

Mentorship, lived experience and service came together last summer to break barriers and expand opportunities for justice-involved youth through the Building Pathways pilot at the Durham County Youth Home. The Durham County Youth Home is a secure juvenile detention facility operated by Durham County, providing temporary custody and care for youth involved in the juvenile justice system while they await court proceedings or case disposition. In addition to structured supervision, the facility offers education, counseling, and supportive programming designed to stabilize youth, foster positive behavioral development, and help them envision a future beyond their current circumstances.

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Women Who Lead: Spotlight on Melissa McKinney

Taylor, a Black woman with black hair, wears a blue and white blouse and black jacket.By Taylor Gibbs 

As winter gives way to the promise of spring, the NCBA Young Lawyers Division’s DEI Committee takes this opportunity to recognize and celebrate Women’s History Month. Alongside International Women’s Day on March 8, this month serves as a time to honor the achievements and contributions of women throughout our nation’s history, reflect on the progress made toward gender equality and acknowledge the work that remains.

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Redefining Resilience: A Conversation with YLD Chair Sheila Spence on Reflections for Women’s History Month

Alex, a Black woman with black hair, wears a black blouse and a blazer with black and white checks.By Alex Gwynn 

Opening Question: Resilience & Motivation

Alex: As we reflect during Women’s History Month, how would you define resilience in your own words, and looking back on your journey through law school into leadership, what feels most meaningful about that time, especially what sustained or motivated you to keep moving forward during such a challenging season?

Sheila, a Black woman with brown hair, wears a white shirt, pale blue suit and pearl necklace and earrings.

Sheila Spence

Sheila: Resilience is the decision to keep showing up, especially when there is no guarantee that showing up will be enough. It is not the absence of fear or doubt. It is moving forward in spite of them, one day at a time.

I dreamed of becoming a lawyer when I was nine years old. That dream did not come with a roadmap, and the path turned out to be harder than I ever anticipated, yet more meaningful because of it. When things got difficult, I kept returning to that original dream and what it meant to me. That was enough to keep me moving.

What feels most meaningful now is not simply reaching this point. It is knowing what it cost to get here, and that I did not give up.

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Making Service Your Professional Identity, Not an Add-On

By Alex Gwynn

For many lawyers, service begins as a requirement and includes pro bono hours, bar expectations and résumé building. Over time, however, service can become something deeper, a professional identity that shapes how we lead, how we practice and how we show up in our communities.

On Saturday, February 28, the Young Lawyers Division (YLD) welcomed 24 members of its inaugural pro bono cohort through a pinning ceremony and oath, civic leadership roundtables and a networking lunch co-sponsored by the Government and Public Sector Section and Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company of North Carolina.

The goal of the pro bono cohort was not simply to host another volunteer opportunity, but to build a culture where pro bono and civic leadership are woven into the professional identities of law students and young lawyers from the very beginning.

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Breaking Barriers: A Conversation with Judge Tia Hudgins Taylor

Taylor, a Black woman with black hair, wears a blue and white blouse and black jacket.Tia, a Black woman with black hair, wears a white blousea nd black jacket.By Taylor Gibbs and Tia Overway

The NCBA Young Lawyers Division’s DEI Committee is proud to celebrate Black History Month. Black History Month is a time to honor the legacy, contributions and excellence of Black lawyers and judges who continue to shape our profession. This moment of reflection also calls us to examine the current landscape of representation within the legal field in North Carolina.

In North Carolina, voluntary demographic data from the North Carolina State Bar shows that African American attorneys make up just over 9% of active survey respondents. While higher than the national average, the number still reflects the ongoing need to support and retain Black legal professionals across the state.[1]

Against this backdrop, the NCBA YLD DEI Committee is honored to shine a spotlight on leaders who are breaking barriers and strengthening the credibility, inclusiveness and fairness of our legal system. This year, we are proud to feature Judge Hudgins Taylor, a devoted public servant and trailblazer whose path to the bench embodies resilience, representation and purpose.

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Resolutions With Results: Kick Off 2026 with YLD’s Legal Feeding Frenzy

Melissa, a white woman with brown hair, wears a green blouse and black blazer. Alex, a white woman with brown hair, wears a white blouse and black blazer. By Marissa Barbalato and Alexandria Tuttle

Each March, the NCBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) partners with Feeding the Carolinas to host the North Carolina Legal Feeding Frenzy, a statewide initiative dedicated to fighting hunger. This friendly competition invites law firms, law schools, sections and legal organizations to collect food and raise funds for local food banks across the state.

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Breaking Barriers Through Connection: How NCBA YLD’s Grab-A-Coffee Program Brings Mentorship to Life

Anna, a white woman with brown hair, wears a black dress and black blazer.Courtney, a white woman with light brown hair, wears a dress with a black and white checkered pattern and a black blazer.By Anna-Jamieson Beck and Courtney Latourrette

For many law students, building a professional network can feel daunting, especially when starting out in a new city or navigating the demanding early years of law school. The North Carolina Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (YLD) Grab-A-Coffee program is helping change that, one conversation at a time.

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