The Young Lawyers Division Bar Exam Committee (“YLD BEC”) exists to assist prospective North Carolina lawyers in applying and sitting for the North Carolina Bar Examination. In this post, the YLD BEC shares important details regarding the upcoming February and July 2021 North Carolina Bar Exams, which, like most things since early 2020, will likely be anything but ordinary.
In addition to the information below, all applicants should thoroughly read all information posted on the website of the North Carolina Board of Law Examiners (NCBLE) (www.ncble.org), as well as the Rules Governing Admission to the Practice of Law in the State of North Carolina and the Character and Fitness Guidelines, both of which can be located on the NCBLE website here.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00NCBA YLDhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngNCBA YLD2020-11-03 11:11:472020-11-03 11:11:47Important Bar Exam Details for February and July Test Takers
As the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, “I tell law students . . . if you are going to be a lawyer and just practice your profession, you have a skill — very much like a plumber. But if you want to be a true professional, you will do something outside yourself . . . something that makes life a little better for people less fortunate than you.”
The National Celebration of Pro Bono Week is October 25-31, and that means it is a week of celebrating pro bono! This pro bono week, I would like to share with you how you can make an impact in your community by providing legal services to those in need. #celebrateprobono Read more
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00NCBA YLDhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngNCBA YLD2020-10-29 14:52:402020-10-29 14:52:40Get Involved: National Pro Bono Week
Membership and Outreach Committee: The YLD’s Membership and Outreach Committee invites you to join us for a virtual trivia night hosted by Sporcle Live Trivia! It will be a great membership engagement/networking opportunity for all YLD members! You can either select your team in advance or be assigned randomly, so there is an opportunity for everyone to spend some time with your colleagues or to get to know someone new. We will also have prizes for the winning team! The event will be held on Thursday, November 12, from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. Zoom information will be sent on November 12 to those who have registered before the registration deadline on November 9. You can register yourself or you can get a group ticket and register up to 6 players. When registering a group, you will be able to search for other members and add them to your team! Registration is limited to 60 people, so sign up today! If you have any questions, please email Cheyenne Merrigan, NCBA Communities Manager.
“Wellness.” “Well-being.” “Mental health.” “Self-care.” With the entirely new way of life that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the world, I have noticed that terms like these are being used more than ever before. This focus may be new to some, but the legal industry is no stranger to never-ending conversations regarding the health and well-being of lawyers.
Indeed, prior to the pandemic, I could not think of the term “wellness” outside of the context of my fledgling career as a young attorney. For me, “wellness” referred to the affirmative actions I could take to protect myself from the stresses and strains that can accompany being a lawyer. For example, instead of installing my work email on my phone, I opted to get a second phone provided by my firm, so that I could have a literal physical boundary between my personal life and the office. So, when the pandemic started, references to mental and physical wellness — from social media posts and employer email blasts, to commercials on TV with the message, “It’s OK to not be OK” — largely fell on my figuratively deaf ears. As a young lawyer, I sometimes feel inundated by sources from both inside and outside the legal field that tell me I must focus on wellness and mental health, or else I will face dire consequences. As a result, when the self-care messaging increased in the wake of COVID-19, I felt that I was already an expert in practicing wellness. I did not believe that this bizarre time brought on by the pandemic would be any more of a challenge to my wellness than the legal industry already poses to it.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00NCBA YLDhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngNCBA YLD2020-10-16 13:50:472020-10-16 14:02:37Rediscovering the Power of Self-Care
Why are you involved in the NCBA? I am involved in the NCBA because I believe it is especially critical that as prospective attorneys, student leaders promote a richer and more effective association that increases the association’s strengths, capabilities, and adaptability. This priority can more effectively address member and societal needs with the varied perspectives, experiences, knowledge, and understanding inherent in diverse coalitions. I want to assume other leadership roles within the organization in the future and believe this opportunity provides me with the experience needed.
What advice would you give to a 1L? Always remember your “why” when challenges arise and let that serve as your guidepost for achieving your potential, growth, and success.
What is your area of practice interest? My area of practice interests are civil rights litigation, constitutional litigation, and appellate litigation.
Why did you go to law school? I pursued law school because I believe the law and advocacy are the most powerful weapons that can be wielded against the inequitable and unjust social conditions harming marginalized groups. I want to serve people in the role of an advocate to promote greater and more equal access to justice.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00Macy Abernethyhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngMacy Abernethy2020-10-12 16:02:572020-10-27 09:54:26Meet Your 2020-21 Law Student Reps
September is Hunger Action Month. People all over the United States stand together with the Feeding America network to fight hunger. It’s a month to spread the word and take action — and, with your help, find a solution to end the hunger crisis.
North Carolina is the 10th hungriest state in the nation. To help our neighbors in need, the YLD’s Legal Feeding Frenzy (“LFF”) Committee partners each year with Feeding the Carolinas to host a month-long food- and fund-drive. This past March, our legal community was able to raise a record-breaking $151,000 or 600,000 pounds of food! With these resources, our local food banks were able to address unprecedented needs that resulted from layoffs, school closures, and other life crises caused by COVID-19. We look forward to kick-starting another record-breaking LFF in March 2021! However, with COVID-19 continuing to rage on, North Carolina has seen a 38% increase in demand at our food banks. Our neighbors and food banks need our help now.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00NCBA YLDhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngNCBA YLD2020-09-29 16:23:402020-09-29 16:23:40A Message from the YLD Legal Feeding Frenzy Committee in Honor of Hunger Action Month!
What You Need to Know About the New Community Platform
This year, the NCBA has switched to a new online community platform. This new community platform for Sections, Divisions and Councils offers many more features than the previous system. Below is a summary of the basics and what you need to know to utilize this platform and its features.
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October 19, 2020 | YLD Professionalism for New Attorneys Social | Zoom | 5:00 p.m.
COMMITTEE AND SECTION UPDATES
Law Student Outreach Committee: The Law Student Outreach Committee of the Young Lawyers Division has temporarily revamped the Grab a Coffee Program (“GAC Program”) into a new virtual networking opportunity! Instead of meeting in person, attorneys and law students will meet virtually via Zoom or other software agreed upon by the attorney and student. The GAC Program is looking for volunteers who are willing to get together virtually with current law students at a time convenient to both parties. This is a great opportunity to connect with a law student and pass on valuable insight you may have about succeeding in law school, passing the bar exam, or entering the practice of law. This is a one-time only commitment of 30 minutes of your time and could have a lasting impact on a student! If you would like to volunteer, please fill out this form (law students can sign up here). Volunteers will be notified by email with more information once they are paired with a law student.
I flunked out of law school in 2014. Now, in 2020, I’m a licensed attorney and a law clerk to the Honorable Reuben F. Young on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. The story of how I got to where I am today is significant and life-changing.
We are more than our setbacks. Those of us who have faced a perceived “failure,” including those who have been academically dismissed or had to sit for the bar exam more than once, should stand just as much of a chance as those who did not. “Qualifications” are extremely important, but seeing a person as more than a resume is important, too.
North Carolina Central University School of Law gave me not one but two chances to achieve my dreams. During my 1L year, I did the required reading and prepared to respond to cold calls, but I did not study effectively for exams. I worked hard but not smart, and I was ultimately dismissed. When I was readmitted to law school in 2016, I was so focused on my grades that I did not build my resume by becoming involved in many student organizations or other extracurricular activities. When it was time to apply for post-graduation jobs, I was just an average candidate, but that did not stop Judge Young from giving me the opportunity of a lifetime. In one hiring decision, he changed the whole trajectory of my career.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00NCBA YLDhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngNCBA YLD2020-09-23 15:40:302020-09-25 16:07:24YLD Member Perspective: A Holistic Approach to Hiring
Welcome to the 2020-21 bar year! I am honored to serve as your Chair this year and look forward to working with you all to make this an impactful, fun and productive year for the YLD.
Our great YLD programs and initiatives are only made possible through the involvement and service of volunteers like you. I would like to invite each of you to sign up to serve on one of our 14 committees. The committees cover a broad array of networking, community service, pro bono and educational programs – there is something for everyone!
The YLD is divided into four Divisions – Bar Outreach, Community Outreach, Civic Engagement & Pro Bono and Law Student Outreach – each led by a Division Director. Our Division Directors have put together short videos highlighting the Committees in their Division and explaining the work those Committees do.
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