As an NCBA Law Student Representative for North Carolina Central School of Law this year, I appreciated the YLD Law Student Outreach Committee hosting “Salary Negotiations 101 with Karen Chopra” on November 1. If you missed the event, I encourage you to view the recording here.
As a non-traditional law student with a background in Human Resources, I can attest that Karen did not hold back in sharing valuable information on salary negotiations. Some of the key takeaways from the presentation include:
Efficiency is a lawyer’s best friend. Below you will find a cheat sheet with information and resources you need to apply for admission to the United States District Courts of North Carolina, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States, with links to the various courts’ websites.
Before you begin digging through the requirements, you should verify whether your employer is willing to handle the application process and/or pay the fees on your behalf. Also, you must be a member of the Supreme Court of North Carolina (or another state) for three years before you can apply for admission to the Supreme Court of the United States.
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 YLD2021-12-20 09:28:242023-09-08 16:08:47How to Apply for Admission to Federal Courts
It’s that time of year again – when the library becomes your second home, caffeine becomes your best friend, and many, many law students become acquainted with high stress and anxiety. You guessed it: it is exam season.
This is my third exam season, and as I look back on my first exam season, I did practically everything wrong. No, not in my studying, but in the way I let the stress of exams control my life. I studied all day, every day, making no time for myself. Law school’s practical reality is that exams require daily hard work for many hours, but that should never mean sacrificing your mental health and overall well-being.
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 YLD2021-12-15 15:45:392021-12-20 11:31:43Managing Stress During Final Exams
As the year is winding down and finals time is fast approaching, it is very easy to get so lost in the pressure and stress of wanting to do well on final exams that we forget to take care of ourselves. Now, I’ve found this to be a common theme amongst my fellow law students, and it is completely understandable. We spend weeks on top of weeks reading, outlining, and studying, with the goal of doing exceptionally well on the final exam. We’re working towards achieving large goals and fulfilling dreams of graduating from our respective institutions and having a large impact on our communities. However, with such large goals, some things can get overlooked, such as getting rest, communicating with friends and family, and putting our mental health first.
It is hard to believe we are almost halfway through the 2021-2022 bar year. COVID-19 surges and related precautionary measures prevented us from engaging with our members in person during the first half of this bar year, but we are optimistic that the signs point to a rounding of the corner. As you may have heard, beginning November 1, 2021, the NCBA went back to hosting some in-person gatherings.
The YLD will take advantage of the opportunity to hold its first in-person council meeting in over 20 months on December 10, 2021 (there is a virtual participation option available). I’m thrilled at the prospect of getting back together with our great leadership team. I know many of our committee chairs are already starting to plan ways to bring in-person programming safely back to our members.
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 YLD2021-12-01 13:44:342021-12-01 13:56:56Get Involved with the YLD
The YLD and the North Carolina Bar Foundation are excited to announce the first-ever YLD Season of Giving Recurring Gift Campaign which kicks off tomorrow on #GivingTuesday (Nov. 30) and runs through noon EST on Dec. 10.
Our aim through this campaign is to increase recurring gifts to the NCBF in a way that’s financially doable for YLD members. We know that as a young lawyer, annual giving can seem financially unfeasible. Starting Nov. 30, a recurring donation as low as $5.00/month (less than your Netflix subscription!) will enter you into a raffle for exclusive prizes. Prize winners will be selected by random daily drawings from all eligible entries. We will select daily prize winners each business day from donations made Nov. 30 through Dec. 10, and then announce two grand prize winners during our quarterly YLD meeting on Friday, Dec. 10.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00Erin Robbinshttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngErin Robbins2021-11-29 11:56:472021-11-29 11:56:47YLD Season of Giving Recurring Gift Campaign
The Elon University Poll is conducting a survey of young lawyers in North Carolina who are in their first ten years of practice to gather information about a variety of topics, including views on the legal profession, running for office, current employment and demographic information. This survey also includes a portion of questions focused on salary and benefits which I suggested and was included by the Elon University Poll staff.
The YLD believes that this survey will serve the profession well, and we encourage YLD members to participate in this survey once they receive the link via email from Elon University Poll. The responses to this survey are voluntary, anonymous, and confidential. Once the poll closes, the results will be shared with YLD members. Our hope is that this information will serve as a benchmark and a tool to help young lawyers advocate for their own compensation, benefits, resources and more within their current workplace or at a future job.
Honoring Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the forefront of our work as an organization. As part of the original purpose of the poll survey, you’ll notice a few important questions.
This Poll Survey features demographics questions regarding race, ethnicity and gender identity. These questions ensure we can (1) identify and assess any racial, gender or other wage gaps within our profession (2) support pay transparency and equity, and (3) promote diversity and inclusion efforts at legal employers.
2021-22 YLD Initiatives
This survey also directly corresponds with other initiatives and programing that the YLD – and specifically the Law Student Outreach Committee – have planned this year. On November 1, the Law Student Outreach Committee hosted a Salary Negotiations 101 event featuring Karen Chopra, LPC, CCC, NCC, founder of ChopraCareers. Karen covered key negotiating concepts, how to handle salary questions in interviews and online applications and how to ensure interviewees get the best deal from their employer. The Law Student Committee is also hosting a Firsthand Experiences with Salary Negotiations event in December that will feature a conversation with two attorneys and a law firm recruiter who will share their firsthand experiences with salary negotiation in the legal field. Be on the lookout for more information coming soon. We hope to see you there!
The American Bar Association reported in 2021 that young lawyers in the United States have an average of $108,000 of law school debt. In an effort to assist those lawyers who have dedicated their practice to public service, North Carolina Legal Education Assistance Foundation is offering public service attorneys the opportunity to apply for loan repayment assistance. Decisions will be based on debt load and income.
The application period closes December 3, 2021!
Before applying, please review the following eligibility requirements:
An applicant must be employed full time in North Carolina in a public interest field.
An applicant must have earned a J.D. degree from an ABA accredited law school and be a licensed member in good standing of the North Carolina State Bar.
Preference will be given to applicants with ten (10) years or less of active practice of law. These ten (10) years need not be consecutive.
An applicant’s Annual Gross Income (AGI) from all sources must not exceed $85,000.00 for a single person or $150,000.00 for a couple (spouses and domestic partners included) in the Adjusted Gross Income category of your most recent income taxes. Line 21 on Form 1040A.
An applicant must currently have at least $10,000.00 remaining in law school debt.
If you meet the above eligibility requirements, this link will bring you to the application page for NC LEAF: https://ncleaf.org/apply-now/. Thank you for your service!
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 YLD2021-11-19 16:50:422021-11-19 16:50:42Thank You, Student Loans, For Getting Me Through Law School – I Don’t Think I Can Ever Repay You
New Lawyers in Practice – How-to Guides: The New Lawyers in Practice Committee has created a suite of “how-to” guides, free to NCBA members, to walk new attorneys through basic procedures in various types of law and to serve as a tool for experienced attorneys to brush up on practical skills. Check out the eight guides that the committee has so far and be on the lookout for more coming soon!
By Bryan Howard 
By 
By Shelby Gilmer
By 
By 
By 
By