YLD e-Blast: December 2020

By Christina Cress and Claire O’Brien

Dates to Know

Jan. 21-22, 2021 | Corporate Counsel Section Annual CLE | 8:55 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. (both days)
Jan. 28, 2021 | Law Student Networking Event | 5–6 p.m.
Jan. 29, 2021 | Insurance Law Section CLE & Annual Meeting | 8:25 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Feb. 4, 2021 | Antitrust & Complex Business Disputes Law Section CLE | 7:55 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Feb. 11, 2021 | Mingling with Membership: Crafting Enforceable Settlement Agreements at Mediation: Paths and Pitfalls | 4–5 p.m.
March 11, 2021 | Mingling with Membership: Movies About the Law | 4–5 p.m.

Committee and Section Updates 

Civic Engagement Committee – 2020 Election Post-Mortem Panel

The NCBA YLD Civic Engagement Committee is planning to host its next panel, a 2020 Election post-mortem, during the second week of January, 2021 (exact date and time TBD, but it likely will be either January 13 or 14). The panel will feature pollsters, academics, and others from the political sphere to discuss the results, including a look at what surprised them, what the pollsters got right, and what the candidates did wrong. There may even be a few early predictions regarding the next campaign cycle that is already getting underway! Please plan to join us for this exciting virtual panel and be on the lookout for more details to come soon!

Communications Committee – “Getting Creative During Quarantine” Writing Competition

The NCBA YLD Communications Committee is excited to announce its 2021 writing competition, “Getting Creative During Quarantine!” You won’t want to miss this opportunity for imaginative self-expression during an extraordinary time, in the context of a friendly competition among the YLD community! Each winner will receive a gift basket and will have their piece published on the NCBarBlog. Additional details, including deadlines and other rules for the competition, will be announced via the NCBarBlog during the first week of January, so be on the lookout for a blog post!

Insurance Law Section – CLE Program and Annual Meeting

The NCBA Insurance Law Section will host its annual CLE program and Annual Meeting on January 29, 2021. The section’s CLE will be livestreamed and will include a wide variety of informative and timely insurance law topics, including preparation and trial of bad faith cases, insurance claims arising from COVID-19 related losses, and choice of law issues. It will also include presentations on Remote/Virtual proceedings in the era of COVID-19. This year’s CLE has been approved for 6.75 MCLE hours, including 1.0 credit hour of Ethics/Professional Responsibility, 1.0 credit hour of Substance Abuse/Mental Health, and 1.0 credit hour to satisfy the Technology requirement. For more information and to register, click here.

Law Student Outreach Committee – Grab a Coffee Program

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 only a one-time commitment of 30 minutes of your time but 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.

Law Student Outreach Committee – Recorded Panel

On Dec. 14, the Law Student Outreach Committee hosted a virtual statewide panel entitled “Beyond the Law Firm: Exploring Alternative Legal Careers.” The panelists explained their current positions and the career paths that lead them there. Panelists included Ashley Hilliard, Tax Research Analyst at Avalara; Victoria Bennett, Clinical Sourcing Associate and Negotiator for Study Drug Logistics at Covance; and Joanna Spruill, Former Director of Privacy Compliance at WakeMed. Matt Meinel, Consultant at Berkeley Research Group moderated the discussion. Anyone who missed the live event can watch the recorded panel discussion below.

Law Week and Liberty Bell Committee

The YLD’s Law Week and Liberty Bell Committee is gearing up to start preparing for Law Day in May 2021! The Committee is currently looking for additional volunteers to help with these efforts. If you enjoy working with kids ranging from elementary to high school age, this is the committee for you! The Committee welcomes new ideas and is excited about the meaningful opportunity to help the next generation understand the importance of their voice. There are several subcommittees, including: (1) Poster Competition; (2) Essay Competition; (3) Moot Court Competition; (4) Liberty Bell; and (5) McIntyre Award.

In addition to seeking volunteers, the Committee would like to alert all YLD members that in the upcoming weeks, it will be posting announcements for each competition. All YLD members are encouraged to share these announcements with colleagues, family, friends, and on social media. These could be great activities to do over the winter break! Finally, the Committee also will need volunteer judges and timekeepers for the upcoming Moot Court Regional Competition in March. Check back soon for dates and more information. If you have any questions or want additional information on how to get involved, please reach out to Sidney Thomas or William Walton.

Legal Feeding Frenzy

The NCBA YLD Legal Feeding Frenzy (LFF) is an annual joint program sponsored by the Office of the Attorney General, NCBA Young Lawyers Division, the North Carolina Bar Foundation, and Feeding the Carolinas. It aims to fight hunger across North Carolina by uniting the legal community in support of local food banks. Mark your calendars for the upcoming LFF, which is scheduled for March 1-31, 2021. Until then, keep in mind that hunger won’t wait for March. Our local food banks are currently struggling to meet increased demand caused by COVID-19. While we all are in the spirit of giving, please consider donating to Feeding the Carolinas or your local FTC food bank this holiday season. If you are well and able, please also consider volunteering. For a special message from Attorney General Josh Stein and Feeding the Carolinas CEO, Mike Darrow, and more information on how you can donate and/or volunteer, click here.

Foundation & Development Committee / Pro Bono Committee

If your NCBA Section or Committee is planning a pro bono or public service project for the 2021-22 bar year, you can apply for an NCBF Endowment grant to request funding to supplement your Section or Division budgets in order to expand scope or add capacity to those projects. Successful applications advance the Foundation’s values of access to justice, volunteer service, civic education, and professionalism.

Please remember that the funding cycle for this new application is for the term of July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022. Applicants should apply for grant funding needed for use within this time frame. The deadline for applications to be submitted is Feb. 1, 2021. Examples of recent grants to NCBA Sections, Divisions, and Committees have included: (1) Education Law Section: Legal Information for Teachers (or LIFT program); (2) YLD: Civic Engagement Project, Law Week, Legal Feeding Frenzy; (3) NCBA: Leadership Academy; (4) Minorities in the Profession Committee: Diversity and Inclusion Symposium; and (5) Antitrust and Complex Business Disputes Section: Privacy Protection Education. Notify your Communities Manager if you would like additional information about applying for an NCBF Endowment grant, and feel free to visit the Endowment Webpage for more information.

Get Involved

Connect with the YLD through the New Online Community Platform

We encourage all YLD members to connect with the YLD through the New Online Community Platform! To learn more about the New Online Community Platform, check out this blog post and these FAQs.

Volunteer with the Young Lawyers Division

We want your talents, energy and viewpoints in the YLD!  Whether your passion is for serving the public, serving the profession, writing articles for publication, improving the administration of justice, building your skills and gaining experience, or helping those in need, we’ve got a role that’s perfect for you!  To get involved and join one of our committees, please review your options and complete this online form. If you have questions about membership or committee participation, please reach out to Administrative Division Director Jonathan Bogues.

NCBA Pro Bono Opportunities

Be sure to check out the exciting pro bono opportunities available across the state! Click here for NCBA/NCBF volunteer opportunities.

BarCARES

COVID-19 has brought about many changes to our everyday lives. Oftentimes, unprecedented changes serve as triggers or stressors. BarCARES is an organization focused on improving the mental health and overall quality of life for NCBA members, local bar groups, and law students, offering no-cost assistance in dealing with personal, family, financial, work, and/or career stressors. Visit BarCARES online or call 800.640.0735 to speak to someone immediately or arrange a telehealth appointment.

NCBA Career Center

Our online career center averages between four to seven new North Carolina jobs a week! Members searching for employment can post their resumes anonymously, and members searching for employees receive a 15% discount on postings! Email questions to Tesha Blancett.

e-Blast Ideas? NCBarBlog Post Ideas? 

If you’d like to see additional or new content in the e-Blast Newsletter or featured on the NCBarBlog, email your YLD Communications Committee Co-Chairs, Christina Cress and Claire O’Brien — they’d love to hear from you!