YLD e-Blast: February 2021

By Christina Cress and Claire O’Brien

Dates to Know

Feb. 26, 2021 | YLD Pro Bono Panel | 11 a.m.

Feb. 26, 2021 | Legal Feeding Frenzy Virtual Kickoff Event

Feb. 28, 2021 | Deadline to Submit YLD Writing Competition Entry | 5 p.m.

March 3, 2021 | Mentoring Diverse Lawyers: We All Rise Together | noon

March 11, 2021 | Mingling with Membership: Discussing My Cousin Vinny | 4 to 5 p.m.

March 18, 2021 | Estate Planning Section CLE | 8:55 a.m. to 4:10 p.m.

Committee and Section Updates

Legal Feeding Frenzy

The NCBA YLD Legal Feeding Frenzy (LFF) is coming up soon (March 1-31, 2021)! Registration opened on February 19th and there will be a virtual kickoff event on February 26th. Teams that register for LFF before March 1 will receive 1,000 bonus pounds! Check out the LFF website for more information and email Erin Ball if you have any questions.

Pro Bono Committee – YLD Pro Bono Day

The YLD Pro Bono Committee will be hosting an inaugural YLD Pro Bono Day on Friday, February 26. The day will consist of a panel discussion in the morning, including the following panelists: the Honorable Judge Richard Dietz, NC Court of Appeals; the Honorable Judge Linda Stephens, former NC Court of Appeals judge; Troy Shelton, attorney at Fox Rothschild LLP; and Evin Grant, Assistant Dean of Student Life and Pro Bono Opportunities at Campbell Law School. The discussion will encompass the importance of pro bono, including how the panelists are making a difference through their pro bono work and how pro bono benefits different communities. All YLD and NCBA members are encouraged to attend the panel discussion to learn how they can make a difference in their own communities. If you would like to sign up for the clinic, please contact Samantha E. Gordon or Nisel Desai.

Communications Committee – “Getting Creative During Quarantine” Writing Competition

The YLD’s 2021 Writing Competition, “Getting Creative During Quarantine,” ends soon! YLD members are invited to submit an original piece of creative writing in one of two broad categories: (1) Inspirational experiences, thoughts, reflections, and lessons learned; or (2) Challenges faced personally and/or your perspective on those faced by society at large. The subject matter should be at least loosely related to COVID-19; however, it need not be law related. Entries can be fiction or nonfiction and should be written in accordance with the rules set forth here. The deadline for submission is February 28, 2021!

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 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 Week and Liberty Bell Committee

The YLD’s Law Week and Liberty Bell Committee is gearing up to start preparing for 2021 Law Day on Friday, May 7, 2021. Please be on the lookout for updates on the virtual luncheon. The committee hosts five competitions that bring together teachers, students, attorneys, and law students across the state. This year’s Law Day theme is Advancing the Rule of Law Now. YLD members are encouraged to share this information with teachers, parents, and students in your area. For more information and to access registration forms for each of the below events, please click here. A brief description of each competition follows:

• Liberty Bell: The Liberty Bell award is one of the most prestigious awards a North Carolinian can receive. The award is given to individuals who have made significant contributions or exemplify lifelong service to the law in North Carolina. Past recipients have included prominent lawyers, judges, and legislators. To be considered for the Liberty Bell award, a person must be nominated and once all nominations are received, the Law Day Committee will determine the winner. The deadline for Liberty Bell nominations is March 19, 2021. For more information, please contact Vince Walton or Madison Alligood.

• McIntyre Award: The NC Bar Foundation’s McIntyre Youth Leadership Challenge allows middle and high school students to develop plants to help their communities and share those plans through public speaking on citizenship. Finalists are invited to attend the Law Day Celebration and the first-place winner will have a $1,000 donation made in the student’s honor to an organization that addresses the issue the student identified through the program. Students will need to sign up by February 26, 2021 through the competition website, and competition materials will be due later this spring. Please share with any students, educators, and/or parents you may know! For more information, please contact Ashle Page.

• Essay Competition: The Law Day Essay Contest is a fun and challenging experience for North Carolina middle and high school students and their respective schools. Three prizes will be awarded in each category this year. Essays must be postmarked on or before March 2, 2021, and entries should be mailed or emailed to YLD c/o Kayla Russell, Spilman Thomas & Battle, PLLC, 110 Oakwood Drive, Suite 500, Winston-Salem, NC 27103. For more information, please contact Kayla Russell.

• Poster Competition: The Law Day Poster Art Contest is a fun and challenging experience for North Carolina students in 3rd through 5th grade and their respective schools. Three prizes will be awarded for each category this year. Posters must be postmarked on or before March 6, 2021, and entries should be mailed or emailed to YLD c/o Kayla Russell, Spilman Thomas & Battle, PLLC, 110 Oakwood Drive, Suite 500, Winston-Salem, NC 27103. For more information, please contact Kayla Russell.

• Moot Court Competition: The Moot Court Competition brings together middle and high school students for a chance to take on real-life legal scenarios and to showcase their preparation, logical reasoning, and oral advocacy skills. These students argue in front of volunteer attorneys, and those that reach the final round have a chance to present their argument to appellate justices and judges on the N.C. Supreme Court and N.C. Court of Appeals, respectively. This year’s regional competition will be held virtually on Saturday, March 20, 2021. This will be a wonderful opportunity for students to showcase their skills and network with law students, attorneys, and judges, in addition to learning more about the law and what it means to join the legal field. Moot court teams must register by February 28, 2021. For more information, please contact Kadija Locklear.

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 February 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.

The NC Bar Foundation’s Jane B. Weathers Lawyers Helping Lawyers Fund was established to provide small grants to members of our profession who are experiencing financial hardship due to difficult circumstances, including medical, personal, or professional challenges. Applications to the Fund are reviewed quarterly and the deadlines for consideration are: March 15, June 15, September 15, and December 15. Applications are reviewed anonymously by members of the NC Bar Foundation Endowment Committee. For more information, please email [email protected].

Wellness Committee

As a part of the YLD’s Wellness Month in January, Dr. Richard Hicks, Executive Director of HRC, and Brett Bowers, NCCU Director of Wellness, gave a great presentation titled “Hidden Burdens: Mental Health in the Legal Profession.” During this presentation, they shared therapist reflections on the human impact of legal practice. They also explored mental health trends, identified causes and themes, offered helpful strategies for supporting a healthy emotional life, and spoke about the BarCARES program. If you would like to watch the presentation, it can be viewed here.

Law Student Committee

On January 21, Brian Clemmons, a past interviewer, spoke to members about “Mastering the Interview: Common Questions about the Bar Exam Interview.” During his presentation, Brian discussed the ins and outs of the Bar exam interview, how best to approach the interview process, what to wear, and what to expect as you continue to prepare for your interview. If you would like to view the presentation, it can be found here.

Construction Law Section

The YLD Committee of the Construction Law Section is planning a virtual Lunch & Learn series titled “Everything I Ever Wanted to Know About ________ But Was Afraid to Ask.” For each Lunch & Learn, the YLD Committee will host a Construction Law Section member to present on and answer questions about a specific topic critical to the construction law practice. The first Lunch & Learn will take place in April (exact date TBD). “Everything I Ever Wanted to Know About Claims of Lien on Real Property But Was Afraid to Ask” will focus on, among other things, relevant definitions, the rights of general and sub-contractors and/or suppliers, the impact of recent case law on claims of lien, and the proper process for noticing and filing claims of lien on real property. The presentation will last approximately 40 minutes, followed by approximately 20 minutes to allow members in attendance to ask questions about the topic of the day. Be on the lookout for more information, and if you have any questions, contact Keith A. Boyette.

Solo, Small Firm & Tech Section

The Solo, Small Firm, and Tech Section will meet the last Thursday of each month over Zoom at noon. This will be an open forum to talk about uses of Clio, and questions and information sharing among peers. For those who have joined thus far, this seems to have been time well spent! The Zoom link does not change from month to month. This month, the group will meet on Thursday, February 25, at noon. If you know someone who might be interested, please feel free to forward the Zoom information to them. If you have specific topics that you would like to address, please let Manisha P. Patel know.

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!