YLD e-Blast: November 2020

By Christina Cress and Claire O’Brien

Dates to Know

Dec. 10, 2020 | 43rd Annual Bankruptcy Institute | 8 a.m.
Dec. 10, 2020 | Mingling with Membership: Best Practices for Remote Hearings | 4 to 5 p.m.

Committee and Section Updates

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 additional 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, and 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.

Civic Engagement Committee: The NCBA YLD Civic Engagement Committee is planning to host their next panel, a 2020 Election postmortem, in January 2021. 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. Plan to join us for this exciting web panel and be on the lookout for more details to come! If you have any questions, please contact Committee Co-Chairs Bryan Norris and Kevin Sweat.

Bankruptcy Section: The NCBA Bankruptcy Section’s 43rd Annual Bankruptcy Institute is just a few weeks away —Thursday, December 10—and the program is virtual this year and will feature many interesting presenters. Register today!

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 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.

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 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, as well as wellness and substance abuse issues. Be on the lookout for additional information. The Insurance Law Section hopes to see you there in January!

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 per 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!