YLD e-Blast: October 2020

By Christina Cress and Claire O’Brien

Dates to Know

October 23, 2020 | Durham County (16th Judicial District Bar) Virtual Swearing-In | 9:30 a.m.

October 29, 2020 | Mecklenburg County (26th Judicial District Bar) Virtual Swearing-In | 2 p.m.

November 12, 2020 | YLD Virtual Trivia Night | 6:15 p.m.

Committee and Section Updates

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.

Civic Engagement Committee: On Friday, October 16, the YLD’s Civic Engagement Committee held an engaging and informative virtual panel discussion titled “Messaging Pointers and Media Pratfalls: Insight on Effective Campaign Communication.” Featuring moderator Billy Warden of the PR and advocacy firm GBW Strategies, young lawyers had the opportunity to listen to and learn from a slate of distinguished journalists, PR professionals, and lobbyists, namely: Andy Specht of Politifact and WRAL; Jonah Kaplan of WDTV; Bryan Lewis and Skye David of New Frame, LLC; and Brandy Bynum Dawson of the NC Rural Center. If you missed your chance to hear from the panel on how to be an effective legislative advocate, prep for interviews as a political candidate, and other helpful tips on navigating the world of media, politics, and public relations, we have good news – thanks to Cheyenne Merrigan, NCBA Communities Manager, and the North Carolina Bar Foundation, you can watch a recording of the program here.

If you’d like to provide constructive feedback on the panel, positive or negative, please contact Committee Co-Chairs Bryan Norris and Kevin Sweat. And keep an eye out for future panels from the Committee following the upcoming general election!

Law Student Outreach Committee Event – Virtual Wellness Panel: Wake Forest School of Law students are invited to join us for a Virtual Wellness Panel at 12 p.m. on October 26. This panel will feature practitioners and a representative from BarCARES who will discuss mental health and provide tips on alleviating stress while preparing for the Bar Exam. For more information or to volunteer for this event, please contact [email protected].

Bar Exam Committee Event – Virtual Bar Exam Prep Panel: Elon Law School students are invited to join us for a Virtual Bar Exam Prep Panel at 6:30 p.m. on November 4. This panel will feature practitioners and possibly representatives from the N.C. Board of Law Examiners (“NCBLE”) who will provide tips and insights on Bar prep during COVID-19. Panelists will discuss the latest updates from NCBLE regarding the February Bar examination administration, preparation strategies for the exam, wellness tips during studying, and study suggestions for Bar takers in 2021. For more information, please contact Tae Storr. If you’re interested in volunteering as a panelist, please contact Whitney Hosey.

Law Student Outreach Committee – Recorded Panels: On October 2, the Law Student Outreach Committee hosted a virtual statewide panel entitled “What I Wish I Had Known in Law School.” The panelists provided law students with tips that would allow them to succeed in their studies while making the most of their law school experience. Panelists included Andrew Atkins, Attorney at Smith Anderson, Sarah Jessica Farber, Ombudsman to the NC State Crime Lab, and Jazemine McSween, Managing Partner at The Law Offices of J.Y. McSween. Kayla Britt, law clerk to the Honorable Reuben F. Young, moderated the discussion. Anyone who missed the live event can watch the recorded panel discussion here.

On October 7, the Law Student Outreach Committee hosted a virtual panel at UNC School of Law entitled “Finding that First Job and Setting Yourself Up for Success.” The panelists discussed strategies and tips for finding a job after graduation. Panelists included Sarah Burnick and William Harrison, Assistant District Attorneys for the Alamance County District Attorney’s Office, Jane Paksoy, Counsel for IQVIA, and Kandace Watkins, Assistant General Counsel for Self-Help Credit Union. Matt Meinel, privacy & data protection consultant at Berkeley Research Group, moderated the discussion. Anyone who missed the live event can watch the recorded panel discussion here.

Administrative Law Section and Government & Public Sector Section Joint CLE – Law in the Time of Corona: The NCBA Administrative Law Section and Government & Public Sector Section jointly invite you to join them for a 6.0-hour CLE via live webcast on Friday, November 20. The year 2020 has seen government, public sector, and administrative lawyers at the epicenter of adapting and improvising to reestablish stability in unstable times. Attorneys’ knowledge, experience, creativity, and flexibility have been tested in response to the pandemic, protests, and other public crises that have arisen. Join those who have been in the midst of these changes as we discuss the constitutional, statutory, and regulatory law on protests, public meetings, curfews, police responses, privacy rights in a pandemic, the exercise of executive authority for public health, declared states of emergency, limits to access and “freedom,” and constraints on the public and public employees and officials created by this new normal known as virtual or remote meetings. This CLE is Current Events 101! Or, evolving law. Click here to see the agenda and register for this exciting, day-long CLE program.

Workers’ Compensation Section – Panel on Tips and Considerations for WebEx Hearings: The NCBA Workers’ Compensation Section invites all YLD members to join them for a presentation at 4 p.m. on Thursday, October 22, regarding practical tips and considerations for WebEx hearings. The North Carolina Industrial Commission’s Deputy Commissioner Kevin Howell will be presenting, and the discussion and Q&A to follow will be moderated by Workers’ Compensation Section Chair, Barry Jennings. This event is free; please note it has not been approved for CLE credit. Registration at least one day prior to the event is required.

Bankruptcy Section: The NCBA Bankruptcy Section invites YLD members to attend its 43rd Annual Bankruptcy Institute, a one-day event on December 10, 2020, that will be hosted virtually this year. Any young or new attorneys interested in learning more about bankruptcy may find this useful.

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!

Law Week and Liberty Bell Committee – Law Day 2021: The NCBA Law Week and Liberty Bell Committee is gearing up to start preparing for Law Day in May 2021! We are currently looking for additional volunteers to help us with this effort. If you enjoy working with kids ranging from elementary-age to high school age, this is the committee for you! We welcome new ideas, and this is a fantastic 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. If you have any questions or would like additional information on getting involved with our committee, please reach out to Sidney Thomas or William Walton.

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 Christina Cress or Claire O’Brien – they’d love to hear from you.