COMMITTEE AND SECTION UPDATES

Bar Exam Committee: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! The February North Carolina Bar Exam for 2020 is quickly approaching and the NCBA YLD Bar Exam greets examinees on the second day as they finish the exam. The Committee provides snacks, a drink, and well wishes to those who finish the exam. You may remember when the Committee congratulated you on finishing!

The Bar Exam Committee needs volunteers at each location to congratulate examinees and hand out food/beverages from approximately 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26. If you are able to volunteer, please contact Marissa Meredith.

Civic Engagement Committee: The Civic Engagement Committee of the YLD will be hosting a “From Attorney to Elected Official” panel on Feb. 20, 2019 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Resident Culture Brewing Company in Charlotte. The panel will feature current and former elected and appointed officials who have also served as attorneys, both in private and government practice. The Civic Engagement Committee would like to thank the Allan Head Fund and the North Carolina Bar Foundation for their assistance and support of this event and the efforts of our committee. Additionally, special thanks to Troutman Sanders, LLP, for their generous donation and underwriting of the Charlotte panel. If you have any questions about the panel, please contact Kevin G. Sweat or Bryan Norris, co-chairs of the Civic Engagement Committee.

Legal Feeding Frenzy: Attorney General Josh Stein will join the YLD at the Raleigh Food Bank to kick off Legal Feeding Frenzy. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Please contact Erin Ball if you would like to sign-up to volunteer. The Legal Feeding Frenzy will host other volunteer events in Charlotte and Winston Salem throughout the month of March. Dates will be released as soon as they are confirmed. If you would like to organize a volunteer event specifically for your firm, organization, or law firm, please contact Erin, and she will connect you with your local food bank’s volunteer coordinator.

Legal Link: SPEAKERS NEEDED! Legal Link has a session coming soon on Feb. 28 at Southern High in Durham to discuss Networking. Legal LINK stands for Leadership, Information, Networking, and Knowledge. This program is designed to increase interest in legal careers among high school students who are underrepresented in the legal profession. Legal LINK consists of one-hour sessions focused on each of the LINK building blocks. If you are interested in speaking, please contact Sheila Spence and Shernika Smith.

Law Day: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! The Law Week Committee is looking for attorneys to volunteer for the NCBA 2020 Law Day Semifinal Moot Court Competition on Saturday, March 28, 2020 at North Carolina Central School of Law in Durham. We are in need of judges and timekeepers. There will be a morning session (8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.) and an afternoon session (12:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.). To volunteer, please send an email to Sidney Thomas, Marissa Meredith, and Andrew Atkins. Please indicate which session you are available for.

Real Property Section: The Real Property Section is partnering with Legal Aid of North Carolina for Legal Aid’s Heir Property Project. The Heir Property Project is a pro bono initiative aimed at assisting low-income North Carolinians who have been adversely impacted by hurricanes and other natural disasters. If you would like to volunteer, sign up on Legal Aid’s website here.

Tax Section: There is ample opportunity for the YLD to get involved with the NCBA Tax Section over the upcoming months. This year is 19th Annual North Carolina/South Carolina/Georgia Tax Section Workshops at Kiawah Island, SC. The live annual meeting/CLE opportunity is from May 22, 2020 to May 23, 2020. In addition to being hosted at the beach, the meeting provides comprehensive instruction for the ever-changing tax controversy and tax planning practice. The opportunity is ideal for any YLD members looking to join and further grasp the diverse practice of “tax” amongst attorneys from North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

If the beach isn’t enticing enough, I want to invite any YLD members interested in attending the upcoming council meeting in March 13, 2020 to attend. This will be held in Charlotte, NC at the Mecklenburg County Bar & Foundation Center (2850 Zebulon Avenue, Charlotte, NC, 28208). The meeting starts at 11:30 a.m. and is always a fantastic opportunity to explore state and local tax issues that impact individuals and businesses alike. The section is continuously looking for ways to increase its outreach while expanding efforts with ongoing projects, such as the Tax Court’s pro bono initiative and North Carolina military VITA training at Fort Bragg. In an effort to expand outreach, a fresh viewpoint from YLD members is always welcomed. For more information, please contact Andrew Darcy.

GET INVOLVED

Connect with the YLD on Slack | SLACK is a collaborative online workspace that encourages our members to stay connected without clogging inboxes with email. It’s a great way to share ideas, ask questions, and learn what the YLD has going on. If you want to learn more about SLACK generally, check out these FAQs. We encourage all YLD members to connect with the YLD on SLACK. To register, please click here to submit your name and your email. Shortly after you complete the form, you will receive an invitation to formally join the #YLD Channel.

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 Brooks Jaffa.

NCBA Pro Bono Opportunities and Training | Be sure to check out the exciting pro bono opportunities available across the state! Click here for NCBA Volunteer Opportunities.

BarCARES | Check out this 8-minute video that BarCARES has released regarding the benefits of BarCARES to young lawyers and law students.

NCBA Career Center | Our online career center averages between four to seven new North Carolina jobs a week! Job seekers can post their resume online and receive weekly email updates on new postings, and employers with an NCBA membership receive a 15 percent posting discount. Email questions to Tesha Blancett.

E-Blast Ideas? | If you’d like to see additional or new content in the E-Blast Newsletter, email Rachel Matesic–she’d love to hear from you!

February 17, 2020/by NCBA YLD