June/July 2012 - Get Involved in the YLD!
I am honored to serve as the 2012-13 chair of the Louisiana State Bar Association's (LSBA) Young Lawyers Division (YLD). Our Young Lawyers Division Council this year is made up of people who have served for a number of years and others who are new to the council. This mix of people will serve our constituents well for this upcoming year.
This year, we will continue with our traditional programming, including the High School Mock Trial Competition, the Wills for Heroes program (writing wills for first responders at no charge), the Barristers for Boards program (matching young lawyers with nonprofit boards throughout the state) and the Professional Development Seminar at the LSBA Midyear Meeting.
But, be on the lookout for some new programs this year, including a road race in New Orleans in fall 2012 to highlight life/work balance and future joint programs with the Senior Lawyers Division.
We are always looking for new ideas and programs. If you have an idea, email me at the address below. Our programming comes from everywhere - from recommendations of the American Bar Association to a call I received from a young lawyer last week.
Regardless of whether you participate in LSBA events, I encourage you to get involved in your local or specialty bar association. Involvement in bar associations will allow you to meet judges before you interact with them in practice, meet your future opponent in a non-adversarial setting, participate in programs that make your community a better place in which to live, and meet people with similar interests.
The local, specialty and state bar associations ensure that the profession of law remains a profession. The business of law is important, but we must not forget the profession of law. Good business practices and professionalism can go hand in hand, and the bar associations do a great job of helping its members keep the business of law and the profession of law in a symbiotic relationship.
If you have questions about what the YLD or the LSBA does and how it benefits you, or if you would like to get involved with the YLD this year, email me at
lcentola@mbfirm.com.
I would like to thank our 2011-12 YLD Chair Shayna L. Sonnier from Lake Charles. Shayna did a wonderful job of keeping the council on task, and the successes of last year must be credited to her leadership. I look forward to her assistance throughout this year.
If I can be of any help to you this year, do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to working with the YLD Council, the Board of Governors, the entire LSBA and all of the young lawyers on a fulfilling Bar year.