The Atlanta Lawyer March 2013 | Page 19

section update their firm’s commitment. This benefit is shown by the fact that lawyers who join and actively participate in the acYl continue their involvement and lead the bar, the profession and the community. additionally, the acYl’s former active members include atlanta bar presidents, judges and the most distinguished members of our profession. to help our members achieve their potential, we gear our programs specifically for the younger lawyer and provide numerous opportunities for leadership and professional development. Just to name a few, these programs include: • Numerous ACYL-sponsored CLEs and training opportunities throughout the year for lawyers in every area in practice, including the beer & cle life of a trial and life of a Deal seminars; • Free monthly happy hours for networking with other members; • ACYL Mentoring Breakfast Meetings, which provide members an opportunity to meet experts and other younger attorneys and to discuss various issues commonly faced by younger lawyers in the beginning of their legal careers; and • Ability to participate in and help plan various fundraising events for charities, including the annual associates’ campaign for legal services and the not-to-be-missed Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation’s annual Wine tasting event. As it pertained to the firms and legal organizations, we believe one of the more salient selling points was that as all their younger attorneys were already members of the big bar, the annual cost to join would only be $15 for first-year-in-practice The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association lawyers, and $25 for age 36 or less as well as those who have been in the practice of law for three years or less. Because membership in the ACYL benefits and appeals to not only younger lawyers, but also the firms at which they work, we have already had eight Atlanta-area law firms and legal organizations agree to be part of our 100% club: • The Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation • Bondurant Mixon & Elmore, LLP • Fellows LaBriola, LLP • Hawkins & Parnell, LLP • Hunton & Williams LLP • Scoggins & Goodman, PC • Stites & Harbison, PLLC • Strickland Brockington Lewis LLP We thank these founding firms for their support and, as a result of their participation, they will be recognized for their commitments in not only this newsletter, but also in subsequent acYl mailings and at a future acYl-sponsored event. We would love to have more firms, or even individual younger attorneys join our ranks. if you would like more information about how to join, other benefits of membership, or have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or any other member of our board. a complete list of our board members, additional information about the ACYL, and instructions on how to join (even if your firm is not participating in our 100% club effort) are provided on our website (http://www.atlantabar.org/displaycommon. cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=12). thanks again for a great 2012 atlanta lawyers! ■ march 2013 ThE aTLanTa LaWYEr 19