The Atlanta Lawyer - Official Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association Nov | Page 31

section update Atlanta Council of Younger Lawyers Section Update By Kristin N. Zielmanski Berman Fink Van Horn P.C. [email protected] O ver the past few months, the Atlanta Council of Younger Lawyers has hosted several successful events. We hope our members have been able to take advantage of some of them. “Opening Statements and Developing Your Case Theme.” We were lucky to have great panelists joining us: Judge Christopher Brasher, John Mayoue, and Lloyd Bell. They shared helpful advice based on their own trial experiences. Mentoring Breakfasts On August 14, 2013, we hosted the first of our monthly Mentoring Breakfasts at J. Christopher’s in Midtown. The topic we focused on was “Valuable Pro-Bono Opportunities for Younger Lawyers.” We were lucky to have Beth Stevens from Atlanta Legal Aid and Tamara Caldas from the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation attend and talk about opportunities for pro bono work for younger lawyers. We held our second Mentoring Breakfast on September 11, 2013 at the State Bar of Georgia where we discussed the topic of “Job Search Tips and Strategies.” Joining us as panelists were Nicole Andres, Managing Director at Major Lindsey & Africa, and Walter Davis, Hiring Partner at Jones Day, who both gave valuable advice for the job seekers. Many impressive students and recent graduates who are still looking for job opportunities attended. If any members of the Atlanta Bar are aware of job opportunities, please consider contacting the Atlanta Council of Younger Lawyers for possible candidates. On October 30, 2013, we held the second installation of this CLE series. Our esteemed panelists, Judge Wes Taylor, Lynn Roberson, and Adam Malone, covered “Direct Examinations and Cross-Examinations of Witnesses” in a very engaging presentation. On October 16, 2013, we hosted a Mentoring Breakfast and focused on “Marketing for Younger Lawyers: Getting Beyond the Elevator Speech.” Bill Barwick of Duane Morris provided some wonderful insight for the large group in attendance. On November 6, 2013, we hosted a breakfast at J. Christopher's in Midtown and were pleased to have Jenny Mittelman from the State Bar's Office of General Counsel join us to discuss “Ethical Issues of Younger Lawyers.” Our final breakfast will be held on December 4, 2013 at the State Bar of Georgia conference center. We will be tackling the issue of annual employment reviews. We will be closing out this series with a discussion of “Closing Arguments.” We are looking forward to Judge Tangela Barrie, Judge Doris Downs, and Bill Hil, joining us as panelists. It should be another great event at Manuel’s Tavern. Happy Hours The ACYL has continued with its monthly happy hours. We held one on August 29, 2013 at Ri Ra to kickoff the Associates’ Campaign for Legal Services annual fundraiser. Our September happy hour was held on September 19, 2013 at TAP in Midtown, and most recently, we hosted our October happy hour at the Monday Night Brewing Company. These are always a great way to get to know other younger lawyers in a relaxed and fun environment. Our next happy hour will not be until January 2014. Pay attention to our upcoming flyers for details. Community Outreach The ACYL is collecting gently worn professional attire for both males and females to donate to Therrell High School. We are excited to take part in helping the students of Therrell. If any anyone has gently used suits or other professional clothing to donate to our clothing drive, please feel free to contact me at [email protected]. Life of a Trial: Beer & CLE Series This fall, the ACYL has also hosted its traditional “Life of a Trial: Beer and CLE” series at Manuel's Tavern. The first of the sessions took place on September 25, 2013, and we covered The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association November 2013 THE ATLANTA LAWYER 31