YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION
Giving thanks for silver linings in 2020
We are all aware that the year
2020 has become synonymous with the bizarre and terrible . You can say “ That ’ s so 2020 ” to anyone and they will understand . So , in a year that includes a global pandemic and murder hornets , among so many more things , what are we thankful for ?
As the YLD President this year , I am thankful for my amazing committees and board members . Despite all the difficulties of this year , they have stepped forward with enthusiasm and created events that are relevant and unique . During the month of October , the Charitable Committee , Diversity Liaison Committee , and COVID-19 / Technology Committee ( chaired by Jade Davis , Jill Bowen , and Patrick
Iyampillai , respectively ) teamed up with the Multicultural Health Institute to host a mask drive for those who are disproportionately affected and without access to PPE . The Social Committee chaired by Warren Chin is hosting a virtual wine tasting in the month of November . The Health and Wellness Committee chaired by Yuliya Swaim will have a virtual lunch event with a professional nutritionist educating us on the connection between our food
YLD PRESIDENT ’ S COLUMN
Sara Castro , Esq . Farr , Farr , Emerich , Hackett , Carr , & Holmes , P . A .
YLD Board of Directors 2020 – 2021
President Sara Castro
President-Elect Patrick McArdle
Secretary Caroleen Brej
Treasurer Natasha Selvaraj
Imm . Past President Brian Goodrich
DIRECTORS Warren Chin Jade Davis Alisa Heedy Pamela Hernandez Mallory Moretti Robert Young Frank Malatesta , South County Rep .
COMMITTEES
Social / Events Warren Chin , Chair
Health & Wellness Yuliya Swaim , Chair
Charitable Jade Davis , Chair
Diversity Jill Bowen , Chair
Technology / Membership Patrick Iyampillai , Chair
Education Patrick McArdle , Chair and our wellbeing . And the Social Committee has been holding regular virtual trivia nights hosted by Rob
Young . The first event in the Beyond Lip Service book club and discussion series took place in October , with several judges and attorneys in attendance discussing So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo , and the next installment is already in the works .
On a personal level , I am thankful for silver linings this year . I know to many , this year may have no silver lining , and if that is the case for you , I am so sorry . For many of us , quarantining and simplifying our lives to the essentials has been a useful practice . It has helped us see what is necessary in our lives and what may have just been clutter . It has clarified some of our closest relationships , either giving us time to work on and strengthen them or letting us know that some were never right for us in the first place .
As lawyers we tend to say yes to everything , running from obligation
MEMBERSHIP
Welcome , new members !
to obligation , finding enjoyment where we can along the way . Often , we expect to wait until retirement or at least many years down the line until we slow down to say no when our time would be better spent elsewhere , maybe with family or on our own wellness . This year we all got a glimpse into what that looks like — cutting down on commutes to meetings , attending court with no travel time , and at least temporarily , getting back to the basics personally and professionally . I am hoping this aspect of 2020 stays with us and we start to shift our work-life balance to increase efficiency and eliminate waste at work , leaving more time for life . Maybe as a society and a profession , we can shift the paradigm from exalting the overworked attorney to respecting the attorney who has managed to achieve worklife balance .
On that note , I wish everyone a happy holiday season filled with life ’ s simple pleasures and devoid of anything remotely “ 2020 .”
The following represents each new member ’ s name , law school , year of admission to The Florida Bar , and law firm association .
n John Beggan : Stetson University ; 2015 ; Smith Law Attorneys
n Jomayra Belmonte : Florida A & M ; 2019 ; Department of Children and Families
n Ashley Call : Stetson University ; 2017 ; Hale Law , P . A . n Bryan Ellis : Florida State University ; 2020 ; Richard V . Ellis , P . A . n Tonya Willis Pitts : University of Florida ; 2001 ; Tonya Willis Pitts , P . A . n Kimberly Rubino : Stetson University ; 2017 ; Farr Law Firm
Affiliate Members n Johanna Bradley : Bentley & Bruning , P . A . n Victoria Engel : Bentley & Bruning , P . A . n Susan Janowski : Farr Law Firm n Laura Morris : Bentley & Bruning , P . A . n Tonya Ortiz : Michael J . Belle , P . A .
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