YLD
President’ s
COLUMN
Kicking Off a New Year
with YLD
Welcome to a new Bar year, everyone! I’ m thrilled to introduce myself as this year’ s President of the Sarasota County Bar Association’ s Young Lawyer’ s Division. For those of you I haven’ t met yet, my name is Jill Bowen, and I’ m a commercial real estate attorney at Berlin Patten Ebling. I’ ve been involved with YLD since I moved to Sarasota in 2019— back when my boss at the time, Morgan Bentley, gave me one simple piece of advice:“ If you’ re going to get involved in anything, your goal should be to eventually become president.” So, here we are!
Over the past six years, I’ ve had the chance to serve on the YLD Board, work alongside passionate and talented young lawyers, and watch this group grow into something truly special. And now, as we kick off the 2025 – 2026 year, I’ m excited to keep that momentum going— with more opportunities to connect, collaborate, and maybe even unwind with a cocktail or two.
Why YLD?
Being a young lawyer can feel like a whirlwind. Whether you’ re fresh out of law school or balancing a growing practice with life at home( I’ m looking at you, fellow parents), it’ s easy to get buried in deadlines and forget the importance of professional community. That’ s where the YLD comes in.
Our division is here to support you. We create space for connection and friendship, provide a platform to grow your leadership skills, and, honestly, we try to make it all a little more fun. Whether you’ re looking to meet people, learn something new, or just get out of the office for an hour, YLD events are designed with you in mind.
by Jill Bowen, Esq. Berlin Patten Ebling, PLLC
Let’ s Get Together— Second Thursdays Are Back!
One of the things I’ m most excited about this year is the return of Second Thursdays, our informal monthly happy hour series. These laid-back socials are a chance to decompress, catch up with familiar faces, and meet new ones in the legal community. No speakers, no agenda— just great company and maybe a drink in your hand. Keep an eye on the SCBA emails for details on where we’ ll be each month.
First Up: The YLD Kickoff Luncheon – September 11
Mark your calendars! Our first official event of the year is the YLD Kickoff Luncheon on Thursday, September 11th. We’ ll gather at lunchtime for a chance to reconnect after the summer and hear a little more about what’ s in store this year. It’ s a great opportunity for new members to get plugged in and for longtime members to get excited about what’ s ahead. I hope you’ ll join us!
10 | THE DOCKET- SEPTEMBER 2025