Vice President   Kristin Zielmanski 

The legal market has changed dramatically in the past several years, with younger lawyers facing the brunt of the challenges presented.  Despite the bleak statistics, the ACYL believes that these challenges can be turned into unique opportunities, and our board has planned an exciting year to help our members navigate a very different environment than that faced by our predecessors. 

The ACYL will sponsor numerous CLEs and training opportunities throughout the year for lawyers in every area in practice.  Our popular Life of a Trial seminar, chaired by Rhani Lott and Matt Pociask, will continue at Manual's Tavern this Fall and will offer younger lawyers everything they needed to know to prepare for their first trial from panels of judges, experienced litigators and younger lawyers who are in the trenches.  This spring will bring an expanded Life of a Deal seminar, chaired by Elizabeth Eager, to introduce transactional (and litigation) attorneys to everything they need to know about overseeing their first negotiation.  Register early for these popular events, which often sell out.  Where else can you learn from some of the most well-respected lawyers in their fields in the casual Beer & CLE atmosphere?

The 2012 ACYL Associates' Campaign for Legal Services begins this week, and will run through October 31, 2012.  The Associates' Campaign is an annual grass-roots campaign comprised of associates at Atlanta-area law firms that aims to raise both awareness of the critical need for pro bono legal services in our community and much-needed funds for those organizations.

The ACYL Section will celebrate the Campaign kick-off at a joint happy hour with the Public Interest Section of the Atlanta Bar on Thursday, July 26, from 5:30-7:30 pm at Ri Ra Irish Pub, 1080 Peachtree Street.  The happy hour is free to all ACYL members ($10 for non-members) and includes free appetizers and two drink tickets.  Representatives of the Campaign's beneficiary organizations will be on hand to discuss their work and answer any questions regarding how to contribute and get involved. 

Contribute to the 2012 Associates' Campaign and
view more information.

The Associates' Campaign for Legal Services will run through October 31, 2011.  As an associate at one of our participating firms, you will receive information from your firm's campaign coordinator.  That doesn't mean you can't contribute if you aren't an associate (that means you, partners) or if your firm is not officially participating.

The Associates' Campaign serves as a clearing house for donations to local organizations that provide direct pro bono legal assistance to individuals or for the benefit of causes that are not otherwise being met.  The Campaign contains at least one organization (if not several organizations) that will appeal to any donor.  We urge you to support more than one beneficiary - the need is great.

Donations may be made online.  We can only accept one donation at a time via the online form, so we encourage you to visit the site more than once to donate to all of the organizations that speak to you.

*August 13, 2012 - 12:00 to 1:00 pm

The ACYL's newly-formed Mentoring Committee was created for the purpose of providing a forum for younger lawyers to meet in groups of 6-12 to discuss and seek advice from one another and potentially some experts about various issues commonly faced by younger lawyers in the beginning of their legal careers. 
Co-chaired by Kristin Zielmanski, of Berman Fink Van Horn, P.C.; Ashten Bailey, of GreenLaw; and Jamie Perez of Holland Roddenbery LLC, the Committee is planning periodic roundtable breakfasts throughout the year for those younger lawyers interested in joining the discussion on topics pertaining to them.  It is also a great opportunity for younger lawyers from different practice areas to network in an informal setting. 

   

 

 

 

Please RSVP to Kristin Zielmanski if you plan to attend any of the meetings.

The Mentoring Committed invites feedback on recommended topics and other ideas to assist younger lawyers in 2013. 

 

Feel free to contact the Mentoring Committee (Kristin Zielmanski, Ashten Bailey or Jamie Perez) with any questions.

On Saturday, June 9, 2012, the Atlanta Council of Younger Lawyers hosted a happy hour at Front Page News in Little Five Points.  The happy hour helped kick off the new bar year and served as a great meeting place prior to LawJam.  After the happy hour, ACYL members headed to the Variety Playhouse for another exciting LawJam.

All proceeds from the happy hour, including donations from attendees, were for the benefit of Atlanta Bar Association partner ServiceJuris.  ServiceJuris Day, coordinated by Hands On Atlanta, is an annual half-day of service in which more than 300 members of Atlanta's legal community contributed their time and money to the Atlanta metro area.  This year ServiceJuris Day was held on June 16, 2012.  (See website for more information).

We hope you will be able to join us at an upcoming happy hour.  Mark your calendar for the last Thursday of every month except November and December and be on the lookout for additional details.