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TYLA Annual Report: A Birthday Celebration
By: Shivali Sharma

This year’s Texas Young Lawyers Association Annual Meeting marked eighty years of dedicated service since the establishment of the organization in 1930 as the “public service arm” of the State Bar of Texas. As 2009-2010 President Cori A. Harbour blew out the candles, the entire room lit up in celebration of the amazing accomplishments TYLA achieved during her presidency.

Icing on the cake were the prestigious awards captured by TYLA this past year. This included, celebrating Sylvia A. Cardona's 2008-2009 year as President, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division first place Comprehensive Award, first place in the Service to the Bar category for Ten Minute Mentor Goes to Law School, second place in the Service to the Public category for Healing the Wounds: Navigating the Legal System after Surviving Domestic Abuse, second place Newsletter award for TYLA eNews, and a certificate of performance in the Minority Project Category. TYLA also received the LexisNexis Community and Educational Outreach Award given for Cori A. Harbour's 2009-2010 project R U Safe? Protecting Yourself in Cyberspace.

With eager help of its directors and members, TYLA created the following new pamphlets, brochures and guides: Facing Foreclosure, Consumer Bankruptcy, Dealing with Dementia, Know Your Rights at Work, Your Employment Rights, Introduction to Mechanic’s Liens, Small Business Toolkit, Name Changes in Texas, Expunctions in Texas, and Loves Me, Loves Me Not. In addition, the following resources were updated and/or translated into Spanish: Seniors and the Law, Legal Guide for Cancer Patients, To Will or Not to Will, Pro Se Divorce Handbook, Adoption Options, Special Education Laws & the School Environment, and TYLA At-A-Glance.

The State of Texas was sprinkled with educational rollouts of Healing the Wounds, R U Safe?, They Had A Dream Too, and Vote America! TYLA’s service to the profession was noted through programs such as the Pro Bono Ad Litem Training with Texas Lawyers for Children, TYLA/ProBAR: Know Your Rights video, Environment and the Law Symposium, “I Am A Lawyer” Public Service Announcement and Award, Leadership SBOT, new tapings of Ten Minute Mentor, and participation in several CLE programs. TYLA continued promotion of access to justice, expanded law student outreach, and conducted several pre-law diversity summits for high school students interested in the legal profession.

In addition to recognizing the myriad of amazing projects TYLA members carried out this past year, the Annual Meeting also served as the backdrop for the presentation of TYLA’s annual awards to the following:

Outstanding Young Lawyer of Texas Award: David M. Evans, San Antonio
Liberty Bell Award: Joy Borjes, Waco
Outstanding Mentor Award: Chief Justice Thomas R. Phillips, Austin
Joseph M. Pritchard Inn Outstanding Director Award: Natasha L. Brooks, Midland
Texas Young Lawyers Association President's Award: Erin O’Driscoll, Houston
Texas Young Lawyers Association President's Awards of Merit: Rebekah Brooker, Kelly L. Burris, Heather Creed, Thea Dalkalitsis, Zeke Fortenberry, Clint Harbour, Wendy Humphrey, Lt. Col. John Jackson, Keith L. Krueger, Celina Lopez, Alyssa L. Long, Chris Rogers, Sarah Rogers, Rosalyn Tippett, Rebecca Vela

TYLA State Moot Court Competition Champion: Texas Tech University School of Law

National Trial Competition Champion: Stetson University College of Law with team members Brock Johnson, Katelyn Knaak, and Trina Sams, coached by Roberta Flowers and Petra Justice.

2009-2010 Local Affiliates Awards of Achievement Winners - Please click here to view the entire list.

Although Cori A. Harbor left the party, she returns to the board in the role of Immediate Past President. TYLA looks forward to serving the legal profession and the public under the leadership of Jennifer Evans Morris, who was sworn in at the annual meeting. The Annual Meeting was adjourned by David Anderson, the 2010-2011 TYLA Chair, who received the gavel from C.E. Rhodes, the 2009-2010 TYLA Chair, earlier in the evening. As TYLA basks in the light of recent accomplishments, it looks to an even brighter future. What achievements will our 81st birthday bring?