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Editor's Column

Do You Ever Have Déjà Vu?  Wait, Didn’t I Just Ask You That?
By:  Kenneth C. Riney, Hermes Sargent Bates, LLP, Editor, eNews

A little over a week ago, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, indicating there will be six more weeks of winter.  Almost twenty years ago, Punxsutawney Phil played a supporting role in the movie Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray.  In the movie, Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, a self-centered meteorologist for a Pittsburgh television station who loathes his annual assignment of covering the Groundhog Day festivities in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.  After a blizzard forces him to spend the night in Punxsutawney, he wakes each and every morning thereafter to find that he is reliving Groundhog Day, with the day playing out exactly as it did the day before, with no one else aware of the time loop and only he is aware of past events.  Initially, he takes advantage of the situation to fulfill his egocentric nature, knowing the day will simply reset the next morning.  Eventually though, he uses his unique situation to re-examine his life and priorities, including adopting a selfless attitude that leads him to help the townspeople throughout the day.  It is only then that the cycle is broken and Phil finally experiences a new day.

I am sure many of us as young lawyers have found ourselves feeling like Phil Connors at one time or another, feeling as though we are experiencing the same day over and over, stuck in a rut, with no end in sight.  Perhaps every now and then we should do as Phil Connors did and re-examine our lives and priorities, maybe even resolve to adopt a more selfless attitude and help others.  Every year, under our leadership, TYLA rolls out new projects and other resources that can not only help you as a young lawyer, but help you to help others. 

In this issue of eNews, you will read about several opportunities for you to help others, including a forthcoming resource to help educate others about the home appraisal protest and appeal process, as well as a new TYLA project that will educate teenagers and their parents about the physical and legal effects of underage binge drinking, and information on the 2012 Poverty Law Conference where you can gain training on poverty law issues affecting low-income Texans. You will also find resources that will help you grow as young lawyer, including rainmaking tips, legislative updates and work-life balance.

And next month, you will likely have the opportunity to meet Kristy Sims Piazza and Shivali Sharma, the two candidates for TYLA President-Elect, who will share their ideas and vision for continuing TYLA’s commitment to helping its members and our communities.  We encourage you to take advantage of any opportunity you have to meet these candidates to not only hear their ideas, but to share yours as well.  You never know, your idea could lead to a future TYLA project that enables someone to see a new day.