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Take Note

View This Month's TYLA President-elect's Opinion
C.E. Rhodes

TYLA Needs Your Help Recruiting Judges and Witnesses for the 37th Annual National Trial Competition Championship Rounds in Austin!!!
In less than two weeks, 28 teams comprised of some of the best future trial lawyers around the country will be in Austin and are looking for your assistance. Each year, TYLA and the American College of Trial Lawyers host the National Trial Competition. The competition is the preeminent mock trial competition in the country. Over 160 law schools with more than 300 mock trial teams competed in 14 regional mock trial competitions held across the country and only the top 28 teams advance to the 37th Annual National Trial Competition Championship Rounds. These rounds will be held at the Capitol Extension in Austin on Thursday and Friday, March 22-24.

There are three preliminary championship rounds scheduled at the Capitol as follows:
(1) Round 1: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 22;
(2) Round 2: 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 22; and
(3) Round 3: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Friday, March 23.

TYLA needs a minimum of 56 attorneys to judge each of the rounds. If you are interested in serving as a judge in one or more of the rounds, please contact Chike Okpara at (512) 200-2059; or Priscilla Camacho at  (210) 734-7092, ext. 1114.  Or you can simply fill out this form and send it to the TYLA office.
TYLA looks forward to nurturing the careers of aspiring young law students who will soon join us as members of the Bar and TYLA. If you can help, please contact us as soon as possible.

How to Get a Job After Law School: The Unclassified Story
The TYLA Law Student Outreach Committee is pleased to announce that it will be holding its job-search seminar, How to Get a Job After Law School: The Unclassified Story, this spring at law schools across the state.  The purpose of the seminar is to give practical advice to students about finding a job.  Of note is the seminar’s focus on students who traditionally do not find employment through the on-campus interview process.  Student attendees will also receive the newly drafted TYLA “Tip Card” that contains advice on networking, interviewing, and building a job search strategy.  The Tip Card also contains information about non-lawyer jobs for lawyers.  Below is a list of dates and locations for the seminars.  For more information, please contact the TYLA office at tyla@texasbar.com or 800-204-2222, ext. 1529.
Texas Wesleyan University School of Law – February 23, 2012
TSU Thurgood Marshall School of Law – March 1, 2012
Texas Tech University School of Law – March 5, 2012  
University of Texas School of Law – March 6, 2012
SMU Dedman School of Law – March 6, 2012
St. Mary’s University School of Law – March 21, 2012
South Texas College of Law – March 22, 2012
University of Houston Law Center – March 29, 2012 
Baylor Law School, March 30, 2012

Oyez, Oyez, Oh Yay!
State Bar President Bob Black has worked with the State Bar Law-Related Education Department on Oyez, Oyez, Oh Yay! Civics Resources for Texas Students and Teachers, an interactive web-based project to assist Texas teachers and their students in preparing for the new Texas Essential and Knowledge Skills (TEKS) standards, which took effect Aug. 1, 2011. The website includes links to landmark court case decisions that students are required to study, as well as videos and other multimedia tools, and teacher resources. Toolkits are also available that include information on the new TEKS standards, as well as a sample case summary, sample teaching strategies, a list of online resources, and other curriculum ideas from Law-Related Education.  For a toolkit, which includes a video sample on Marbury v. Madison, contact Judy Marchman or call (800) 204-2222, ext. 1520.

 
Back-to-School Savings through the State Bar Member Discounts Program
Take advantage of the State Bar Member Discounts Program to save money on computers and books. Visit texasbar.beneplace.com for more great savings from dozens of retailers and service providers. State Bar Member Discounts — A new way for Texas lawyers to shop!

TYLA Local Leader Directory
Please email the TYLA office if there are any changes to your local affiliates contact information.

If your affiliate has an upcoming event that you would like featured in eNews, please forward the information to Bree Trevino or contact eNews Co-Chairs Kenneth C. Riney or Brooke Ulrickson Allen.

Ten Minute Mentor
Ten Minute Mentor is a TYLA project that debuted in 2004 as a means for sharing concise and practical advice that is always accessible online. Since that time, it has proven its enduring appeal as one of TYLA's most successful projects. More than 50,000 people have visited the site, and we continue to average more than 2,000 segments viewed each month. You can visit the site at www.tenminutementor.com.



Support Pro Bono Legal Services and Let Everyone Know It!
The Texas Young Lawyers Association needs your help to support and promote free legal services for indigent Texans by purchasing a specialty license plate. The license plate proudly states that you support "Justice for All" and can be purchased for only $35.00 per year.

$25.00 from the purchase of each plate will be deposited into an account supporting legal services to the poor. If you would like that plate personalized, you can get your plate for $70.00 per year. To purchase your plate today, simply fill out an application and send your check, payable to the Texas Department of Transportation, to the following address:

Vehicle Titles and Registration Division (SPB)
Texas Department of Transportation
Austin, TX 78779-0001
To pay online click here.

Make New Connections with Texas Bar Circle
More than 14,000 of your peers have joined Texas Bar Circle - our social and professional network for Texas lawyers. Join today and reconnect with colleagues, find jobs, explore opportunities, and have fun. The power of Texas Bar Circle is in the connections you will make. Visit here.

TYLA Annual Report 2010-2011
Want to know how TYLA is serving its members and the community? Then be sure to read the 2010-2011 annual report, which details the activities of TYLA during the 2010-2011 Bar year. Click here for a copy or call 800-204-2222, ext. 1529 and we'll send you a copy.