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		Rebekah Steely Brooker, President
		Dustin M. Howell, Chair
		Sam Houston, Vice President
		Baili B. Rhodes, Secretary
		John W. Shaw, Treasurer
		C. Barrett Thomas, President-elect
		Priscilla D. Camacho, Chair-elect
		Kristy Blanchard, Immediate Past President

		Amanda A. Abraham, District 1
		Sharesa Y. Alexander, Minority At-Large Director
		Raymond J. Baeza, District 14
		Aaron J. Burke, District 5, Place 1
		Aaron T. Capps, District 5, Place 2
		D. Lance Currie, District 5, Place 3
		Laura W. Docker, District 10, Place 1
		Andrew Dornburg, District 21
		John W. Ellis, District 8, Place 2
		Zeke Fortenberry, District 4
		Bill Gardner, District 5, Place 4
		Morgan L. Gaskin, District 6, Place 5
		Nick Guinn, District 18, Place 1
		Adam C. Harden, District 6, Place 6
		Amber L. James, District 17
		Curtis W. Lucas, District 9
		Rudolph K. Metayer, District 8, Palce 1
		Laura Pratt, District 3
		Sally Pretorius, District 8, Place 2
		Baili B. Rhodes, District 2
		Alex B. Roberts, District 6, Place 3
		Eduardo Romero, District 19
		Michelle P. Scheffler, District 6, Place 2
		John W. Shaw, District 10, Place 2
		Nicole Soussan, District 6, Place 4
		L. Brook Stuntebeck, District 11
		C. Barrett Thomas, District 15
		Judge Amanda N. Torres, Minority At-Large Director
		Shannon Steel White, District 12
		Brandy Wingate Voss, District 13
		Veronica S. Wolfe, District 18, Place 2
		Baylor Wortham, District 7
		Alex Yarbrough, District 16

		Justice Paul W. Green, Supreme Court Liaison
		Jenny Smith, Access To Justice Liaison
		Brandon Crisp, ABA YLD District 25 Representative
		Travis Patterson, ABA/YLD District 26 Representative
		Assistant Dean Jill Nikirk, Law School Liaison
		Belashia Wallace, Law Student Liaison

TYLA Office

Tracy Brown, Director of Administration
Bree Trevino, Project Coordinator
Michelle Palacios, Office Manager
General Questions: tyla@texasbar.com

Mailing Address

P.O. Box 12487, Capitol Station
Austin, Texas 78711-2487
(800) 204-2222 ext. 1529
FAX: (512) 427-4117

Street Address

1414 Colorado, 4th Floor
Austin, Texas 78701
(512) 427-1529

Views and opinions expressed in eNews are those of their authors and not necessarily those of the Texas Young Lawyers Association or the State Bar of Texas.

You Are A Member of TYLA
By: Rebekah Steely Brooker

Hello! I am excited to serve as the 2014-2015 president of the Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA).

Most Texas attorneys know that TYLA is “the young lawyer group,” which is true. Our members are lawyers 36 years of age and younger or within the first five years of their legal practice. Membership in TYLA is automatic, so any licensed Texas attorney that meets the age or years of practice requirement is a TYLA member.

However, most Texas attorneys do not know that TYLA is actually chartered as the public service arm of the State Bar of Texas. Every year TYLA creates and implements relevant and impactful public service projects that positively affect Texans. This past year, I have had the privilege to work with several members of TYLA’s board to plan our upcoming projects and programs that are designed to assist either attorneys or law students with the practice of law or to provide legal education and services to the general public. This year, building upon the communication goals outlined by State Bar of Texas President Trey Apffel, we want to make sure our members know that they are members of TYLA. And, we want you to get actively involved to help even more Texans in need.

To do that, I need your help! I encourage you to take advantage and get involved in the many new TYLA projects. These projects cover a broad range of topics and target audiences, including specific projects that assist in the job search process, address the work-life balance (or imbalance as the case may be), and encourage equal access to justice for our residents. TYLA also intends to create programs that will educate the public on the laws dealing with subjects ranging from bullying to distracted driving. And we’ve almost completed our first project entitled “Educating Educators” that will answer many questions that teachers have regarding the laws that govern both them and their students.

TYLA is only able to complete the projects and initiatives we take on year after year thanks to the volunteer efforts of our membership and the cooperation of our local affiliate young lawyer associations. This year, I encourage you to join us in creating one of our projects or programs.

TYLA has been the vehicle that has allowed me to continue to give back – to serve. The work that TYLA does year after year is not just beneficial and rewarding, but it is fun! It has enabled me to meet thousands of hard-working young lawyers across Texas. Personally, I am thrilled and honored to be a member of such an organization that makes the impact that TYLA does. But, don’t take my word for it. Get involved! I am confident that you’ll agree.

Rebekah has an estate planning and probate practice at Scheef & Stone, LLP in Dallas and is the current President of the Texas Young Lawyers Association.