TYLA Project

TYLA Year End Update
By: Tim Williams

The Texas Young Lawyers Association had a phenomenal 2016.  At this time of year, people are often looking to the future.  Young lawyers across the state will resolve to eat better, exercise more, work smarter, and enjoy life more in 2017.  This is also a good time to reflect on 2016.  And what a busy year 2016 was for TYLA!  Below are some highlights from just a few projects that lawyers across the state made possible:

Speed Mentoring for Women Law Students:  A unique mentoring project geared to female law students designed to address the barriers facing female attorneys and how to overcome those barriers to advance their legal careers;

Nonprofit:  TYLA prepared a pamphlet that addressed a number of issues that arise with respect to service on a nonprofit board, including the benefits of board service, fiduciary duties and responsibilities, and how to identify the appropriate nonprofit to serve as a board member;

Pregnancy and the Workplace:  TYLA published companion resources to help employees and employers understand their rights and obligations as they relate to pregnancy in the workplace;

Permanent Kinship Placement:  TYLA published a brochure that outlines what happens when a kinship caregiver becomes the permanent kinship caregiver, including detailing what rights the permanent kinship caregiver has and what rights the biological parents may have.  The brochure also addresses financial assistance that may be available;

TYLA Media Toolkit: A project designed to help local bar and young lawyer associations increase publicity and get the word out about their great projects;

National Trial Competition:  TYLA, in conjunction with the American College of Trial Lawyers, puts on the premier mock trial competition in the nation, hosting law schools throughout the country; and

Vote America:  TYLA presented its Vote America project to thousands of high school students.  Vote America is a non-partisan project that highlights the civil rights era, the passage of the Voting Rights Act, and the Fifteenth, Nineteenth, and Twenty-sixth Amendments to the United States Constitution.  Young lawyers across the state presented the project to high school students, resulting in increased voter registration.  

These are just some of the many projects that TYLA was involved with in 2016.  TYLA local affiliates also participated in a wide range of projects, including putting on a 5k run to benefit a women’s shelter, handing out bicycles to elementary age children for perfect attendance, volunteering pro bono hours at legal aid, and partnering with great organizations like Habitat for Humanity. 

It is truly inspiring to see all the good work that is being done throughout the state of Texas.  Thank you for your commitment to serving others.  It is exciting to think about all the good that young lawyers across the state will do in 2017.

Tim Williams is an attorney at Sprouse Shrader Smith PLLC and a director of the Texas Young Lawyers Association.  Tim can be contacted at tim.williams@sprouselaw.com.