Editor's Column

By: John W. Shaw

March has come in like a lion, and unlike the folk saying about the weather, it will not be going out like a lamb, at least not for TYLA.

On March 1, Sally Pretorius and Jenny Smith began their campaigns to become the next president-elect of TYLA. As I write this column they are circling the Great State of Texas like Santa on Christmas Eve, handing out pamphlets and shaking hands. Telling everyone stories, of all their grand plans. [Hopefully someone else will read those two sentences to themselves in a sing-song voice akin to ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas – otherwise it won’t have quite the effect I was hopeful it would.] Check out our Top Story where Sally and Jenny answer questions about their plans should they get elected and why they are excited about the opportunity to serve. They will be campaigning throughout the month of March. Voting will take place April 3 to May 2 and one of these two awesome lawyers will be elected to serve as president-elect of TYLA and will be sworn in as president of TYLA for the 2018-2019 bar year. Best of luck to them both.

The two candidates aren’t the only ones busy, however. On March 22-25 TYLA along with the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) will host the 42nd Annual National Trial Competition (NTC) in Fort Worth. Some of the best and brightest law student trial advocates will converge on Cowtown and put forth their best efforts to win the coveted title of champion. The TYLA committee tasked with putting this event together is still feverishly working to get all of the volunteers that we need to make the event a success. Specifically, we are still looking for volunteers to serve as witnesses in each round. Each mock trial round requires four "witnesses" and anyone can serve as a witness, including you! TYLA will assign you a particular witness role before the competition and send you background information and instructions before the competition.

The rounds will take place at the Vandergriff Civil Courts Building, 100 N. Calhoun St., Fort Worth. We need your help for the following rounds: 

ROUND 1:  8 a.m. to noon on Thursday, March 23

ROUND 2:  1 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 23 

ROUND 3:  8 a.m. to noon on Friday, March 24

If you are interested in volunteering to serve as a witness in a round, please send an email to ntcwitness2017@gmail.com and include: 

1.  Your name

2.  The round for which you would like to serve as a witness

3.  If you are in school, which law school you attend

4.  Cellphone number

Thank you for helping to make the 2017 competition a success!

I have most certainly gone over my word limit for my column and for that I apologize.

Sincerely,

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.