By Natalie Cobb Koehler

May 1, 2012
Happy Trails

Wow! I cannot believe it is time for my last column as president of the Texas Young Lawyers Association.  This year has flown by and it has been one of the best years of my life. I have greatly enjoyed the opportunity to travel the state of Texas, meeting the best and brightest young lawyers in the country.

April 1, 2012
Focusing on Our Members
As the public service arm of the State Bar, the Texas Young Lawyers Association serves both its members and the public. Over the past two months, TYLA has completed two member-focused service projects that we are very proud to share. First, the TYLA Diversity Committee presented the "Attorneys Without Borders" program on Feb. 28–29 in Laredo, bringing the Supreme Court of Texas to Webb County for the very first time.
March 1, 2012
Carrying the Torch Forward

More than 20 years ago, at a time when many of today’s young lawyers were in elementary or middle school, The Texas Lawyer’s Creed — A Mandate for Professionalism was promulgated and adopted by the Supreme Court of Texas and the Court of Criminal Appeals. The creed was created to eliminate abusive tactics used by a minority of Texas lawyers that undermined the public perception of the profession and the interest of justice.

February 1, 2012
The Unconscious Truth

On Dec. 20, 2009, 17-year-old Shelby Allen, an athlete, honor student, and avid shopper, attended a party hosted at a friend’s house, and she had a goal— to drink 15 shots. As her friends watched, Shelby started downing shots of vodka at 1:08 a.m. By 9:40 a.m., Shelby was pronounced dead. Her bloodalcohol concentration was 0.33.  I read about Shelby’s story in the spring of 2011. Her story had such an impact on me that I found Shelby’s mother and called her to see if the Texas Young Lawyers Association could work with the family to create a program that focused on drawing awareness to the issue of teenage binge drinking.

January 1, 2012
Navigating the Texas Probate Process

The Texas Probate Passport rolled off the printer in November and debuted at the Texas Young Lawyers Association’s first Rural Estate Planning Clinic in Fredericksburg on Nov. 17. In my own rural office, I had constantly seen the need for powers of attorney, living wills, and medical powers of attorney, as well as estate planning guidance for small estates.

December 1, 2011
Be Your Best with TYLA

I remember the first time I volunteered at a Texas Young Lawyers Association event. A friend of mine encouraged me to volunteer as a judge in the State Moot Court Competition held in San Antonio.  At this event, I became friends with many former and current TYLA directors.  Their enthusiasm and volunteer efforts for TYLA is what led me to seek a position on the TYLA board.

November 1, 2011
Breaking the Silence

Filming began on Oct. 27 at the Texas Law Center on a very important Texas Young Lawyers Association project titled, Breaking the Silence: A Path to Finding Mental Health. This project is especially important to me as I lost a colleague in Meridian to suicide — not only was he a young lawyer, but he was also a very dear friend. I missed the signs that he was severely depressed, as did many of the other lawyers in our community.

October 1, 2011
Peace of Mind

A few years ago I started volunteering at Camp John Marc in Meridian.  The camp partners with community and health professionals to provide camping experiences for children who have a chronic illness or physical disability. This has been some of the most rewarding volunteer work I have ever done, and it opened my eyes to the many legal issues facing parents of a special needs child.

September 1, 2011
Young Lawyer Marketing: Putting Your Best Foot Forward

I have met several young lawyers who recently passed the bar exam, but who still do not have a job, or who were recently laid off after a few years of practice.  In this economy, the way you market yourself can set you apart from your colleagues. Below are just a few tips for putting your best foot forward. 

July 1, 2011
Mentor in the Making

When I first started practicing law, my boss let me get into the courtroom as soon as I was licensed. I loved the independence and the experience, but I also knew that I needed to find someone to turn to when I had questions. Fortunately, there were two attorneys in town that I started calling on when I needed help. They quickly became my mentors and are still my very close friends today.

June 1, 2011
Finding Time for What’s Important

As the mother of two small children, I have become very aware of how quickly time flies. It seems like my kids have changed so quickly over the past two years that I can hardly keep up. Because I cannot get this time back, I want to make sure I do not miss a minute with them or my husband.