By Jacqueline Simms-Petredis
Welcome to another exciting year for the Hillsborough County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division!
The YLD has a large array of activities for you to get involved in the legal community and beyond. We offer opportunities to mingle with other young lawyers, HCBA members, and members of the judiciary in fun and informal settings.
As the incoming president, I am excited to continue the YLD events that have defined our organization over the years, as well as enhance their reach. However, we need the help of all HCBA YLD members!
Some of our familiar projects include Steak and Sports Day, Holidays in January, the Robert J. Simms Mock Trial Competition, Law Week, and the Cornhole for a Cause tournament benefitting Big Brothers Big Sisters. The YLD also intends to deliver more ways for its members to give back through pro bono legal service, including through our partnership with Bay Area Legal Services in the Family Forms Clinic, Wills for Heroes, and Crossroads for Florida Kids. YLD events such as Judicial Shadowing, Coffee at the Courthouse, the State Court Trial Seminar, and CLE luncheons are also a great way to develop your legal skills and strengthen your legal expertise.
Be on the lookout for one of the first YLD events of the year ― our annual Golf Tournament. The tournament attendance has increased to record numbers in the past two years, so watch for upcoming announcements about registration to take advantage of the early-bird discount. The tournament is open to lawyers and non-lawyers, so encourage your shareholders, colleagues, clients, and friends to join us on the greens!
Throughout the year, the YLD also hosts other networking events such as regular luncheons and quarterly happy hours. These events feature speakers on quality-of-life issues, opening your own legal practice, and pro bono service.
The YLD will also work this year to spread the word about its hugely successful and Florida Bar-award-winning project from last year, the documentary film chronicling the history of the desegregation of the Hillsborough County legal community, titled “Before the Law Was Equal.” We plan to promote the film locally through a website available to the public. The website will archive the footage and materials obtained during the production of the documentary, as well as market it to other YLD affiliates and lawyers throughout the state.
If you are interested in helping plan any of these projects or events, please join one of our committees. Our events can always use more volunteers and new faces as we continue to enhance our programming. We look forward to your involvement in the YLD as we continue our tradition of making a difference in Hillsborough County!
