Long Range Plan (Part 2)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| I. OVERVIEW |
| A. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT |
| B. ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT |
| II. SERVICE TO THE BAR |
| A. WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE PROFESSION |
| B. PRACTICE AND THE PROFESSION |
| C. PUBLICITY |
| D. PUBLICATIONS |
| E. ADMISSION AND ORIENTATION |
| F. ANNUAL MEETING |
| G. NATIONAL TRIAL ADVOCACY |
| III. SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC |
| A. ACCESS TO LEGAL SERVICES |
| B. EMERGENCY LEGAL SERVICES |
| C. NO BILLS NIGHT |
| D. PRO BONO |
| E. CHILDREN AND THE LAW |
| F. PUBLIC EDUCATION |
| G. COMMUNITY LAW WEEK |
| H. COMMUNITY OUTREACH |
| IV. INTERNAL OPERATING COMMITTEES |
| A. NOMINATING COMMITTEE |
| B. CIRCUIT REPRESENTATIVES |
| C. LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE |
| D. BUDGET & FINANCE COMMITTEE |
| E. MEMBERSHIP INVOLVEMENT |
| F. AWARD OF ACHIEVEMENT |
| V. CONCLUSION |
II. SERVICE TO THE BAR
A. WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE PROFESSION
Each year many new women and minority attorneys are admitted to the Bar. All of these attorneys who are under age 36 or who have been practicing law for fewer than three years are members of the YLC. Moreover, the changing demographics of American society and Virginia, specically, demonstrate that these numbers will continue to grow at unprecedented rates. The Committee on Women and Minorities in the Profession considers issues that the legal profession is facing and may face in the future, with a particular focus on issues facing young women and minority lawyers.
The Committee on Women and Minorities in the Profession is designed to encourage participation of women and minority lawyers while integrating them into the larger legal community. Although this committee has been in existence for only a short while, and its structure is still being developed, a strong relationship with the Board liaison is encouraged.
1. To promote the entrance into and the full and equal participation of women and minorities in all aspects and roles in the profession.
2. To assist women and minority young lawyers to achieve maximum professional development and satisfaction.
3. To promote greater opportunities to develop women and minority young lawyers as future YLC leaders by encouraging YLC leadership to continue current efforts to increase the number of women and minorities who are active in the YLC.
4. To continue to implement those programs currently sponsored by this Committee and to consider such additional programs as may be necessary to meet the changing needs of women and minority lawyers in Virginia.
5. To make young women and minority lawyers more aware of the various local and special interest bar associations and Bar committees, and opportunities for bar involvement, and encourage them to participate and to seek leadership roles.
6. To encourage the Bar, local and special interest bar associations to become more proactive in their recruitment of women and minority members.
7. To encourage the YLC to serve as a beacon in the effort to promote the goals of cultural diversity within the profession.
8. To promote the value to the profession of a diverse rm or practice.
1. The Committee will host the Annual Celebration of Women and Minorities in the Profession Bench-Bar Dinner. The Celebration is designed to target members of the federal and state judiciary, women and minority lawyers, the leadership of the Bar and the YLC and members of the Commission on Women and Minorities (the "Commission") in recognition of the similar roles the Commission and the Committee play in advancing the interests of women and minority lawyers.
2. The Committee should develop a program similar to the ABA's Pathways to Leadership, in conjunction with the Commission, to encourage women and minority lawyers to participate in bar activities of all sorts. The Pathways to Leadership Program seeks to educate young lawyers about the importance of Bar activities, and to demonstrate that participation in such activities can help them develop as lawyers.
3. The Committee will seek a greater presence at the Admission and Orientation Ceremony to serve as an early introduction to new Bar admittees about how they can participate in Bar activities.
4. The Committee will continue its role in the Minority Pre-Law Counseling Seminars. These seminars have been conducted on various college campuses throughout Virginia with the primary purpose being to educate women and minorities about available career options, including legal careers, as well as bar exam preparation. This program has proved to be very successful in the past, and it is anticipated that these seminars will be modied to meet existing and expected demands.
5. The Committee will maintain communications with he Commission on Women and Minorities in the Profession to promote the exchange of ideas and to coordinate the development of new projects and programs.
6. The Committee will continue to develop programs, projects and activities that implement and accomplish the Committee's goals and objectives as set forth above.
B. PRACTICE AND THE PROFESSION
(Professionalism and Career Issues Committees)
The Practice and Profession Committee, consisting of the Professionalism and Career Issues Committees, has been organized in its current fashion for two years. The principal project undertaken by the Professionalism Committee has been to develop the model professionalism course, which has received national recognition. This course, which was developed from the Virginia State Bar Professionalism Course, is the rst in-depth introduction newly admitted lawyers have to the Bar. Since the original development of the model professionalism course, the Committee has struggled to develop clear objectives and new project ideas.
The Committee has not historically been involved in lawyer discipline. Indeed, the YLC has never had any formal involvement in the disciplinary system. The Bar's Long Range Plan suggests that the YLC offer to assist the Bar Committee on Lawyer Discipline in its continued effort to improve the disciplinary system.
The Career Issues Committee was formulated three years ago to provide YLC members with information regarding professional development and career satisfaction and to provide a means by which YLC members can become more active in Bar activities. The practice of law in the 1990's has witnessed increased family demands for young lawyers, additional hurdles to making partner in medium and large law rms, and more competition for solo and small practitioners. The Career Issues Committee has formulated many creative ideas to address these concerns, but historically has failed to initiate any programs implementing these ideas. The Bar encourages placement of a YLC representative sitting on each of its committees where feasible and practicable.
1. The Professionalism Committee shall assist the Virginia State Bar Professionalism Committee, where appropriate, to help keep current the mandatory professionalism course that new lawyers are required to complete within one year of admission to the Bar.
2. The Professionalism Committee shall explore other project ideas that can be implemented on a statewide basis, i.e. CLE programs on ethical topics.
3. The Professionalism Committee shall work with the YLC leadership and the Virginia State Bar Committee on Lawyer Discipline to help improve the disciplinary system.
4. The YLC, through the Professionalism Committee shall provide names to the President of the Bar and encourage the placement of a Young Lawyer on the Bar committees that are responsible for the Bar's regulation of the profession and enforcement of the disciplinary process, i.e., the Legal Ethics Committee, the Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, the Committee on Lawyer Advertising and Solicitation, and the Committee on Lawyer Discipline.
5. The YLC, through the Professionalism Committee, shall provide names to the President of the Bar and encourage the placement of a young lawyer on each of the District Committees, even if such appointment is on an ex ofcio basis. These young lawyers should be responsible for publishing articles and publications related to specic disciplinary matters of interest to young lawyers, including guidance on disciplinary issues that especially plague the new practitioner.
6. The Professionalism Committee shall prepare a written proposal to the Bar Executive Committee about integrating YLC involvement in the regulation and disciplinary process, including the appointment of YLC representatives on the Bar's standing committees.
7. The Professionalism Committee shall meet with Bar Counsel to identify disciplinary and ethical issues that young lawyers frequently confront, to review the special concerns of young lawyers and to solicit advice on how the YLC can (a) assist young lawyers to avoid ethical problems; (b) participate with Bar Counsel in analyzing and solving the needs of young lawyers; and (c) explore the method, manner and timing for placing young lawyers on District Committees.
8. The Career Issues Committee shall identify the publications and production schedule for publishing articles aimed at the new practitioner.
9. The Career Issues Committee shall coordinate with the Professionalism Committee to identify those young lawyers who should be appointed to key posts in the eld of lawyer regulation and discipline.
10. The Career Issues Committee shall explore avenues to disseminate to the YLC membership timely information on career goals and career development tips.
11. The Career Issues Committee shall work with Bar leadership to encourage the placement of a YLC member on the Bar's committees, where feasible and practicable, as provided in the Bar's Long Range Plan.
The YLC has never been directly involved in the Bar disciplinary process. Various "low level" complaints, many of which may involve young lawyers, may be addressed through the utilization of other YLC members. The Professionalism Committee should work closely with the YLC leadership to explore, with the Committee on Lawyer Discipline, ways in which the YLC can contribute to the effective and efcient administration of the disciplinary process.
The Career Issues Committee's main impact can and should be on providing information to the YLC membership on ways in which a young lawyer can enhance his or her career objectives. The Committee should explore ways to disseminate information regarding professional development through the use of articles in legal periodicals, seminars, CLE programs and other publications.
The Career Issues Committee can improve substantially the YLC's effectiveness by exploring means for members to move from YLC positions into active roles in the Bar. Bar activities play a signicant role in many lawyers' professional development The Committee should help to direct interested members, where appropriate, to areas in the Bar where the members can be effective. This type of "placement" is especially important where active members have "aged out" and have not identied other areas of the Bar in which to serve.
The Career Issues Committee should also help to implement that portion of the Bar Long Range Plan that contemplates a YLC member being appointed to each Bar committee. The Committee should appoint at least one member to assist the YLC leadership in approaching the Bar leadership with a means of accomplishing this goal, and specic individuals who could make positive contributions in serving on those committees.
Both the Professionalism Committee and the Career Issues Committee should strive to develop programs, projects and activities designed to implement and accomplish the goals and objectives set forth above.
The purpose of the Publicity Committee is to publicize YLC activities on the state and local levels. The Committee should also encourage circuit representatives, regional and committee chairs, and other young lawyers to submit information regarding projects or programs to the Bar to utilize the resources available at the Bar for generating publicity.
The success of, and benets derived from, any program or activity may be greatly enhanced if the public is made aware of the program or activity. Good and constant publicity about the YLC's programs and activities across the state enables the YLC to meet several of its goals and objectives. Specically, publicizing an event can help to increase both attendance at an event and the public's awareness of the event. Heightened awareness also maximizes the opportunities to reach more people quantitatively and qualitatively. Similarly, event-related publicity will help to educate the public regarding the profession's activities, improve the image of the profession, and improve the public's ability to obtain access to legal services. From an internal standpoint, publicity of events in one area may benet efforts in another area to put on a successful program with minimal replication of efforts.
The success of, and benets derived from, any program or activity may be greatly enhanced if the public is made aware of the program or activity. Good and constant publicity about the YLC's programs and activities across the state enables the YLC to meet several of its goals and objectives. Specically, publicizing an event can help to increase both attendance at an event and the public's awareness of the event. Heightened awareness also maximizes the opportunities to reach more people quantitatively and qualitatively. Similarly, event-related publicity will help to educate the public regarding the profession's activities, improve the image of the profession, and improve the public's ability to obtain access to legal services. From an internal standpoint, publicity of events in one area may benet efforts in another area to put on a successful program with minimal replication of efforts.
The YLC has a standing Publicity Committee.
The Publicity Committee has been inactive for some time. The Bar Staff has fullled the function of generating publicity for the YLC and for its programs because Bar Staff has better resources to assist with all facets of obtaining, generating and promoting publicity. Although publicity is an important component of each committee or subcommittee, in its present form, the Publicity Committee adds an unnecessary additional layer between Bar Staff and the various committees. It is therefore recommended that the Publicity Committee be disbanded. The Board should, however, continue to assess whether to revive the Committee, depending upon the availability of Bar Staff resources and the needs of the YLC. Thereafter, information related to the development of publicity would be available directly from Bar Staff. Information related to publicity should be included in any circuit representative or committee chair handbook. Each committee chair and circuit representative would be responsible to coordinate project publicity with Bar Staff.
The Publications Committee, headed by a single Chair, oversees two subcommittees: (1) Films, and (2) The Docket Call, a quarterly newsletter and the chief membership publication of the YLC. The editor of The Docket Call chairs an editorial board, which is responsible for publishing each issue of the newsletter. In addition, the purpose of the Publications Committee is to assess the need for new or revised publications, i.e., a publication on general district courts. The Committee also is responsible for formulating a plan for distribution of YLC publications, including the Legal Services Directory, the Senior Citizens Handbook and other publications. It is recommended that the Legal Services Directory Committee be integrated into the Publications Committee.
Given the prominence of The Docket Call, the editor of The Docket Call should henceforth serve as co-chair of the Publications Committee.
1. To continue to produce the high quality newsletter specically directed at young lawyers.
2. To encourage increased participation by young lawyers in the publication of The Docket Call.
3. To continue to promote articles and publications of interest for young lawyers, particularly those related to ethical and disciplinary issues.
4. To report on existing projects conducted by the YLC, circuit representatives, committee chairs or localities specically of interest to Virginia's young lawyers.
5. To study the need for the publications not now produced or developed by Bar including publications designed to serve the public.
6. To integrate the Legal Services Directory Committee into the Publications Committee, and to develop a plan for distributing previously published items such as the Legal Services Directory, the Senior Citizens Handbook, and any other YLC publication.
The Docket Call remains an excellent publication for disseminating information to YLC members, and it routinely receives accolades from the American Bar Association. Its editor should serve as co-chair of the Publications Committee. Efforts should be undertaken to assist the editor in increasing involvement of young lawyers in the publication of the newsletter. Efforts should be made to coordinate with the Membership Involvement Committee to help accomplish this goal. Similarly, efforts should be made to ensure that circuit representatives, committee chairs, and other young lawyer volunteers alert the newsletter to any programs that they have conducted or plan to conduct so that they may be reported in the newsletter. The editor of The Docket Call shall remind all such volunteers, on at least an annual basis, of the importance of reporting such programs. Efforts should be made to promote geographic diversity in the composition of the editorial board.
The Films subcommittee's original purpose was to distribute lms designed to educate school children about the legal system. Since accomplishing this objective and transferring responsibility for this project to Bar Staff, the subcommittee has been unsuccessful in producing a lm that benets the public, the membership or the profession. Fault does not necessarily lie with the subcommittee or its membership. Rather, a number of obstacles precluded the successful production of a lm. Because no utility from this committee is received unless a lm is actually produced and disseminated, it is recommended that the Films subcommittee be disbanded, with the provision that it may be revived at such time as appropriate nancial sources and a viable project are presented to the Board.
This committee, formerly under the rubric of Service to the Public, should become a part of the Publications Committee. The committee prepared and published the Legal Services Directory, which catalogs the legal services available to public in various regions of Virginia. The committee should review the Directory periodically to determine whether changes or updates are needed.
New Bar members are currently admitted to practice law in Virginia through a program sponsored by the YLC twice a year in Richmond, Virginia. Because one of the YLC's purposes is to engage in activities designed to respond to discernible needs of younger members of the Bar, the YLC has an Admission and Orientation Committee that organizes and runs the Admission and Orientation Program for new lawyers. This program allows all new lawyers, in the course of a single day, to be admitted by the Supreme Court of Virginia to practice before all Virginia state courts. In addition, in conjunction with the Bar's General Practice Section, the Committee sponsors the First Day in Practice Seminar, a low-cost CLE program designed to give practice tips and insights to new lawyers.
1. To continue and to improve the Admission and Orientation Program for new lawyers in Virginia and to increase the awareness of new lawyers to their responsibilities as members of the Bar.
2. To continue efforts to organize, promote, and run the First Day in Practice Seminar for new lawyers, and to coordinate the program with Bar Staff and the Bar's General Practice Section.
3. To continue to coordinate with the Supreme Court of Virginia to meet the needs of the Supreme Court, the Bar, and new lawyers being admitted to the Bar.
4. To work to improve membership involvement through the Admission and Orientation Program.
1. The Committee should coordinate with the Membership Involvement Committee to increase the involvement of new Bar members in the YLC.
2. The Committee should coordinate with the Career Issues Committee to determine issues to be discussed in the First Day in Practice Seminar.
3. The Committee should provide forms to publicize all YLC activities and facilitate non-active members becoming active in the YLC with little effort.
4. The Committee should continue its efforts to coordinate with the Bar staff to allow other bar organizations, who so desire, to distribute to new bar admittees.
Each June, the Bar holds its annual meeting in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Although the meeting has a crowded schedule of events and programs, the YLC plays an important and visible role throughout the meeting. The YLC holds its annual meeting luncheon during the weekend, at which new Board members and ofcers are elected and young lawyer volunteers are recognized for their participation in the YLC. The YLC also presents a high prole program on Saturday morning and sponsors athletic events and an evening dance during the weekend.
The YLC ofcers and Board members are nominated and elected at the annual meeting luncheon. One of the YLC's most noticeable interactions with the Bar is the Saturday morning program and other programs it runs at the annual meeting.
1. To continue to have an annual meeting of the YLC at the Bar annual meeting.
2. To coordinate with the Board to continue organizing, promoting, and hosting a dance, athletic events, and any other activities deemed worthwhile by the YLC and the Bar.
3. To attract maximum membership involvement in all activities.
4. To coordinate with Bar Staff and the Board to organize a luncheon that can accommodate all young lawyers attending the annual meeting and other individuals invited to attend. The committee should meet all deadlines set by Bar Staff for the organization of the luncheon.
5. To coordinate with the Board of Governors to determine who should be invited to the luncheon, and when.
6. To continue to work closely with Bar Staff to meet any deadlines for the organization and promotion of events.
7. To work with standing committees of the YLC and Bar to consider whether the YLC should sponsor other programs at the annual meeting that offer CLE credit.
1. The Committee will consider the possibility of adding a CLE program at the annual meeting.
2. The committee will reassess from time to time the athletic events and CLE courses, on its own or in conjunction with other bar associations or Bar sections.
3. The Committee will continue to evaluate the Saturday morning program and to develop ways to improve the program and attendance.
4. The Committee will continue to develop programs, projects and activities designed to implement and accomplish the goals and objectives set forth above.
The YLC is asked every year by the Texas Young Lawyers Division to assist, coordinate and host a trial advocacy program. The YLC's National Trial Advocacy Committee implements the program. The program requires the use of a signicant amount of court space and therefore has been held in the larger areas of the Commonwealth that have adequate court space available.
One of the purposes of the YLC is to promote, uphold, and elevate the standards of honor, integrity, and competence in the legal profession. The YLC has a standing committee for the purpose of coordinating and running a National Trial Advocacy program each year to instill in future lawyers the desire to uphold these standards.
1. To continue to coordinate and host the National Trial Advocacy Program for the benet of law students that promotes, upholds, and elevates the standards of honor, integrity, and competence in the legal profession.
2. To continue efforts to rotate the National Trial Advocacy Program to as many different localities within the Commonwealth as possible.
3. To coordinate with the organizations hosting the national program to obtain information about each year's program as early as possible, so that it can reserve appropriate court space and recruit the necessary volunteers to be judges, bailiffs and witnesses.
4. To rotate annually the chairmanship of the committee to a different area of the Commonwealth, which can accommodate the program facility demands.
1. To continue to organize and administer an effective program, and, from time to time, to re-examine and reevaluate the trial advocacy competition to determine whether it may be improved, and whether it should remain an ongoing program of the YLC.