Home > Member Resources > YLC Volunteer Opportunities
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Admission and Orientation Ceremony
This committee is responsible for organizing and staging a special ceremony sponsored twice a year by the Conference at which time all newly licensed attorneys are given the opportunity to appear before the Supreme Court of Virginia to be admitted to practice in the courts of Virginia. Because the Court sits in Richmond, this committee typically is comprised principally of young lawyers practicing in the metropolitan Richmond area.
Annual Meeting/Programs
This committee plans the special interest program that takes place during the Bar’s Annual Meeting held in Virginia Beach each June. The program typically is on Friday afternoon and is a CLE program of particular interest to young lawyers. During gubernatorial election years, this committee typically schedules a debate.Â
Annual Meeting/Athletics
This committee is responsible for organizing the “Run in the Sun� 5 kilometer foot race and the “Beach Volley Follies� volleyball tournament, all sponsored by the Conference during the Bar’s Annual Meeting in June.
First Day in Practice Seminar
In conjunction with the General Practice Section, this committee plans and implements the First Day in Practice Seminar for new lawyers traditionally held the day after the Fall Admission and Orientation Ceremony.
Newsletter/Docket Call
The editor and editorial board of the Docket Call are responsible for publishing four issues of the Conference’s newsletter each year. The award-winning newsletter, which contains information about the Conference’s activities and other information of particular interest to young lawyers, is circulated to every member of the Conference. The Docket Call editor serves as co-chair of the Publications Committee.
Minority Pre-Law Conference
This committee plans a one-day seminar that strives to expose college students, especially minority students, to many aspects of a legal career. From LSAT prep courses, mock law school classes, and a mock trial to panel discussions with the bench, bar, and law students, this course provides valuable information to Virginia students considering a career in the law. The committee attempts to have a conference in the Northern Virginia area and Southwest Virginia area.
Celebration Bench Bar Dinner Committee
Each year the YLC, through this committee, hosts a dinner to honor newly elevated women and minority judges from across the state. The dinner provides an opportunity for young lawyers to interact with judges in a casual, relaxed atmosphere.
Board Match
Board Match programs provide an opportunity for local non-profit organizations to solicit new board members and board participation from area lawyers.
Voter Education
This program gives Virginia Young Lawyers a unique and historic opportunity to improve the election process in the Commonwealth. While Virginia has led the nation in implementing election reform initiative over the years, there is much to be done to fully enfranchise our citizenry. The VSB-YLC has teamed with the Virginia State Board of Elections to ensure the distribution of Virginia Voter Rights and Responsibility brochures. These brochures are provided to the public to arm them with literature clearly outlining their voter rights and responsibilities in protecting those rights.  Â
Emergency Legal Services
This committee, in conjunction with VBA-YLD, has developed and implemented a statewide Emergency Legal Services Response Plan, which includes training volunteers and working with other bar organizations to establish communication plans in the event of natural disasters and other declared emergencies.Â
No Bills Night
The Conference, through this committee, conducts two annual No Bills Nights to provide a forum for the public throughout Virginia to raise legal issues and to seek information regarding their legal rights, without cost. The programs began in Richmond in 1984 and have grown every year since. The Conference hopes to put on programs in Abingdon, Charlottesville, Danville/Martinsville, Lynchburg, Fredericksburg, Northern Virginia, Staunton/Lexington, Richmond, Roanoke, Tidewater and Winchester/Harrisonburg. The programs are sponsored twice yearly in the spring and fall. Several programs are broadcast on local television stations.
Wills For Heroes
In response to the events of September 11, 2001, the Young Lawyers Division of the South Carolina Bar Association created a program called Wills for Heroes to allow the legal community to show its appreciation for the efforts and sacrifices made by firefighters, police, sheriffs and emergency medical technicians (“First Respondersâ€?). This committee, in conjunction with VBA-YLD, has developed and implemented a program to provide Simple Wills, Advanced Medical Directives, and Powers of Attorneys to First Responders on a pro bono basis.Â
Oliver Hill/Samuel Tucker Pre-Law Institute
The Virginia State Bar Young Lawyers Conference in conjunction with the Millennium Diversity Initiative and the University of Richmond T.C. Williams School of Law has designed a program, the Oliver Hill/Samuel Tucker Law Institute, to facilitate diversity in the legal profession. The program, which was implemented for the first time in July 2001, enables at-risk, minority students to attend a week long comprehensive seminar that exposes and encourages them to become members of the legal profession.Â
Domestic Violence Safety Project
The committee is responsible for establishing and furthering the Domestic Violence Safety Project (DVSP). The DVSP distributes a Safety Brochure and a Legal Pamphlet to domestic violence victims statewide and trains attorneys to provide pro bono representation to domestic violence victims.Â
Students Day in Capital
This committee organizes efforts to teach children about the judiciary, including coordinating a visit to the capital in Richmond.
Immigrant Outreach
This committee designs projects, including the Immigrant Outreach-Education Regarding Deportation Ramifications of Criminal Convictions program to (1) educate members of the bar regarding deportation ramifications of criminal convictions on immigrants and (2) reach out to Northern Virginia’s immigrant population.
Community Law Week
This committee helps promote the ABA's nationally recognized theme for Law Day each year by developing programs and sponsoring activities during the first week in May devoted to enhancing the public's awareness and appreciation of the role of law in American life. The focus of the committee is to encourage participation in Community Law Week on a statewide basis through local bar associations. Included among the activities are presentations in the media, programs in the public schools and public forums.
Juvenile Rights Handbook
This committee is responsible for the printing and distribution of the Juvenile Rights Handbook. The committee chairman is responsible for administration of the VLF grant funds awarded during the 2006-2007 bar year. The specific goals for the 2007-2008 bar year are to disseminate available copies of the handbook, use VLF funds for a second printing, and translate the handbook into another language.
Pro Bono
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This commission was formed to assess current pro bono programs and to develop programs designed to improve the quantity and quality of pro bono activities of young lawyers.Â
Children and the Law
This committee was formed to assess current programs designed to meet the legal needs of children. It is also charged with developing new projects to address the unmet legal needs of children.
Women & Minorities in the Profession
This commission was formed to assess current programs and to develop new programs to address the particular issues facing women and minority young lawyers.Â
Budget and Finance
This committee is designed to enhance the Conference's current budgeting process. During this year it has developed written guidelines that establish a budget planning process for the Board of Governors.
Grants and Awards of Achievement
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The Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association sponsors a nationwide Award of Achievement competition among bar groups during the American Bar Association's Annual Meeting. Young lawyers bar groups from all states are invited to enter this competition by submitting either an application for a particular project or a comprehensive outline of all their projects for the year. This committee will compile the application, which is due in June. This committee will also explore grant and other funding opportunities for the Conference during the year and will work with the Bar to publicize the many achievements and activities of the Conference.
Circuit Representatives
In 1983, the Conference established a statewide network of circuit representatives chosen from each of the state's judicial circuits. The network is designed to provide a liaison between practicing young lawyers on the local level and the Conference's Board of Governors, to promote statewide communication and participation among young lawyers in the projects and activities of the Conference and to increase the quantity and quality of public service and bar service legal programs throughout the state.
Membership Involvement
The purpose of this committee is to increase participation around the state in the Conference's programs and activities. This committee helps with the involvement of both newly licensed attorneys and those attorneys that are already established in practice in such Conference activities. In particular, the Conference desires increased participation from interested attorneys in governmental and corporate environments. This Committee has designed a membership brochure designed to inform and educate young lawyers about the many opportunities offered by the Conference.Â
Communication/Webpage
This committee is designed to help develop and maintain the Web page for the Conference as well as develop a list serve or email conduit of information for members of the Conference. It is also responsible for facilitating communication between the YLC Board and Conference members.
New Programs Review
In 2003, the Conference established this committee to assess and review new program ideas for the YLC and to identify for the Board recommended programs that should be undertaken.
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