The VBA Journal is the official publication of The Virginia Bar Association.
Issue link: http://vba.epubxp.com/i/99281
YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION BY DANIEL E. ORTIZ CHAIR, YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION Reflling the leadership pipeline a deep bench ensures a robust future A s I write this article, the YLD is preparing for its annual fall meeting. I am pleased to host the YLD in Fairfax. Te crisp fall weather welcomes our young lawyers from across the state. I am certain that when this article is published we will have new stories about the programs we pursued at the fall meeting, the tour of a local winery and the nighttime tour of the home of George Washington. Over the past several years, I have observed that the YLD continues to fourish for several reasons. First, as we "age of" the YLD, the next generation of lawyers stands ready to take the reins of the YLD. It has become apparent to me that the deep bench of young lawyer leaders serves as the backbone of our organization. How did we develop such a strong pipeline of leaders? As an association we have placed an emphasis on the recruitment of young lawyers who want to serve our communities and profession. We rely upon our senior membership to nudge our younger associates and colleagues to get involved and serve. More importantly, our frms and employers provide the fnancial support to attend meetings and sponsor events. Not only do they provide fnancial support, they recognize the sacrifce, time and resources that young lawyers contribute to our programs. While our membership numbers have remained steady, it appears that our Association has weathered the recent economic downturn. I have noticed that young lawyers have felt the squeeze. Te pressure to remain proftable has increased while support for extracurricular activities has diminished. It should come as no surprise that as a young lawyer, it has become increasingly 6 • VBA JOURNAL J. Britton Williston, a member of the YLD Executive Committee, briefs the group on the division's application for ABA Awards of Achievement.