July 20, 2022
Young Lawyers Conference wins four 2021-2022 ABA Awards of Achievement
The Frankie Muse Freeman Organizational Pro Bono Award for 2020 has been awarded to the Freddie Mac Legal Department by the VSB Standing Committee on Access to Legal Services. Freddie Mac is a leader in the secondary mortgage market, assisting homebuyers and renters across the country obtain residences.
Competing against bars across the country, the VSB’s Young Lawyers Conference won four Awards of Achievement from the American Bar Association for the 2021-2022 bar year.
The YLC awards include:
Newsletter: Docket Call
Editor: Rob Elliott, Assistant Editor: Ashlend Moss
The Docket Call is the official newsletter of the YLC, and its purpose is to provide a platform for conference members to receive news about activities and information that will assist new and young lawyers in the practice of law. During the 2021-2022 bar year, the YLC competed its goal of shifting the newsletter from a quarterly publication to a blog-style format with more regular online content. Articles can be accessed on the Docket Call website.
Single Project, Service to the Bar: YLC Bench-Bar Conference
Co-Chairs: Alicia Penn and Maricris Prendingue
The YLC Bench-Bar Conference aims to bring the perspectives of judges and justices at varying levels to young lawyers through a series of panels on issues faced by young lawyers. Topics covered by judicial panelists this year included courtroom tips and tricks, effective legal writing, and diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. Roughly 300 lawyers registered for the conference.
Single Project, Service to the Public: Wills for Heroes
Co-Chairs: Lauren Bohdan, Amanda Rudolph, and John Morgan
Wills for Heroes was a two-day event held in Culpeper in early April to provide pro-bono basic estate-planning services to first responders and their spouses. This event gave young lawyers an opportunity to give back and provided first responders—including law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians—some peace of mind knowing their affairs are in order if something were to happen to them in the line of duty.
Comprehensive: Minority Pre-Law Conference (Hampton Roads), Wills for Heroes, Bench-Bar Conference, Bench-Bar Dinner, Docket Call
Minority Pre-Law Conference Co-Chairs: Amanda Newins and Maryam Atty
Bench-Bar Dinner Co-Chairs: Sarah Kathryn Stahling and Randolph Critzer, Jr.
The YLC was recognized for the sum of their efforts this past bar year, including the aforementioned Docket Call newsletter, Wills for Heroes, and the Bench-Bar Conference as well as the Minority Pre-Law Conference (Hampton Roads) and the Bench-Bar Dinner. The Minority Pre-Law Conference in Hampton Roads promotes diversity in the practice by encouraging minority and nontraditional students to attend law school. The Bench-Bar Dinner recognized members of the bar that have not historically been selected for the bench—specifically women and minorities—and provided an opportunity for bench and bar members to network in a casual environment.
Attendees of the Minority Pre-Law Conference pose with Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia S. Bernard Goodwyn, who spoke at the event.