CBA Record April_May 2016

42 / 64

Y O U N G L A W Y E R S J O U R N A L
42 APRIL/MAY 2016
CBA YOUNG
LAWYERS SECTION
Chair
Matthew A. Passen
Passen Law Group
First Vice-Chair
Kathryn Carso Liss
Law Offices of Jean Conde
Second Vice-Chair
Jonathan Amarilio
Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP
Member Service Manager
Trisha Rich
Holland & Knight
Public Service Manager
Octavio Duran Jr.
Bekkerman Law Offices
Project Officer
Shawna Boothe
Schiff Hardin LLP
Project Officer
Brandon E. Peck
Peck Ritchey LLC
Secretary/Treasurer
Paraisia Winston Gray
YLS Journal Co-Editors in Chief
Geoffrey Burkhart
American Bar Association
Oliver Khan
Arnstein & Lehr LLP
Assistant Co-Editor
Nicholas Standiford
Schain Banks
Kenny & Schwartz LTD
YLS Director
Jennifer Byrne
Finishing Strong
By Matthew A. Passen
YLS Chair
We began this bar year with a
simple theme: The Complete
Lawyer. My goal was to offer
our members opportunities to enhance
their practice skills, expand their profes-
sional networks, and serve the community
in meaningful ways–all attributes of a
complete lawyer.
Rather than summarizing all that we
have accomplished this year, I’d rather
focus on how we’re finishing strong.
We recently reached an impressive
milestone in our year-long public service
effort to “End Distracted Driving” in our
community: YLS volunteers have officially
given the presentation to more than 2,000
high school students this year. Each of those
students received a “Family Safe Driving
Agreement” to take home to discuss with
their family, so the overall impact of this
program is exponentially larger.
Our new membership initiative target-
ing associates at large and mid-sized firms,
Lawyer Engagement and Development
(“LEAD”), recently finished its fifth install-
ment on “Connecting Through Shared
Interests in Civic Engagement,” hosted
by Sidley Austin LLP. On May 13 we had
our final installment, titled “Life After Big
Law,” at the CBA. This special program
included a closing networking reception.
Our celebration of Law Week began
April 30 with a “Call-A-Lawyer” session.
One event that made a big impact was the
May 5 judge’s reception at the CBA. In
addition to networking with other lawyers
and judges, we presented the Liberty Bell
Award to Justin Hayford, Case Manager
and Paralegal at the Legal Counsel for
Health Justice. Justin is an outstanding
paralegal and a deserving non-lawyer
whose service has strengthened the effec-
tiveness of the American system of freedom
under the law.
Lawyers are storytellers–yet most of us
probably could use a brush up on how to
tell effective stories. On May 4, we hosted
our first-ever “Storytelling for Lawyers”
program at the CBA. The program began
with instruction on how to craft an effec-
tive story, followed by a “Story Slam” where
participants practiced telling their own
stories.
Another fun event you won’t want to
miss: the YLS Cubs Outing on Tuesday,
July 19. We’ll meet at Murphy’s Bleachers
before the game to socialize, then head
over to Wrigley Field to watch the night
game from the bleachers. Tickets are only
$38 and can be purchased on the CBA
website.
Finally, I encourage anyone inter-
ested in learning more about how to
get involved with the YLS to attend our
annual meeting on June 8 at 11:30 a.m.
at Petterino’s. We will celebrate this year’s
accomplishments and then I will pass the
reins over to next year’s YLS chair, Katie
Liss, who will provide an overview of her
goals for next year.
Thanks to the CBA and CBF staff,
especially Jennifer Byrne, for their incred-
ible support this year. And thanks to our
officers and directors for sacrificing their
time to make the YLS the most relevant
and successful young lawyer bar association
in the country.