TYLA eNews, October 2006

My four year old son, Jake Austin, loves to read Dr. Seuss books. Most children do. Although he likes everything the good doctor published, his favorite is the book Fox in Socks . This is his favorite particularly because he loves laughing at me as I try to read the book as fast and I can, and inevitably make a fool of myself. (Cont.)

Feature TYLA Affiliate

Amarillo Area Young Lawyers Association's New Lawyer Orientation a Success!

Dusty Stockard & Wendy Humphrey

On September 21st the Amarillo Area Young Lawyers Association (“AAYLA”) held its New Lawyer Orientation and Reception. Through this project AAYLA provided lawyers (both newly licensed and new to the area) a welcoming program. The program included tours of the local courthouses. This tour provided an opportunity to meet federal, district and county judges and the people really responsible for the administration of justice: the clerks. During these meet and greets the new lawyers learned the nuances of practicing in specific courts and the pet peeves of the judges. AAYLA also provided handouts that included information regarding the Amarillo area, applications to the local bar associations, applications for admission to the Northern District, the local bar newsletter, a current copy of the TYLA eNews and letters from the local bar leaders. In addition, TYLA's own Lee Ann Reno spoke to the new lawyers about TYLA and its projects. Following the tour and presentations the new lawyers attended a reception attended by members of the bar, young and not so young. The reception provided a great way for current members of the bar to get to know the new lawyers. With a thought toward the bottom line, AAYLA obtained sponsorships from Gwin & Roby, L.L.P., SandersBaker, P.C. and Panhandle Court Reporters. If you are interested in implementing a New Lawyer Orientation in your city and would like more details, please contact Dusty Stockard, AAYLA President, at dstockard@courtneylawfirm.com . If you would like correct information, please contact Justin Myers at jmyers@sandersbaker.com or Joni Kleinschmidt at jkleinschmidt@gwinnroby.com . (Just kidding Dusty!)

Leadership Island: Leadership DAYL Turns 10

When the members of this year’s Dallas Association of Young Lawyers leadership class convened for their class retreat, they had no idea where they were headed. Some suspected a nearby lake. Others feared a group outing to Arkansas. No one thought they’d be at South Padre Island in a few hours’ time.

The Texas Coast wasn’t on their radar screen because Leadership DAYL’s previous classes had all met in Dallas. The trip to South Padre Island was the inspiration of Leadership DAYL’s facilitators — Robert Witte of Winstead Sechrest & Minick, P.C., Rob Crain of Baron & Budd, P.C., Karen McCloud of Davis Kennedy, P.C., and Penny Blackwell of Greenberg Traurig, L.L.P. Each is a graduate of the program and each thought the leadership class might be even more productive, more cohesive, and more fulfilling if its members took part in a group bonding experience. (Cont.)

Meet the Affiliates

If your affiliate has an upcoming event that you would like featured in eNews, please forward the information to Bree Trevino or contact eNews Co-Chairs Kendyl Hanks or Brad Allen.

Feature TYLA Project

TYLA/ProBAR Unaccompanied Children's Project


	Austin Training - Texas Law Center

Each year, more than 6,000 unaccompanied children reach the United States border after fleeing abuse, neglect or persecution in their home countries. Approximately 25% of those detained children are held in the Rio Grande Valley . This year, the Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA) partnered with the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR) to help provide a voice to those children.

Austin Training - Texas Law Center

Created in 1989 by the State Bar of Texas, the American Bar Association, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association, ProBAR has become an integral part of the legal community in South Texas . It is a national effort to provide legal services to immigrants, including children, who are detained in South Texas. By recruiting, training and coordinating the activities of volunteer attorneys, law students and legal assistants, ProBAR has been successful in winning several political asylum cases for minors in detention. However, as the number of detained children rises every year, the need for Texas attorneys to take action increases. (Cont.)

Tips for Young Lawyers

The Five “A”ttributes: A Recipe for Professional Success

There is no single set of traits that will insure success as an associate or, for that matter, as a lawyer. There are, however, certain attributes that many successful attorneys have in common. If you look at your mentors and other attorneys you admire, you will likely see all of these attributes present in some degree. And if we can identify those common traits, we can work to cultivate them.

While great lawyers have many attributes, five appear more often than not. Successful lawyers are:

Able
Attentive
Accountable
Ambitious
Active

These five attributes are unique because (1) they all obviously relate to one another, and (2) while each lawyer may already possess some or all of these traits, each attribute can also be developed and nurtured through conscious effort. (Cont.)

Article of Interest

New Supreme Court Retaliation Case Will Have A Big Impact

This summer the United States Supreme Court broadened the reach of employment retaliation claims, materially impacting Texas employment litigation. See Burlington N. Santa Fe Ry. Co. v. White, 2006 WL 1698953 ( June 22, 2006 ). Because the standard adopted by the Supreme Court is significantly different from how the Fifth Circuit previously addressed these claims, it should have a big impact on Texas litigation.

Elements of a Retaliation Claim

Prior to the issuance of White , in order to prove a retaliation claim in Texas, the employee had to show that 1) he or she engaged in activity protected by Title VII, 2) his or her employer took adverse employment action against him or her, and 3) there was a causal connection between the protected activity and the adverse employment action. White focused on the second of these elements. (Cont.)

Take Note

ABA/YLD Update

Join the ABA Young Lawyers Divisionat the
Fall Conference in Baltimore, Maryland
October 19-21, 2006

Twice a year the ABA YLD brings young lawyers together for a meeting focused on programming and projects geared toward young lawyers. In addition to multiple hours of outstanding CLE, bar leadership, and public service programs, the YLD's Fall Conference in Baltimore will feature one of the best conference locations that the Division has ever visited. Based at the beautiful Baltimore Waterfront in the Inner Harbor , you will only be a short walk from family-friendly locations such as the National Aquarium, Port Discovery, the Baltimore Museum at Camden Yards, and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture. In addition, you are only a short walk from the shops, restaurants and clubs at Power Plant and Power Plant Live and a short ride from the eclectic areas of Fells Point and Canton . (Cont.)

Texas Paralegal Day - October 23, 2006

The State Bar of Texas was the first bar association in the United States to create a separate division for paralegals. The Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas (the “Division”) was created on October 23, 1981. The Division has been in existence for 25 years, and is celebrating its 25th Anniversary.

In light of the exclusive use of the paralegal title, the Division obtained a Texas House Resolution to promote the adoption of Texas Paralegal Day. Please join us in recognizing and celebrating Texas Paralegal Day on October 23, 2006, and the Division's 25 th Anniversary.

Contact: Javan Johnson, ACP, President, Paralegal Division
Board Certified Legal Assistant-Civil Trial Law-Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Professional Paralegal Services, P. O. Box 4395, Longview, TX 75606, (903) 738-1024 (cell), (903) 238-8276 (fax), javan@texramp.net

Upcoming Events

October 6th: TYLA Roadshow and Ethic Jeopardy CLE Luncheon with Lubbock County Young Lawyers Association at the 50 Yard Line in Lubbock.
October 6-8th: The 22nd Annual John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Forum. The JBS Public Leadership Forum features an inspirational program of top quality speakers in a non-partisan atmosphere of statesmanship. For more information, please contact Jason M. King.
October 14th: Annual Triple Play Charity Softball Tournament, hosted by South Texas College of Law, Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and the University of Houston Law Center with all proceeds benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Houston. The tournament will be held at the Herman Brown softball fields.
October 20th, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m: TYLA/ProBAR Unaccompanied Children's Project Training (co-sponsored by the Cameron County Young Lawyers Association) at Rodriguez, Colvin, Chaney & Saenz, L.L.P., 1201 E. Van Buren in Brownsville. For more information about the TYLA/ProBAR Unaccompanied Children's Project, please contact Sylvia Cardona.
October 26th: TYLA Roadshow Luncheon and CLE (Water Street Seafood Co.) and Happy Hour (Executive Surf Club) with Corpus Christi Young Lawyers Association in Corpus Christi.
October 26th: The Houston Young Lawyers Foundation will hold its 13th annual charity golf tournament at Timber Creek Golf Club in Friendswood, Texas. Last year over $18,000.00 was donated to the foundation as a result of the tournament. Please visit HYLA's website for more information.
November 10th, from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m: TYLA/ProBAR Unaccompanied Children's Project Training (co- sponsored by the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers) at Hermes Sargent Bates, LLP, 901 Main St., Ste. 5200 in Dallas.For more information about the TYLA/ProBAR Unaccompanied Children's Project, please contact Sylvia Cardona.
November 10-11th: TYLA Board of Director's Meeting at the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas.
December 1st, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m: TYLA/ProBAR Unaccompanied Children's Project Training (co- sponsored by the Houston Association of Young Lawyers) at South Texas College of Law, 1303 San Jacinto St. in Houston. For more information, please contact Wendy Miller.
January 27-28, 2007: Joint TYLA/State Bar of Texas Board of Directors Meeting at the Camino Real Hotel in El Paso.

TYLA Annual Report 2006

Want to know how TYLA is serving its members and the community? Then be sure to read the 2006 annual report, which details the activities of TYLA during the 2005-2006 Bar year. Click here for a copy or call 800-204-2222 x 1529 and we'll send you a copy.

Get Involved and Sign Up Today!

If you want to be involved as an active volunteer in TYLA, now is the best time. The new Bar year is just getting underway, and you can get in on the ground floor and really help shape the work of our public or member service committees of your choice. Visit our website to find out more about TYLA committees and their focus .. then sign up online!

Please note: if you signed up for a committee prior to June 2006, you will need to sign up for your committees again. Committee memberships are reset
each year on June 1.