TYLA eNews, January 2007

Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
—Benjamin Franklin

The tradition of making resolutions on New Year's Eve dates back to early Roman times, when Janus, the god of beginnings and the guardian of doors and entrances, was placed at the head of the Roman calendar. Janus, who is depicted with two faces on either side of his head, could look backward and forward at the same time. This portrayal has made him the ancient symbol for resolutions.

On January 1, what kind of a year will you be looking back on, and what kind of a year do you look forward to? (Cont.)

Feature TYLA Affiliate

The Corpus Christi Young Lawyers Association


Omar Leal

For the Corpus Christi Young Lawyers (“CCYLA”), 2006 has been an exceptional year and it appears 2007 will be no different. Under the leadership of its President, Omar Leal, and an energetic and creative board, CCYLA has consistently contributed to the betterment of the local community, while having a pretty good time as well. CCYLA's activities, most of which are highlighted below, have successfully engaged the local bar, prospective law students and even aim to help local children. Here is a peek at what has been going on down in Corpus Christi.

With Omar Leal at the helm of the organization, CCYLA has broken new ground. Omar is proud of his involvement not only in CCYLA, but also other organizations. (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 Roadshow Headed To The Beach

Tide was high and the surfers were out. You could smell the saltwater in the air. But ... This was not the time to dip your toe in the water or get your feet dirty in the sand. The Texas Young Lawyers Association Roadshow crew was in town doing what it does best - connecting with the affiliates in a double-hitter recruiting effort for the Corpus Christi Young Lawyers Association. (Cont.)

Tips for Young Lawyers

Ten Things You Should Know When Appearing in Federal Court

by Katie Dukes Carmona, Law Clerk, United States District
Judge Lee Yeakel, Western District of Texas, Austin Division

Many lawyers who practice primarily in state court are intimidated by the rules and formality of the federal court system. In reality, federal practice is much less complex than state court practice. An attorney who familiarizes himself with the rules and follows them will find it quite easy to navigate his case through the federal system. If the attorney has a question regarding the interpretation of a rule, she will often find the court's chambers happy to answer her questions.

Some of the questions and concerns expressed by the attorneys appearing before our Court prompted the development of a “top ten” list for practicing attorneys. (Cont.)

Article of Interest

The Court's Charge in Texas: A Brief Overview
by Mario de la Garza


Mario de la Garza

The court's charge is the instrument by which the trial court instructs the jury on the law, defines legal or technical terms, and poses the critical questions that solicit the jury's verdict. Practitioners should therefore draft their proposed charges carefully. They should call any complaints about the court's charge specifically to the court's attention and obtain rulings on the record. To prepare, practitioners should thoroughly review Texas Rules of Civil Procedure 271 through 279 , analyze the bountiful and developing precedent in this area, and give cautious consideration to the Texas Pattern Jury Charge. What follows is a brief overview of selected topics that are important to charge practice.(Cont.)

ABA/YLD Update

For more information click here

Registration for the Midyear
Meeting is now open! www.abayld.org.

• Mid-Year Conference, Miami, February 8-10
Join us in beautiful downtown Miami for our Mid-Year meeting in February! Please go to http://www.abanet.org/midyear/2007/ for more information. Take part in the “ Bar Leadership Academy ” which will be presented by top speakers from throughout the association and the division sharing their expertise and wisdom. Besides the amazing programming, the conference will have fun social events, including a gathering at Gloria Estefan's Bongo's restaurant/nightclub!

• Spring Conference, Montreal, May 3-5, 2007
Mark your calendars now for the ABA/YLD Spring Conference in Montreal ! More information about this fantastic conference will be available soon on our website www.abanet.org/yld

If you have any questions about ABA/YLD conferences or projects, please contact: Kimberly Burke, ABA/YLD District 25 Representative at kimberly_burke@aigag.com, or Amy Davis Benavides, ABA /YLD District 26 Representative at amy.benavides@hsblaw.com.

Take Note

Upcoming Events

January 11, 2007 starting at 11:00 a.m.: TYLA's “They Had A Dream Too: Young Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement” program at the Auditorium in the Texas State Capitol.
January 11th - 30th, 2007 from 12:00 p.m.-12:50 p.m.: Cordell Parvin's Rainmaking Series. Click here to view the flyer and dates.
January 18th - 19th, 2007: TYLA Roadshow in Fort Bend County and Galveston.
January 26-27, 2007: Joint TYLA/State Bar of Texas Board of Directors Meeting at the Camino Real Hotel in El Paso.
February 1-2, 2007: Bankruptcy Litigation: Pretrial Practice and Procedure Workshop Center for American and International Law, Plano, TX. Click here for the conference overview.

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.