I have been lucky enough to get to know and serve on the Board with both of the TYLA President Elect candidates, Philip Mack Furlow and Lee Ann Reno, over the past few years. That distinction, combined with the fact that I asked to author this article again this year, gave me an opportunity to e-mail both of the candidates a few questions about their interests, Texas, and most importantly, TYLA. Read on to discover interesting tidbits about each of these great candidates, and don’t forget to vote this month – ballots are mailed out April 14 and DUE APRIL 30. Click here for candidate bios.

Candidate responses are listed in alphabetical order.

What do you love about Texas?

Furlow: I like old towns with brick streets and cool courthouses. I like dirt roads that fade into the West Texas sunset. But most of all I like the Spirit of Texas – that independent, frontier spirit that is still alive today. Two of my great grandfathers moved from North and East Texas to the frontier on the Western Plains of Texas in the hope of owning their own land and a better life. With very little cash, a load of kids, and an old Model T truck they came to break out the rough pasture into farm land and pursue their dreams. Four generations later, that independent “can do” spirit is alive and a major part of being a Texan. I am proud of the Texas Spirit and the heritage that our forefathers created for this great state.

Reno: From the boardrooms of Dallas and Houston, to the old courthouses of West Texas, the people are genuine, the lifestyle is more relaxed than other parts of the country, and our state has a great sense of pride and adventure.

What would you do during your presidency for Texas young lawyers?

Furlow: As a rookie solo practitioner in Dawson County, Texas, the members of the local bar took me under their wing. They were there for fatherly advice and sage counsel. They referred clients to me and watched over my professional development. I would like to develop a statewide mentoring program that would team young lawyers with more seasoned attorneys who can give young lawyers advice and help them with the real world issues that affect young lawyers everyday.

The personal and professional development of young lawyers would be one of the key priorities of TYLA through relevant videos, CLE seminars, and articles. I would particularly like to provide free CLE to teach young lawyers how to represent children in CPS cases and work with family court judges to get those young lawyers appointed. This will not only help the public, but will also help young lawyers gain valuable trial experience. Representing a child is one of the few times you actually get to wear a white hat.

Reno: I want to focus on projects that assist young lawyers in balancing their career with community and family obligations. By serving its members, TYLA can help connect these young lawyers to their communities through TYLA’s award-winning public service projects. I also want to expand TYLA’s website features and offer more practical tools, such as forms and sample briefs, and to increase the number of links to legal research sources and practice tip sites. I would also develop programs to provide information on managing time, coping with stress, and maintaining personal relationships. Providing a variety of innovative programs and increasing web-based features can help busy young lawyers maximize the effectiveness of the time they spend at the office and at home.

To assist young lawyers with career development, I would expand the number of TYLA projects that can provide young lawyers with hands-on experience, such as the Child Support Enforcement Program that allows lawyers to voluntarily take a child support enforcement case in exchange for CLE credit. I would also increase the number of web-based CLE programs and practical seminars, such as “The New Lawyer Course,” which is applicable to both office practitioners and litigators, and the “Federal Courts Practice CLE” series. By continuing to develop and publicize programs like these, TYLA can help its members further their careers.

Finally, I would emphasize that TYLA’s community service projects are not only a great way to change the public perception of our profession, but also to help young attorneys gain leadership skills that they can use in their community and in their practice. I would continue providing projects like Lawyers as Leaders and Leadership TYLA for young lawyers to gain important skills that will help them make a difference in their communities.

Tell us about a great book, good movie or fun concert you went to in the past year.

Furlow: There is a book of true inspiration, motivation and self-sacrifice that I read everyday. The more I read this book the more I get out of it. It has lessons and applications that are relevant to our day-to-day lives and is better than any self-help book on the market. The book is the Holy Bible. Reading this book everyday makes my life much more peaceful in a demanding and hectic world.

Reno: This year, my book club has read several books. Of those, I enjoyed The Red Tent the most, although The Da Vinci Code was a close second. (We are reading The House of Sand and Fog right now, but I will miss the meeting to discuss it due to the campaign!) When I was in Las Vegas recently for the Amarillo and Dallas young lawyers CLE program, a group of us went to see Elton John at Caesars’ Palace, which was a great concert.

What have you enjoyed most about being involved in TYLA?

Furlow: The thing I like most about being involved in TYLA is the opportunity to create programs that are helpful to young lawyers. When I was first elected to the board, my goal was to work on programs that would help young lawyers with their practice. I co-chaired the Small Law Office Committee and originated the “Hangin’ Out Your Shingle” video. The video is about two young lawyers who leave their firm jobs and start their own law firm. Of course they make every mistake possible and we get to learn from their mistakes. I had the opportunity to help plan the project, help write the script, audition actors, and act in the video.

Whether you’re in a small firm or a large firm the lessons outlined in the video are good for all lawyers. The video is still offered to our membership free of charge. In accepting the nomination for TYLA President-elect, my goals are still the same – to create programs that are relevant and helpful to young lawyers in their day-to-day lives.

Reno: During my four years on the TYLA Board of Directors, the two things I have enjoyed the most are the connections that I have made with many great young lawyers across the state and the projects that have benefited our members. Of the 14 different TYLA committees I have worked on, the Member Services Committee has been the most rewarding because it is through that Committee that I have seen firsthand how TYLA can help young lawyers. Whether it has been editing or writing numerous articles for the eNews, which has received national recognition from the American Bar Association, developing programs to provide young lawyers with free half-day CLE programs, or adding judges’ profiles to the on-line Judicial Directory, I believe that working on TYLA’s member service initiatives can make a difference to young lawyers across the state.