Broward County Bar Association | Phone: (954) 764-8040
The time has finally arrived that I have the privilege of serving as President of the Young Lawyers Section of the Broward County Bar Association. And to say this is a privilege is an understatement. I was born and raised in Fort Lauderdale and our community
means the world to me. Being able to serve our incredible young lawyers in this position is not a commitment I take lightly and is a journey I am ecstatic to embark upon!
As I write my first Barrister’s article, I naturally reflect upon my experience serving on the Young Lawyer’s Board. I initially joined the board with some hesitation, as I was a young lawyer with a busy schedule, not sure how I was going to be able to balance both work and the board commitments. I soon met the incredible people at the Broward Bar and learned about all of the events we hosted and people we helped, and suddenly I realized it wasn’t “additional work” to complete but was a calling that I was meant to be a part of.
Some of my favorite memories from YLS have been our Breakfast with Judiciary events, reading to school children during our Lawyers for Literacy programs, attending our annual Charity Golf Tournaments, and supporting one of my favorite events of the year, Holiday in February, where we bring children to the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale and play games and hand out toys. I have also had the honor of chairing our Judicial Reception for my tenure on the board. I was able to secure a new venue for this event and help continue its success over the years.
Above all else, the most important part of YLS for me has been the friendships and connections I have made throughout the years. Not only have I developed important business relationships with lawyers and judges in the community, but I have also developed close friendships with people in our community that I know will continue long past our time serving on the board together.I would be remiss if I did not reflect upon the past YLS presidents and how they have shaped our organization into the amazing group we are today. I have had the honor of serving under presidents Todd Baker, Brent Reitman, Sara Sandler, Lindsey Massillon, Omar Giraldo, and James Heaton. These phenomenal leaders put on some of the most successful events in YLS history! To name a few, who can’t forget our Casino Nights, YLS Fashion Show, Boot Camps, and Veteran’s Standdowns? During my tenure on the YLS board we have won affiliate of the year by the Florida Bar three times! These are huge shoes to fill, but I could not be more excited for this challenge! (And yes, we WILL win Affiliate of the Year for the fourth time again this year!)
With that in mind, we are now off to the races. Our board is taking our summertime to plan for next year and our committees have already been busy working on future events. I can’t wait to share with you all the incredible things we accomplish this year. Stay tuned!