YLS REPORT
AND THEY’RE OFF! By Chris Hussein Chris Hussein is the Interim Chair of the Young Lawyers Section. He is a staff attorney with Legal Aid of Arkansas, Inc. The Young Lawyers Section ended 2019 with a bang hosting a couple of events in the month of November. On November 7, YLS held a record-sealing clinic at Genesis Church in Fayetteville. YLS partnered with the Genesis Church, Legal Aid of Arkansas, Inc., and the Washington County Bar Association. At our record-sealing clinic we were able to assist 26 different individuals in the preparation of 134 different documents. In providing these documents our volunteer attorneys and law students gave the individuals what they needed to have their record sealed. By having their record sealed the individuals will have greater access to jobs and housing options that they previously wouldn’t have had. Later that month on November 21, YLS teamed up with the Washington County Bar Association to host a Young Lawyers Section happy hour. The happy hour was held at Pinpoint in Fayetteville, which is a pinball bar. There was a good turnout as about 20-30 young lawyers from the area attended and had a great time. The month of February held even more big things for YLS. For the most part, February revolved around the MidYear Meeting. YLS hosted a reception on February 6 at Flying Saucer in Little Rock. We
had a huge turnout of around 80 people with a great night of conversation, food and drinks. YLS had the opportunity to co-sponsor the 19th Amendment Traveling Exhibit through the American Bar Association. The six-banner free-standing exhibit featured historic photos and artifacts and details the story of the battle for ratification and outlines the challenges that remain. Attendees at the meeting enjoyed the exhibit on display during the Mid-Year Meeting. The exhibit spent time at each of the state’s law schools while it was in Arkansas. As we look forward to the Spring YLS has some great things coming up. We will be hosting our annual Wills for Heroes clinics this Spring on Saturday April 18th from 9 AM to 1 PM. We will do them at the same locations as last year, the Access to Justice Center in Little Rock and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fayetteville. Keep an eye out for information about signing up to volunteer! We are also working on another happy hour or two and considering other ways to serve our communities. YLS is in the final stages of wrapping up our Local Practice Guidebook project. This will be a great resource for basic court information such as hours, location and the clerk’s name; for
any filing specifics the clerk’s office may have; and other information that makes the clerk’s job easier and deals with any preferences the clerk may have. We have also begun our project updating the Statewide Disaster Manual. Many YLS members have graciously volunteered their time and efforts to help in the revision of this manual. This manual, once complete, will be a wonderful resource in times
of natural disaster for not only attorneys, but anyone who may be in need. This manual will outline typical issues that arise during disasters, what resources are available to disaster victims, and in some cases how to handle the issues that arise. I am so excited for YLS to start off 2020 with a bang! Make sure to keep an eye on the YLS Facebook page for upcoming events and announcements!
Thank you to YLS members for assisting in a recordsealing clinic on November 7. Watch for your volunteer opportunity coming soon with the Will for Heroes events.
Vol. 55 No. 1/Winter 2020 The Arkansas Lawyer
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