Meet AYLA President David King

King Serves as AYLA President for the 2020-21 Bar Year

BY AYLA LEADERSHIP AND DAVID KING, GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY

AYLA: Let’s start with everyone’s favorite question: Would you tell us a little about yourself?

KING: I was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. I went to UT-Austin for college and then moved back to the East Coast for a few years to work on policy and politics in Washington, D.C., before going to law school at the University of Virginia. I couldn’t resist Austin’s gravitational pull (my wife, Kacey, whom I met in college, is a native Austinite), so I moved back to town after law school. I clerked with Judge Benavides on the Fifth Circuit for a year before going to work for Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody, where I practice civil litigation focusing on business and other commercial disputes. Kacey and I have two kids—four and seven—and, like everyone else, we are trying to make it work in this post-COVID world.

AYLA: What are some of your Austin-area favorites?

KING: First, I want to highlight a former favorite—Hut’s Hamburgers. Our family will miss 2-for-1 burger night on Wednesday nights. Current food favorites include many of the fine Tex-Mex establishments we all know and love. (Even during the pandemic, we have managed to preserve our Friday night Tex-Mex ritual—thank goodness frozen margaritas can be included in pick-up orders.) I also love all of the greater-Austin-area parks and trails—Wild Basin, Bull Creek, Pedernales, McKinney Falls, Palmetto State Park, Inks Lake, etc.

AYLA: Why did you first get involved with AYLA?

KING: I am fortunate to be at an Austin law firm that really encourages and celebrates participation in the Bar and in the larger community. In my first few years of practice, I heard over and over again (and it turns out to be true!) that AYLA is a wonderful way for young lawyers to get involved and to get to know others in the Austin legal community.

AYLA: What are your goals for AYLA this year?

KING: First and foremost, my goal this year is to ensure that AYLA is still serving its membership despite the disruptions caused by COVID-19. That will mean changing our long-standing programs to fit our new reality— and also creating new programs which serve the unique needs of our current time. AYLA is a social organization which thrives on person-to-person interactions, so this will be a challenge. But, whether it is by Zoom or other forms of social distancing, the show will go on.

AYLA: If you could impart one piece of wisdom on the firstyear lawyer and make it stick, what would it be?

KING: It may sound clichéd (which is difficult to avoid when picking “one piece of wisdom”), but I’d say that first impressions matter. I think this is especially true for first-year lawyers. Especially in Austin, which is chock-full of excellent lawyers, it is tough to stand out. To do that, I think it helps—and may even be critical—to start out on the right foot with as many people as you can in your early career.

AYLA: What has been your most rewarding AYLA experience so far?

KING: It’s difficult to pick one experience, but AYLA’s holiday program holds a special place in my heart. Each holiday season (for many years now), we fundraise to provide gifts to economically disadvantaged families in Austin, and all of the families are invited to a kid-friendly holiday party with Santa, a magic show, and other games and activities. It’s such a fun event.

AYLA: What is an interesting fact about you that people probably don’t know?

KING: I lived in Germany for a year in high school and, although I could use some practice, I can still carry a conversation in German. (Thanks, Netflix, for all of the German series.)

AYLA: What changes do you anticipate to the manner in which AYLA puts on events or programming based on the need to maintain social distancing?

KING: We don’t have to anticipate the changes; we are already seeing them. AYLA, like so many other organizations, has had to postpone its large, signature events like Runway for Justice. In place of these events (which we do aim to resume when it is safe to do so), we are developing new programming. For example, in place of our typical “Docket Call” happy hour, we just had a virtual Docket Call Trivia Night. We also introduced “Coffee with the Judiciary,” which is a periodic event in which we invite a local state or federal judge to join a Zoom call with a small group of AYLA members.

AYLA: How do you believe AYLA can do a better job identifying and meeting the needs of its membership during these unprecedented times?

KING: These are truly unprecedented times. While the country is reeling from the devastation caused by COVID-19—both in terms of the staggering loss of life and the economic fallout— we are also seeing anger and frustration over racial injustice expressed through nationwide protests. AYLA will be doing more than simply sitting on the sidelines during this challenging time. AYLA is, at its core, a service organization, and we will strive to continue serving the Austin community. Working to increase access to justice is a meaningful part of that service, and we look forward to working with the Austin Bar on its newly formed Equity Committee. AL