Meet AYLA President Rachael K. Jones

AUSTIN YOUNG LAWYERS ASSOCIATION

Jones Serves as AYLA President for the 2021-22 Bar Year

AYLA: Please tell us a little about yourself.

JONES: I’m an appellate lawyer and single mom to my amazing 11-year-old son, Riley. Some of my favorite things include traveling, the outdoors, adventures, and new experiences. I also love to read, and I’m a supernerd when it comes to words and language. I grew up in East Tennessee, then spent a year in AmeriCorps building houses and leading volunteers with Habitat for Humanity. I attended UCLA for undergrad (including a year abroad in Barcelona) and worked as a paralegal for a couple of years before moving to Austin for law school at UT. My son was born during my 1L year, and we moved abroad to Edinburgh (Scotland) when I was a 3L to participate in UT’s dual-degree program, so I have an LLM in International Law along with my JD. In addition to AYLA and the Austin Bar, I’m actively involved in my son’s Cub Scout pack and the PTA at his elementary school. I’m also a member of the Barbara Jordan Inn of Court.

AYLA: What kind of law do you practice?

JONES: My primary practice areas are civil appeals, research and drafting for complex motions, and general civil litigation consulting and support. I previously spent several years practicing plaintiff-side personal injury and medical malpractice law. I’m currently finishing up a temporary contract as a remote staff attorney for the Eighth Court of Appeals in El Paso, which has been a fascinating experience!

AYLA President Rachael K. Jones and son Riley.

AYLA: Why did you first get involved with AYLA?

JONES: I joined AYLA with hopes of meeting other young lawyers and finding ways to get involved in Austin’s legal community—and AYLA far surpassed my expectations! When I first started practicing, I didn’t know many people and often felt pretty isolated—I lived in Round Rock, most of my “free time” in law school had been devoted to infant care, I’d spent the last year in another country, and I was working at a fairly small firm that didn’t have many other associates—but it didn’t take long to find a place with AYLA. I’ve met so many wonderful people and have enjoyed so many great educational and service opportunities with AYLA in the past several years. For any young (or young-at-heart) lawyer who may be contemplating whether to join AYLA, I really can’t recommend it enough!

AYLA: Are you involved in any other Austin Bar programs or committees?

JONES: I am a co-editor of Austin Lawyer, and an Austin Bar/AYLA Leadership Academy graduate (class of 2016). In addition to my involvement with AYLA and its committees, I’m also a member of the Austin Bar’s Communications, CLE, Bench Bar, and History & Traditions committees.

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

JONES: Don’t be scared to put yourself out there! Or, better yet, embrace the fear and do it anyway! From the early days of law school, so much emphasis is placed on the importance of building connections, but the pressure to “network” can feel intimidating when you’re a brand new attorney—especially if, like me, you're more of an introvert. But remember: Just because you don’t have much legal work experience yet, it doesn’t mean you don’t have anything to offer! Take some stress out of the process by not worrying too much about creating the “network” that you think you need, and focus more on building genuine relationships based on common ground. You’ll likely find that connections tend to happen naturally, and you’ll have a lot more fun along the way. AYLA events are a great place to start (just saying!), as there are tons of opportunities to connect with other lawyers.

AYLA: What are some challenges facing AYLA in this transitional phase of the pandemic?

JONES: Like so many other organizations across the country, AYLA has seen a drop in membership over the past year. I am hopeful that the excellent in-person programming and social events we have planned for this upcoming year will encourage people to come back. And for all the lawyers out there who are over 40 (and have been licensed more than three years) but wish they could still join in the fun, there’s great news—you can! AYLA offers a “Forever Young” sustaining membership option that is open to all Austin-area attorneys. We’d love to have you join us!

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

JONES: I worked as an outdoor adventure guide in college and led trips all over the Western and Southwestern United States. My all-time favorite trips to lead were canoe-camping excursions in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River in Arizona.

AYLA: What are some of your goals for AYLA next year?

JONES: One of the things I’m most excited about for this year is welcoming all our members back to (COVID-safe) in-person events! AYLA has done a fantastic job of rising to meet the challenges of the pandemic and serving its members in innovative ways during the past year, but it’s probably safe to say that many of us are ready for a break from Zoom at this point. And as successful as AYLA has been in creatively adapting to the virtual world, many of our signature events and programs just aren’t the same when they’re not in person, and we’re really looking forward to bringing them back! I am personally very excited about getting to know AYLA members whom I haven’t yet had the chance to really meet, as well as reconnecting with old friends. On that note, I’d like to invite anyone who may be interested in getting more involved with AYLA (or just wants to chat!) for a coffee or lunch, either virtual or in person, anytime. My personal email is rkjones983@gmail.com. Please feel free to reach out! AL