AUSTIN YOUNG LAWYERS ASSOCIATION
AYLA Member Spotlight: Ben Dower AYLA: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your law practice. Dower: Having lived in Austin for over 20 years, I claim the coveted title of “Austin Native.” (Just don’t check my birth certificate.) My parents and sister still live here, and I have been maintaining rigorous quarantine practices so I can stay in their “pandemic bubble.” (And, if it hasn’t been claimed already, © on that phrase as the title of my first book, album, or film.) As you can probably tell, I know nothing about intellectual property law. Instead, I practice civil litigation at the Office of the Attorney General of Texas. My clients are primarily state officials, state employees, state agencies, and public universities. These days, my caseload includes lawsuits
challenging the State’s response to the pandemic. Consequently, I have been eating temporary injunction hearings for breakfast via Zoom (unless they’re on Travis County’s 2 p.m. docket, in which case they’re more of a late lunch). It is fast-paced but rewarding work. AYLA: How long have you been involved in AYLA and what’s been your best AYLA experience so far? Dower: My involvement with AYLA started in 2014. Since then, I served an ex officio member of the AYLA board for a few years and was elected as a director in 2019. I have had many wonderful experiences with AYLA, including the trial academy and leadership academy. The latter involved host-
UPCOMING EVENTS THUR., MARCH 4 Zoom Yoga 45-Minute Beginner-Friendly Yoga Taught by Sireesha Yoga 6 p.m. Visit ayla.org to register. FRI., MARCH 5 AYLA Board of Directors Nominations Due Completed 2021–22 nominations due Visit ayla.org for complete details. THUR., MARCH 25 AYLA Docket Call Trivia Hosted by Dave Floyd 6 p.m. Visit ayla.org to register.
ing an outdoor pie fest, which had great turnout and allowed many local lawyers and judges to bring their families. I also got “pied” in the face as a fundraiser. That may not have been the “best AYLA experience,” but was certainly memorable. AYLA: What’s your favorite moment of your career so far? Dower: I don’t know off the top of my head, but I am confident it is not a story I would want to tell in Austin Lawyer. No offense. And no comment. AYLA: What’s your best piece of advice for fellow young attorneys? Dower: Find a good mentor, and preferably good mentors (plural), who will invest in your professional growth. Throughout
Ben Dower
my career, I have been enormously blessed with wonderful colleagues who have taken the time to teach me how to practice law the right way (upon information and belief). If you are lucky enough to find someone like that, attach yourself to them (metaphorically), and don’t let go. (Again, and I cannot emphasize this enough, metaphorically AUSTIN LAWYER AL AL speaking.)
Serve on the 2021-22 AYLA Board of Directors Nominations Now Open
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re you interested in a leadership role in AYLA? The 2021– 22 nominations are now open for officers (president-elect, secretary, and treasurer) and directors (four positions). Nomination forms and petitions are due March 5. AYLA board meetings are held monthly from August 2021 through May 2022. To be eligible to be an officer, you must be a current AYLA member and have been a director of the association prior to the election. To be eligible to be a director, you must be a current member of AYLA. To run for a position, submit a
MARCH 5 2021–22 AYLA BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOMINATIONS DUE Email: debbie@austinbar.org
nomination petition signed by 10 current AYLA members and list all AYLA committee involvement. With your petition, include a professional headshot and 50 words or less about yourself for the ballot that will be circulated to the membership. Submit nomination forms to Debbie Kelly at debbie@ austinbar.org. Visit ayla.org for a nomination form and complete AUSTINLAWYER election rules. AL AL MARCH 2021 | AUSTINLAWYER
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