THE
ADVOCATE VOLUME 34, NUMBER 4 - Summer 2020
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SPRING ISSUE!
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 Message from the Chair 4 Committee Updates 4 American Bar Association 5 Disaster Relief 6 Featured Article “Am I A Lawyer Yet?” The Perspective Of A New Lawyer On Beginning A Law Practice, And The Importance Of Pro Bono Work During The Pandemic 9 Have a Great Summer!
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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR BY NATHANIEL K. RISCH, SECTION CHAIR (nate@mannrisch.com) In most years, the final Message from the Chair for the bar year is devoted to reflecting on what the Young Lawyers Section (YLS) accomplished during the year. Well, this year is not most years. Do not get me wrong, we had a great threequarters of a year. I was looking forward to the last few months and some of our most impactful events before COVID-19 changed everything. The Section Council and Angela Munro of the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA) deserve many platitudes for the work they put in and the programs and products that resulted from that work. Their next round is on me. Instead, I want to reiterate the focus of my Spring Message from the Chair. Our society requires change. In the short term (and hopefully not the long-term), change comes in the form of wearing masks, social distancing, and washing hands. Change means learning how to get your work done and represent your clients in a virtual setting, as much as in the courtroom or in a traditional office. By being vigilant, we can slow the spread of the virus and diminish its impact on our personal and professional lives.
our legal system. Thus, we must change our thinking and the processes in place that allow for bias and inequality to propagate. The deaths of George Floyd and others, along with the ensuing protests, brought these issues back to the forefront of our consciousness. We cannot let the moment pass and revert back to the belief that everything is okay or that these issues are not our problem. The Maryland courts, the Maryland Attorney General, the various Maryland legal services organizations, and the MSBA are increasing their efforts to effectuate the fundamental changes needed to address the issues of bias and inequality in our legal system. However, for that change to occur, each one of us must be willing to acknowledge that the issues exist and make the changes necessary to root them out. Bias and inequality existed long before any of us were born, but together we can make the changes to diminish their impact on the legal system and in our communities. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as the Chair of the Young Lawyers Section of the MSBA. Be safe and be well this summer.
In the short term and beyond, we must continue to strive for equal justice for all under the law, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc. Bias exists in our society. Bias exists in 3
COMMITTEE UPDATES AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION MSBA YLS Represents at the ABA Young Lawyers Division MSBA YLS had a busy year with American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (ABA YLD) events. The Fall conference in October 2019 took place in New Orleans, Louisiana. MSBA YLS members Chris Jennison, Jo Bahn, Michael Hudak, and Shuaa Tajammul attended as MSBA representatives. Genna Hoy, serving as a YLD Scholar this year, was also in attendance. There was a busy meeting, with Chris Jennison serving on a plenary panel about Artificial Intelligence in the Legal Workplace, a YLD Council Meeting, ghost tours of the city, and a masquerade party at Muriel’s Jackson Square. Fast forwarding to February 2020, the MSBA YLS took Austin, TX by storm, for the ABA’s Midyear Meeting. Our delegation added Gayil Pearlman and Justin Hoy to the mix, and our District Representative, Kerri Smith, was in attendance. The Midyear meeting had an Assembly which saw debates on young lawyer involvement in oral arguments, parental leave in the legal workplace, and calling for significant, systemic reform of the legal marketplace. The Midyear Meeting also saw Jo Bahn square off in a candidates forum against Jerome Crawford of Michigan, as they compete for the ABA YLD Secretary position, to be elected at the Annual 2020 Meeting. Sadly, the Spring 2020 meeting, slated to be in Nashville, TN, in April, was cancelled due to COVID-19. The Spring meeting was converted to a virtual meeting, which was held in June 2020 instead. The Annual Meeting, originally scheduled to be in Chicago, IL in August, was also made virtual. Some upcoming resolutions to be debated include those on sexual harassment investigations for judges, ethics for the Supreme Court, and gender pronoun recognition by judges, among others.
Above: The Honorable Michael Hudak, judge of the ABA’s Tiny Court, presides over a small proceeding between Gayil Pearlman of YLS and Capt. Fabiani Duarte of the US Air Force.
As always, should you have any questions about the ABA or how you can get involved, please contact any of the following individuals: Michael Hudak (mhudak@stattorney.org), Kerri Smith (ksmith@mdattorney.com), or Chris Jennison (chris.s.jennison@gmail.com).
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DISASTER RELIEF Thank you to all who have assisted your communities in response to COVID-19 this year. While the Disaster Relief Committee has not yet needed to respond directly, at least under the orders of the ABA YLD, which coordinates the general disaster relief program throughout the country with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Committee has responded by collaborating with Maryland pro bono organizations to place volunteer attorneys for legal needs related to COVID-19 relief. The Committee continues to request your assistance in either serving as a potential volunteer attorney or recruiting someone to serve as a volunteer attorney. If you are interested in joining the list of volunteer attorneys, know someone who would be interested in joining the list, or if have any questions or concerns, please contact the Committee’s Chair, Sean O’Keefe, at spokeefe@okeefelegal.com or (301) 473-1842. Sean is compiling volunteer attorneys’ names, email addresses, phone numbers, and addresses.
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FEATURED ARTICLE “Am I A Lawyer Yet?” The Perspective Of A New Lawyer On Beginning A Law Practice, And The Importance Of Pro Bono Work During The Pandemic BY: REBA A. LETSA, ESQ. (rletsa@bakerdonelson.com) I would be remiss if I did not begin this article with the event that sparked my interest in law. In high school, I joined the mock trial team, simply to diversify my extracurriculars. Within the first few weeks of participating—I was enthralled. I found myself spending countless hours preparing, rehearsing, trying to anticipate the judge’s questions, and foreseeing any potential holes in my case. When the time came for me to present oral argument as the final project, what I originally saw as merely an extracurricular activity, became an existential experience. As I watched the judge nod in agreement with my arguments on what I perceived were the strengths of our case, I had an experience that completely changed the course of my life. Up until that point, I had never given any serious thought as to what I was going to do as a career. But, that one experience gave me a sense of perspective that I never had, and I finally understood what I was meant to do—I found purpose. As a young, African-American female, I understood and recognized the impact that inequality and disenfranchisement has on our society, and yet felt powerless to aid. Through participating in mock trial, I learned the significance of effective advocacy and the power that the written and spoken word holds. Most importantly, I came to realize that my purpose was to act as a change agent in my community through advocacy. Through that experience, I learned of the significant impact that one event can have on the course of your entire life. My Experience as a First-Year Associate Fast forward to late August 2019, with the ink still drying on my law degree, I joined Baker Donelson as a first-year associate in the New Litigator Group. Transitioning from law school to practice can be a daunting experience for a new lawyer. It can be a difficult transition from the law school environment where you understand the lay of the land, to working in an environment where you feel that everyone in the room has more experience, and generally knows more than you. I continue to experience the growing pains of being a new lawyer just trying to figure it all out. Within my first few months of practice, and during my tenure as a summer associate, I became captivated with Labor & Employment law. My interest in Labor & 6
Employment law was sparked because it is an extremely people-focused practice. It deeply interests me to talk with clients about the organizational structure and functionality of their business. Moreover, the practice of Labor & Employment law provides me the opportunity to train, inform, and draft policies and procedures that educate employers and employees of the impact that certain distinctions like race, gender, LGBTQ status, and age can have on the employment relationship. Also, it emphasizes the importance of developing a workplace culture where all employees feel heard and valued. In my practice, I primarily work with litigation shareholders and senior associates on researching, drafting motions and other filings, and engaging in strategy and factfinding meetings to find effective methods to best serve our clients. Unbeknownst to them, the shareholders and associates that I work with have taught me an important lesson in my first year of practice: to put myself out there and not be afraid to fail. Despite the growing pains that I have experienced, I feel supported in continuing to learn from, and being surrounded by experienced and skilled trial lawyers who understand the importance of teaching and effective mentorship. The Power of Pro Bono Six months into my first year of practice, I still had the burning desire to do more. I became involved with the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) through my firm mentor and worked to assist her with revising their employee handbook. I then signed on to become a volunteer and start taking cases of my own. My first look at the MVLS pro bono portal was an interesting experience, to say the least. I was shocked at the sheer volume of people in the community that I worked in daily that needed access to essential legal services, and also felt encouraged that I had the tools and resources to make an impact. Then, the pandemic hit. A Pandemic Interruption The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the importance of expecting the unexpected and taking adequate measures to establish a comprehensive estate plan. Accordingly, one of my first MVLS volunteer cases was drafting a will for a client. Although estate planning is not ordinarily part of my practice, MVLS provided me with a mentor, a sample set of estate planning documents, and several training sessions that were beneficial in supporting me in advising my client on how to achieve her goals for her estate plan. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know my client as a person and developing an understanding of not only the legal implications of certain decisions she chose to make regarding her estate plan, but also her personal reasoning for making such decisions. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has been a devastating and confusing experience for all of us, I feel a great sense of satisfaction in knowing that I am able 7
to use my skill set to assist someone else with navigating the procedure of making such important decisions. This pandemic and the recent incidents of racism and injustice that have been highlighted in the media, will continue to present a myriad of landlord-tenant, discrimination, health and safety, civil rights, estate planning, business, and domestic relations issues. As attorneys, it is imperative for us to be resolute in actively participating in providing equal justice to all. Benefits of Pro Bono for Young Lawyers Dedicating time to take on pro bono cases has several benefits for a new practitioner. One obvious benefit is the ability to give back to the community in assisting with remediating several of the issues that the pandemic and recent events present. Another equally important benefit, is that accepting pro bono referrals early on in your career will provide a new practitioner with the opportunity to expand your level of legal knowledge in areas outside of your practice and get hands-on practical experience and gain confidence. Moreover, most law firms, like Baker Donelson, support and encourage their attorneys to engage in pro bono work. Pro bono work can serve as an effective internal and external marketing tool and add value to your career and to your organization. While pro bono efforts can help individuals in need of essential legal services, they can also provide young lawyers with opportunities to learn important skills such as marketing, oral advocacy, pathways to leadership, and case management skills that can advance you personally and professionally. Words of Advice for Other Young Lawyers My words of advice to other young lawyers and future lawyers would be threefold. First, work hard and do not be afraid to fail. As a new lawyer, it is generally accepted that you are still learning and may make a few mistakes along the way—it is ok. What your colleagues and fellow practitioners will remember is how hard you worked and that you learned and grew from your mistakes and continued to apply that knowledge going forward. Second, put yourself out there. I cannot stress enough how important it is to become involved with your local bar associations, even as early as law school. Joining bar associations will allow you to make meaningful connections with other attorneys, and that support system is essential to a new lawyer. Lastly, and most importantly, get involved in pro bono work. There are several organizations, such as MVLS, that will provide you with the resources, support and training to take cases in practice areas that may be outside of your professional wheelhouse. As an attorney, you have a unique skill set that allows you to use your abilities and your voice to speak up and advocate for someone else. Do not let that power lie dormant. As I learned in high school, you can never know how one event, or one experience, can drastically change the course of someone else’s life. 8
HAVE A GREAT SUMMER! Thanks for reading The Advocate this year. The Publications Committee wishes you and your loved ones a safe summer! Be on the lookout for the next issue in the Fall!
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PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE For questions or comments about The Advocate please contact any member of the Publications Committee: Letam Duson Chelsea Crawford Chaz Ball Paul H. Farmer, Jr.
Letam.Duson@gmail.com CCrawford@browngold.com cball@sbwlaw.com pfarmer@gjblawfirm.com