by Richard Prior
Staff Writer
The local organizer of a new Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA) chapter is hoping to sign up a host of new members as well as legal professionals to help mentor them.
“I knew the benefits and opportunities,” said Beth Shankle-Anderson, who just finished her first year at Florida Coastal School of Law. “I wanted to bring it to the campus to share my experiences and hopefully gain some interest from other students.”
The chapter helps members learn the practical aspects of trial work, take advantage of the several benefits of membership and become acquainted with local practicing trial lawyers.
Shankle-Anderson had learned about ATLA while working as a paralegal when she was an undergraduate at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
“I had worked for a couple of attorneys who were very prominent members; one was actually president back in the early ‘80s,” she said. “They had stressed the importance of the organization with networking opportunities.
“It is for litigators and anyone interested in trial work.”
The world’s largest trial bar, ATLA has nearly 60,000 members, including attorneys, judges, students and professors.
In addition to providing education and practice resources for its members, ATLA fights legislation that threatens the right of people to have a jury trial or takes away the legal rights of American families.
“I was asked by some of the ATLA directors about starting a chapter here at school,” said Shankle-Anderson. “We’re going to recruit more members and sort of create a liaison between law students and the Jacksonville community ATLA members.”
In addition to opening up networking opportunities, she said, some of the benefits of belonging to an ATLA chapter are:
• Presentations and workshops designed to teach skills not taught in law school.
• Increased marketability to legal employers.
• Scholarship opportunities.
• Student trial advocacy competition.
• Access to www.atla.org, where law students have their own web pages.
• Free publications of “TRIAL” magazine and case-referenced “Law Reporter.”
• Free law student education programs.
“One of the things I’ve been working on that we’re going to be able to offer students is the mentor program with area ATLA attorneys,” said Shankle-Anderson. “I’ve had great response. Many attorneys have already contacted me about becoming mentors.”
The FCSL chapter will be “heavily recruiting” in the fall, she said. She will also make a presentation during the mid-August orientation.
An executive committee has already been formed at the FCSL chapter. Its members are Shankle-Anderson, president; James Moody, vice president; Pamela Simons, executive director; Sabrina Piercy, secretary; Joseph Turner, treasurer; and Graham Syfert, parliamentarian.
Students interested in joining the FCSL chapter should contact Shankle-Anderson at [email protected]. The same applies to any attorney, judge, or other legal professional interested in more information about the new chapter.
Students may join ATLA at www.atla.org or by calling (800) 424-2727 or (202) 965-3500, extension 611.