The Young Lawyers Division of The Florida Bar (the “YLD”) has more than 24,000 members. The Florida Bar has more than 90,000 members.
Those numbers seem large until one considers Florida’s population of approximately 19 million people. Also consider there are an estimated 1,633,574 small businesses operating in Florida.
Many argue we do not have enough attorneys practicing in certain areas of the law, while others latch onto the popular notion that the Bar “has too many attorneys.”
Of course, there are so many factors that go into such a consideration. My favorite thing about writing this article is I was not asked to provide citations for these numbers, but suffice it to say I found them somewhere.
All lawyers under age 36 and new Florida Bar members for the first five years in good standing are automatically members of the YLD.
Representing the YLD is a Board of Governors consisting of elected and appointed members hailing from each of the 20 judicial circuits, and also including three out-of-state representatives. These 42 elected attorneys serve the Bar and the YLD in numerous ways.
The Florida Bar YLD Board of Governors is an advocate and resource for its affiliates and members, all young lawyers or newly admitted members to The Florida Bar. Its purpose is to: provide basic skills courses and enrichment activities beneficial to all young lawyers or newly admitted members to The Florida Bar; act as an adviser and counselor on issues pertinent to the young lawyers and newly admitted members before The Florida Bar Board of Governors; promote and advance diversity, professionalism, charitable donations, charitable activities, and the growth and progress of local bar associations; sponsor and organize events of public importance; and serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas.
More information can be found on the YLD website at www.flayld.org.
The YLD Board of Governors provides a program of activities and projects designed to be of interest and assistance to YLD members. The Board also engages in such activities as shall tend to enhance the image and reputation of the legal profession and The Florida Bar.
Serving the public, particularly those persons outside the legal profession, through statewide and local community projects and activities, is a key focus of the board.
Each year the YLD hosts several events, the largest being the Government Symposium, Affiliate Outreach Conference and a Moot Court Competition at the Annual Florida Bar Meeting.
Just last year, the YLD and the Florida Bar Law Student Division (“LSD”) initiated the Annual “Raising the Bar - Florida’s Legal Community Service Day.” The YLD and LSD will be providing more information in the very near future regarding the Raising the Bar event. If you would like more information about events or governance of the Florida Bar, one resource is a guide to sections, committees and appointments, which can be found at http://www.flayld.org/pdfs/gettinginvolved.pdf.
The next time you hear the acronym “YLD,” you can stand up and exclaim with great exuberance that you know all about the YLD. Congratulations. In the meantime, if you would like to get involved,
or would like to discuss issues within the profession, please contact one of your two YLD Board members in the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Kimberly Law at [email protected], or Michael Orr at [email protected].
We look forward to your involvement.