Winter gets a bad rap.
Granted, we have to search the backs of our closets for our jackets, we get those annoying little colds and other viruses, and unlike the rest of the year, we actually have to wear shoes, and not sandals, on the weekends.
Finally, most of us (myself not included) may expand our waistlines a few inches during the winter months.
But, there also are great things about the winter. For instance, with winter comes the celebration and relaxation of the holidays.
First, we get to spend well-deserved quality time away from the billable hour and our offices and more time with our families, close friends and holiday buffets (see above regarding waistline).
During winter, our calendars are filled with frequent enjoyable cocktail parties. As you read this article, you very well could be preparing for your firm’s holiday celebration, your children’s performance of the Twelve Days of Christmas and other events filled with good people and good times.
Traditional festivities aside, The Jacksonville Bar’s Young Lawyers Section (YLS) promotes the celebratory aspect of the holidays all year long.
This year, YLS has planned monthly happy hours with its members, which have been very well attended and proved a great time to network with fellow lawyers.
Attending these events is not only fun, it is a tremendous investment in your career. As someone not from Jacksonville, I can personally attest to the many benefits of getting involved in YLS and spending time meeting fellow lawyers.
While there are many ways to get involved with YLS, attending the monthly happy hours is the easiest way to participate and it provides an avenue to form fruitful relationships with colleagues. Finally, it would be a mistake for me not to mention that all of these happy hours provide an open bar.
We hope you will join us for our upcoming events in 2015. The next happy hour will be 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, at The Volstead. An open bar will be provided thanks to the very generous sponsorship of Orange Legal.
Please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] or (904) 598-8619 with suggestions on future happy hour venues, or with any ideas, concerns or suggestions regarding YLS.
Although we enjoy a strong cocktail, YLS is about far more than open bars and happy hours.
YLS is dedicated to providing a diverse array of programs and projects designed to benefit young lawyers, all members of the Bar and our community.
The YLS Board of Governors is particularly excited about two events scheduled for February. First, the YLS is teaming with bestbet Jacksonville to hold a charity poker tour benefiting HEAL Foundation (a local non-profit serving autistic children and related programs) Thursday, Feb. 19.
Cocktail hour, heavy hors d’oeuvres and poker lessons begin at 5 p.m. Tournament play starts at 6:15 and the event will conclude at 8:45. There will be celebrity poker players participating and multiple prizes awarded.
We are looking for players to participate and more information will appear in the Bar Bulletin in the coming months. For
more information, including sponsorship opportunities, please contact Pat Kilbane at [email protected].
Also, we are extremely excited to announce a new venue and format for the YLS Chili Cook-off. This year, the event will be Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Riverside Arts Market. Thanks to a generous platinum sponsorship from Gunster, we will have several exciting announcements regarding the Chili Cook-off in the coming weeks.
The YLS Board of Governors wishes you a safe and happy holiday season. We look forward to seeing you in 2015 and welcome all area lawyers to remain or become involved in our many programs.
Christian George is a partner at Akerman LLP.