TBA YLD 2002-2003 Long Range Plan
INTRODUCTION
The Long Range Planning Committee of the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (TBA YLD) issued its first written Long Range Plan in 1991. That Plan was revised in 1997. The 1997 Plan has served as an excellent guide for the Long Range Planning Committee and the TBA YLD over the last five years.
As the 2002-2003 bar year began, the Long Range Planning Committee began an extensive review of the 1997 Plan (“the Plan”) to determine whether revisions needed to be made, given the time that had elapsed since the Plan was last re-written. The Committee decided that revisions were needed and had several meetings to discuss revising the Plan. A member of the ABA/YLD Affiliate Assistance Team consulted with the Committee during one of these meetings and provided suggestions for preparing an effective Long Range Plan. Ultimately, the Committee submitted a proposed Plan to the full TBA YLD Board for comment. After receiving the Board’s comments and making final revisions, this Plan was submitted to the TBA YLD Board at the 2003 TBA Annual Convention.
In reviewing the 1997 Plan, the Long Range Planning Committee found that the TBA YLD has substantially met a majority of the goals set forth in the Plan. The Committee has worked to determine which of the 1997 goals should be continuing in nature, which goals are no longer realistic for the organization, and what new goals can be added to challenge the TBA YLD to achieve even more in the next five years than it has in the last five. The Long Range Planning Committee focused on formulating more specific goals than were contained in the 1997 Plan, with the hope that the 2002-2003 Long Range Plan will serve as an even more effective guide for the TBA YLD as the organization continues to strive for excellence in public and member service.
FULFILLMENT OF GOALS SET FORTH IN THE 1997 LONG RANGE PLAN
The 1997 Long Range Plan contained six broad goals. Several objectives were developed for each goal to guide the organization in meeting these goals.
The first goal listed in the 1997 Plan was: “To assist lawyers in achieving maximum professional development and personal fulfillment.” The TBA YLD has taken a number of steps over the last five years to meet this goal. A member survey was conducted to assess what members needed and wanted from the organization. Unfortunately, the number of responses received was significantly lower than expected. Two Professional Development Conferences were also presented by the TBA YLD. The programs were extremely well done and offered an impressive list of speakers, but they were not well attended. Although these efforts did not produce the results that the organization had hoped for, the TBA YLD has learned valuable lessons from each attempt to assist the membership and is now better prepared to fulfill this goal.
The organization’s second goal was: “To promote the highest standards of competence, professionalism, and ethical conduct of lawyers.” Without question, the TBA YLD has met this goal. The organization continues to provide a wide array of excellent CLE programs in both urban and rural legal communities, which train new lawyers in the practical aspects of practicing law and allow practicing attorneys to stay abreast of changes in the law. The TBA YLD has continued to provide resource materials for the TBA’s entire membership by assisting with publications such as the Tennessee Ethics Handbook and Local Rules of Court. The Local Rules of Court have even been made available online for use by the general TBA membership.
The third goal set forth in the 1997 Plan was: “To promote the full and equal participation in the profession by women, minorities and the disabled.” The Long Range Planning Committee believes that the best proof of the organization meeting this goal is the composition of the TBA YLD Board of Governors. The Board is a very diverse group, which has consistently included numbers of women, minorities, and the disabled over the last five years which meet or exceed the percentage of each group in the overall population of the State of Tennessee. Yet, it is difficult to assess whether we have fully met this goal because the Committee has been unable to determine how many Tennessee young lawyers fall into each of the specified target groups. The TBA YLD highly values diversity and will continue to seek the most diverse membership in and leadership for the organization as is possible.
The fourth goal identified in the 1997 Long Range Plan was: “To assume a leadership role regarding law-related issues of concern to Tennesseans.” To the extent that we have met this goal, it has been through the participation of the TBA YLD President and President-Elect on the TBA Board of Governors each year. While this goal has not been a direct focus of the TBA YLD over the past five years, the TBA has directly addressed this goal through lobbying, educating the public about legal issues and the like. The TBA YLD stands ready to assist the senior bar in any way possible to achieve this goal.
Goal number five of the Long Range Plan was: “To promote public service programs, and improve the availability of legal services to the public.” The TBA YLD has done an outstanding job in meeting this goal. The organization continues to host the state mock trial competition each year and has even hosted the national competition. Students are also given other opportunities to learn about the law and its effect on them through projects like “Voter Awareness,” “Teen Court,” “Dialogue on Freedom,” “Mediators Achieving Peace,” “Junior Judges,” “Law Day Art and Essay Competitions,” “Teen Law Handbook,” and “Youth Summit.” The TBA YLD also strives to provide public service to the community at large. Each year, the organization now hosts public service projects across the state on a designated date in observance of Law Day. A Senior Law Handbook has been produced which is designed to help the elderly understand more about their rights, and the “Basic Legal Resources” handbook has been prepared and distributed to non-profit organizations to help them educate the working poor about their legal rights. In addition, the TBA YLD has partnered with FEMA and the ABA/YLD to provide disaster relief to the profession and the community.
The sixth goal addressed in the 1997 Plan was: “To improve the management and efficiency of the TBA YLD.” This goal has been met quite successfully by the organization over the last six years. The TBA YLD has continued its tradition of having excellent leadership. The organization’s officers and Board have worked tirelessly to keep the Division strong and to provide even more public and member service. The TBA YLD’s public and member service projects have assisted in improving the public perception of the bar and the legal profession. The TBA YLD wishes to acknowledge that many of these projects could not have been accomplished without the generous support of the TBA Board of Governors, staff, and other divisions and committees. The organization has been able to more effectively serve the public and its members, in part, because of improvements that have been made in the management of the organization. The TBA YLD has focused on providing more continuity for committees from bar year to bar year by making sure that committees which are providing valuable service to the public or membership are not automatically discontinued because there is a change in leadership, and by monitoring the transition between committee chairs to make sure that needed information is exchanged. A Plan of Action is also submitted to the President by each committee chair at the beginning of the bar year, which describes the goals of the committee for the year and establishes a time line for completion of those goals. The President and the Board are then able to monitor each committee’s progress throughout the year because a written report is submitted by each committee chair before every Board meeting, which briefly describes what progress the committee has made toward reaching its goals. The Board has added two meetings each year, which are conducted by teleconference, web conference and/or videoconference. These meetings have been instrumental in insuring that projects are proceeding in a timely fashion and in allowing Board members to stay well informed about the organization during lapses between onsite Board meetings. The Board is also provided with a CD each year, which contains valuable information about the organization’s work for the past several years, such as meeting minutes, to give members a better long range view of the organization. In addition, the TBA YLD has been able to maximize its public service efforts by maintaining a strong presence in the ABA/YLD. The ABA/YLD has been an excellent source of ideas for public service projects, as well as a source of funding for those projects. A former member of the TBA YLD Board will serve as Chair of the ABA/YLD in the 2003-2004 bar year, and several current Board members serve in other leadership positions in the ABA/YLD.
The Long Range Planning Committee has been fortunate to have the opportunity to reflect upon the accomplishments of the TBA YLD over the last several years as we have revised the Long Range Plan. We are proud of what the Division has accomplished and hope, with this Plan as a guide, that even more can be accomplished in the coming years.
GOALS TO INSURE THE PROPER FUNCTIONING OF THE ORGANIZATION
Outside Funding
The organization should continue to seek grants and donations from sources other than the senior bar. While the senior bar has been generous in providing funding for TBA YLD projects, we believe it is our obligation to seek other funding so as not to ask the senior bar to serve as our sole source of funding. Effective fund raising by the TBA YLD, which will include actively pursuing grant opportunities, will allow our organization to provide the maximum number of member and public service projects.
Long Range Planning and Continuity
The TBA YLD should strive for greater continuity from year to year. Each year, when a new vice president is elected, that individual begins selecting projects and objectives for the group. While it is important for each leader to focus on issues and projects that he/she feels are important, these leaders should also consider the importance of continuity in the organization. Before a project is discontinued, the incoming leader should seek input from past leadership and from the Board member who has spearheaded the project. The Committee also believes that it is critically important to recruit and retain good leaders. The TBA YLD has begun to focus on getting law students involved in the Division, so that when they graduate, they will already have ties to the organization. We are also concerned about making sure that TBA YLD leaders stay in the TBA and become senior bar leaders once they are no longer eligible to be in the YLD.
Comprehensive Statewide Involvement
If we are to represent the interests of all Tennessee young lawyers, we must have a diverse geographic membership. Geographic diversity is also essential if public service projects are to be implemented in all parts of the state. The TBA YLD will strive to make service opportunities available for lawyers in both urban and rural areas. The organization will also make service opportunities available for those members who want to be involved but who cannot travel regularly to meetings in other parts of the state.
GOAL A: TO ASSIST TENNESSEE LAWYERS IN ACHIEVING MAXIMUM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PERSONAL FULFILLMENT.
Assisting lawyers in achieving maximum professional development and personal fulfillment should continue to be central to the TBA YLD Long Range Plan. We have worked hard to present programs that address personal and professional development for young lawyers. We anticipate presenting additional projects that will address professional development and personal balance in the practice of law.
OBJECTIVES:
1. To develop a committee comprised of Board members from diverse geographical regions and with diverse practice areas:
a. To offer confidential advice to young lawyers and law students considering career options; and
b. To advise young lawyers and law students of the benefits and drawbacks of a particular geographic region of the state and/or a particular area of practice.
2. To develop programs and projects to assist lawyers in managing their law practice and in achieving a balance between personal and family life, and the practice of law.
3. To assess the TBA’s need for assistance with their personal benefits programs for members, including group health, disability and life insurance, and retirement and investment planning.
4. To educate TBA YLD members about the personal benefits programs offered by the TBA.
5. To determine the appropriate marketing and development strategies for a professional development conference in order to insure maximum attendance by young lawyers.
6. To evaluate the feasibility of developing a program to provide mentors to law students and young lawyers.
GOAL B: TO PROMOTE THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF COMPETENCE AND PROFESSIONALISM AND ETHICAL CONDUCT OF LAWYERS.
Promoting the highest ethical and professional standards among lawyers should continue to be central to the TBA YLD Long Range Plan. We have led the bar in this area with our Ethics seminars and our promotion of an expanded “Bridge the Gap” seminar for new lawyers. With the adoption of the revised ethical rules, we have presented seminars to educate Tennessee lawyers about the changes in the ethical rules. We anticipate additional seminars and other CLE programs, all of which will promote the highest standards of competence and professionalism.
OBJECTIVES:
1. To develop programs and projects, including continuing legal education programs, to assist lawyers in enhancing their substantive legal knowledge and practice skills.
We meet this goal through our CLE programs. Currently, we are focusing on Trial Practice, Bridge the Gap, and Ethics, which have been our strongest seminars. We have proposed a mandatory series of seminars for new admittees to the Bar. We have sponsored seminars at the TBA Convention focusing on ethics and professionalism. The TBA YLD is uniquely positioned to reach young lawyers and to provide them with the resources needed to avoid practice pitfalls and ethical problems.
We also continue to assist lawyers with our online database that provides information on courts and judges.
2. To develop programs and projects, including the Tennessee Ethics Handbook and continuing legal education seminars, designed to enhance lawyers’ awareness and knowledge of and compliance with ethical and professional responsibility.
The Tennessee Ethics Handbook continues to be an important resource for Tennessee attorneys. In light of the revisions to the ethical rules, we are presenting seminars to educate attorneys about those revisions. We also anticipate additional seminars and other CLE programs, all of which will promote competence and professionalism in the legal profession.
GOAL C: TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY IN THE PROFESSION AND IN THE MEMBERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP OF THE TBA YLD.
Promoting diversity in the profession and in the membership and leadership of the TBA YLD has long been a focus of the organization. We have done a good job in achieving diversity in the composition of the TBA YLD Board. We will continue to actively encourage and seek diversity in the legal profession and the membership and leadership of the TBA YLD.
OBJECTIVES:
1. To develop programs and projects to encourage and facilitate the membership and active participation of a diverse group of young lawyers.
Diversity, in its traditional sense, has certainly been a goal of the TBA YLD for many years including the years covered by the 1997 Long Range Plan. In large part, whether through happenstance or through concerted efforts, the TBA YLD has done a good job of mirroring the population of Tennessee as a whole. Specifically, the TBA YLD’s Board is composed of significant numbers of women and African-Americans – two of the traditionally disadvantaged groups that have significant populations in Tennessee. As of 2003, the Latino/Hispanic population in Tennessee is growing rapidly such that we can easily foresee the day when the Latino/Hispanic population in Tennessee will be large enough that its representation on our Board will be imperative. Thus, while continuing to provide opportunities for women and African-Americans and young lawyers of all walks of life, the TBA YLD will specifically need to monitor the growth of the Latino/Hispanic community and other minority communities in Tennessee to insure that their views are represented in the TBA YLD and on our Board, either through a seat on our Board or through communication with and consideration of those communities.
At a minimum, as we move forward, the TBA YLD Board is committed to mirroring the population of young lawyers in Tennessee. We will use the state’s population as a guidepost for goals for the inclusion of women and minorities because no accurate accounting of the ethnic and gender makeup of young lawyers in Tennessee exists at this time. If such data were available, we would anticipate that the number of young lawyers that are women or minorities would actually exceed the numbers for such populations in the state as a whole. Thus, while we will use the statewide census data as a guidepost, we will also be mindful that those statewide numbers should not and will not be used as either a quota of participation or a ceiling beyond which further opportunities will not exist. Rather, we will be mindful of the composition of the Board and of our membership as a whole and will look for every opportunity to include young lawyers of every gender, race, national origin, religion and physical disability.
To insure that we are mindful of our diversity, the Chairperson of the Membership Committee will provide the President-Elect of the TBA YLD with an annual written report in May detailing:
a. The percentages of any ethnic group that reaches at least five percent of the population of the state as a whole;
b. The number of board seats that it would take to reach a rough approximation of the percentage numbers found in the latest census data (i.e., if the most recent census showed that Tennessee’s population was composed of ten percent women and the Board had a total of forty seats, then the minimum goal for the number of women on the Board would be four); and
c. The number of seats on the then standing Board broken down into demographic categories which would reflect the actual composition of the then standing Board.
The purpose of such a report would be to aid the President-Elect in his or her selection of Committee Chair appointments and appointments for the next Board year in general, as well as to inform the membership as a whole where the TBA YLD has done a good job at being inclusive, and where it needs to do additional work. The results of such a report would be used to guide the TBA YLD in its efforts to become more diverse and inclusive. The goals set will neither be used as a quota nor as a maximum number. Moreover, it is suggested that at the planning meeting there be an annual discussion of diversity goals with those goals being increased or decreased as a majority of the Board sees fit and as is appropriate, with the goal of always attempting to mirror the young lawyer population in Tennessee. The TBA YLD will also attempt to locate a source of information detailing the composition of the young lawyer population in Tennessee.
Traditionally, the TBA YLD has employed an informal recruiting process where existing members recruit new members. This informal recruitment process has proven successful at locating and recruiting a great number of active members. As such, the TBA YLD will not abandon this practice. However, we are mindful that, even if it is not through conscious thought or decision, people tend to associate with those whose ethnicity, sex, background, or practice setting is substantially similar to their own. Thus, informal recruiting, if not monitored, can lead to a TBA YLD with a decided lack of diversity. To combat such a problem, we will rely on the report of the Chairperson of the Membership Committee and we will be mindful of the pitfalls of informal recruitment. Moreover, we will work to recruit qualified and willing young lawyers of every race, gender, national origin, religion and physical disability.
2. In addition to diversity in its traditional sense, the TBA YLD wants to foster a broader diversity of ideas and viewpoints among its members.
As such, the TBA YLD will also endeavor to insure that our membership and the Board is diverse in terms of practice areas (private, civil, criminal, government etc.), urban versus suburban and rural practices, size of firms represented, etc. In some ways, the structure of our Board with district representatives insures a certain amount of diversity among the Board. Moreover, the existence of active local affiliates across the state also helps lead to a more diverse TBA YLD as a whole.
3. To encourage members of minority groups and those with disabilities to apply to law school, to succeed in law school and to stay in Tennessee after graduation.
A recent survey of the three ABA accredited law schools in Tennessee suggests that those schools (the University of Memphis, the University of Tennessee, and Vanderbilt University) already have programs which aim to increase the number of minorities and those with disabilities attending law school. Thus, there may not be much that the TBA YLD can do in this area. However, this is an area that needs to be monitored. If any one of the three ABA accredited schools discontinues its minority recruitment program, then we should seriously consider implementing such a program ourselves.
Even with the current efforts of the three ABA accredited schools, there may be room for the TBA YLD to further promote the number of minorities and disabled persons who attend law school by collecting and widely disseminating information on all of the scholarships, grants and financial aid available.
In the 1997 Long Range Plan, it was a goal of the TBA YLD to increase the number of women who attended law school. Recent evidence suggests that more women than men are applying to and attending law school. Thus, it appears that that part of the 1997 Long Range Plan has been successfully met, and further efforts in this area are not needed at this time. However, this is an area that should be monitored to insure that the trend of large numbers of women attending law school is not a statistical aberration but, rather, is a sustained long term trend. If the numbers of women attending law school drop significantly in the future, our past programs may need to be reinstated.
In addition to increasing the number of minorities and disabled persons who attend law school, the TBA YLD should look at opportunities to help those in law school succeed with the possibility of offering free CLE-type programs to law school students who are TBA members, and offering such programs at a low cost to those who are not. Moreover, if we are serious about increasing the diversity of not only the TBA YLD, but also the profession as a whole, we should look at ways that we can help retain and attract bright women, minorities and disabled law students and young lawyers to either stay in Tennessee or come to Tennessee from other states. Such programs might include working with specialty bars to strengthen them and promote awareness of their existence, working with local or statewide chambers of commerce to promote Tennessee as a great place to work, and acting as a clearing house for legal employers to post open legal positions.
4. To promote inclusion of qualified women, minorities and the disabled in continuing legal education programs.
The TBA YLD has done a good job of promoting the diversity of CLE panels and at promoting or helping sponsor CLE programs that would be of particular interest to a particular demographic group. The TBA YLD will continue to pursue this as a goal. Specifically, the TBA YLD will strive to include significant numbers of women, minorities and disabled persons on the panels that present our CLE programs and to present CLE programs that would be of particular interest to women, minorities and the disabled. Moreover, because the TBA YLD recognizes that it is difficult to locate and identify speakers on CLE panels and because certain parts of the state have very few lawyers who are women, minorities, or disabled, the TBA YLD will strive to maintain a list of qualified CLE presenters who fall into those categories and who are willing to travel to other parts of the state to put on CLE programs.
5. To develop and maintain relationships between the TBA YLD and organizations representing women, minorities and the disabled in the legal profession.
The development and maintenance of relationships between the TBA YLD and specialized bar organizations remains dependent upon finding people willing to be active in more than one bar organization. Due to time and financial constraints, mandating such cross participation is many times unworkable. Nevertheless, it may be practical to request that specialty board organizations permit members of the TBA YLD to serve as non-voting members of their boards similar to the manner that representatives of specialized bar organizations serve as members of our Board.
Participation in such a way is the most practical manner in which this organization can develop and maintain relationships between the TBA YLD and organizations representing women, minorities and the disabled in the legal profession. These relationships have enabled this organization to establish the informal networks which aid the success of our other objectives.
6. To assess and evaluate the prevalence of gender and racial bias in the profession and in the legal system.
GOAL D: TO ASSIST THE TBA IN SERVING AS THE VOICE OF THE PROFESSION IN TENNESSEE.
The TBA YLD wishes to support the TBA in serving as the voice of the legal profession, both through the TBA’s projects and those uniquely its own.
OBJECTIVES:
1. To help the TBA identify issues relating to both the law and the legal profession which should be debated by the TBA, and which the TBA YLD is uniquely positioned to address. To meet this goal, the TBA YLD President will relate special concerns of the TBA YLD to the TBA Board of Governors.
2. To help the TBA support efforts designed to enhance the quality of available legal services, including efforts to promote higher standards for admission to the practice of law.
3. To assist the TBA in working to improve the public perception and image of the organized bar, the legal profession, and the ethical responsibilities and practices of attorneys within Tennessee.
4. To increase participation and representation in the TBA, including the exploration of the possibility of the TBA YLD having a seat in the House of Delegates.
GOAL E: TO PROMOTE PUBLIC SERVICE PROGRAMS AND IMPROVE THE AVAILABILITY OF LEGAL SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC.
Promoting public service programs and improving the availability of legal services to the public has been central to the success of the TBA YLD. Often referred to by the senior bar as the heart and conscience of the TBA, the TBA YLD has had great success with its public service programs. We anticipate that this will continue to be a focus of the organization.
OBJECTIVES:
1. To continue coordinating public service projects with other organizations, including non law-related organizations.
2. To encourage the delivery of pro bono legal services and work on pro bono legal projects.
3. To expand the Statewide Public Service Day so that a project is performed in at least each TBA YLD district.
4. To continue participation on the IOLTA Grant Review Committee, which makes recommendations to the Tennessee Bar Foundation concerning distribution of funds.
5. To work with the school systems to provide more law-related resources for student development, such as Junior Judges, Youth Court, Youth Summit, Law Day, Dialogue on Freedom, MAPS (Mediators Achieving Peace), Voter Awareness, and other ABA programs.
6. To work with the school systems to expand the mock trial competition to more students and schools.
7. To continue providing publications such as the Senior Law Handbook and Basic Legal Resources to the public so that the public may be better educated about the law.
8. To continue efforts for preparedness to assist in disaster relief situations.
GOAL F: TO IMPROVE THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE TBA YLD.
In order to continue meeting our obligation to provide a high level of service to our members and the public at large, we should monitor our management structures and procedures to insure that our resources are identified and used efficiently.
OBJECTIVES:
1. The President should appoint a committee to study whether the TBA YLD districting should be adjusted. The committee should obtain young lawyer population figures by county and present district. The committee should also consult with district representatives and governors regarding problems or issues with the current districting. The committee should compile a report and present it to the TBA YLD Board in time for necessary changes to be implemented in the annual election following creation of the committee.
2. The 2003-04 President should appoint a committee to perform an in-depth review of the TBA YLD By-Laws. The committee should look for areas in which the By-Laws could be adjusted to improve the TBA YLD management structure and increase participation among young lawyers. The committee should present regular reports on its efforts at the meetings of the TBA YLD with a goal of making recommendations to the YLD Board at the Mock Trial Meeting following passage of this plan and setting the issue for final vote at the 2004 TBA YLD Annual Meeting.
3. The President should appoint a board member who is responsible for reporting to the TBA YLD Board on upcoming ABA meetings, opportunities, projects, and deadlines for awards and grants. This person should also see that at least one article is submitted for publication in each issue of the ABA/YLD’s publication, “The Affiliate.”
4. The President should establish a procedure for identifying and submitting projects appropriate for presentation at ABA conferences, and for submitting applications for awards of achievement and grants. At least one such project should be submitted each year. The President should consider appointing a committee to handle this process.
5. We should invite members of the ABA/YLD Affiliate Assistance Team to meet with us on at least a bi-annual basis. These services are free and provide a high level of training and fresh insight to board members.
6. An Affiliate Committee should be formed to encourage the creation of new affiliates and the increased participation of existing affiliates. This committee should meet during regular TBA YLD Board meetings. Each year, the President should appoint a chair of this committee from the same Grand Division as the President. All Affiliate board members should be members of this committee. The TBA YLD’s goal is for the committee meetings to help affiliates carry out their local mission and increase affiliate activity at the state level.
7. The President should appoint a chairperson and committee to perform long range planning and review of the Mock Trial Program. This person or committee should look at issues such as districting, space, competition locations, and logistical support. We strongly recommend that the districting not be disturbed unless absolutely necessary.
8. We should strive to protect the TBA YLD’s institutional memory and help provide continuity to the TBA YLD Board. The Board should establish the position of Historian. Initially this position shall be filled by the President-Elect. After the first year, the Board can review whether this is the appropriate person to continue serving in this role. The initial Historian should work with TBA staff to compile information from past boards and projects. We believe that knowing what projects the TBA YLD has undertaken in the past, and compiling and indexing minutes from past meetings is instrumental in identifying problems with projects, project results, and key people involved with the projects. Going forward, the Historian should collect reports from each committee chair and compile them in a manner so that information may be smoothly transferred from year to year and easily searched. The Historian should also collect minutes and photos from all meetings or TBA YLD functions, and maintain them in a safe location.
9. We encourage the TBA YLD President to select one person quarterly who has shown initiative and dedication to the YLD. This person should be presented a certificate and recognized in the next issue of The Quarterly.
PROJECTS TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY TBA YLD
The Long Range Planning Committee believes that the projects listed below may assist the TBA YLD in achieving the foregoing goals.
1. Disseminate information on public service programs and legal and law-related topics to non-profit organizations and to the general public.
2. Continue the TBA YLD’s presence and participation in the ABA/YLD through meeting attendance, identifying interest and encouraging involvement in the ABA/YLD, partnering with the ABA/YLD on ABA/YLD service projects, making regular reports to the TBA YLD Board regarding ABA/YLD activities, and making regular affiliate reports to the ABA/YLD.
3. Continue to partner with the ABA/YLD on ABA/YLD public service projects.
4. Continue to work to increase the number of young lawyers attending the TBA’s Mid-Winter and Annual Meetings by working with local affiliates in cities where the TBA’s Mid-Winter and Annual Meetings are held.
5. Develop programs to address quality of life and balance in the practice of law.
6. Disseminate information to young lawyers on the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program.
7. Revamp the Bridge the Gap Program so that it is more useful to new lawyers entering the practice of law.
8. Continue to work to assist affiliates in the state by contacting them on at least an annual basis to advise of funding availability, determining what assistance, if any, they need, and requesting their assistance with recruitment.
9. Evaluate annually the information contained in publications of the TBA YLD to see if that information needs to be updated, including, but not limited to, the Basic Legal Resources Manual, Senior Law Handbook, Teen Law Handbook, Local Rules of Court, and Ethics Handbook.
10. Develop and implement new CLE programs.
11. Develop a committee of TBA YLD Board members to offer confidential advice to young lawyers and law students considering career options.
12. Develop a committee of TBA YLD Board members with diverse practice areas to advise young lawyers and law students of the benefits and drawbacks of particular practice areas and/or geographical locations.
13. Develop programs and projects to assist lawyers in managing a law practice and achieving balance in the practice of law.
14. Assess gender and racial bias in the practice of law in Tennessee.
15. Assess the TBA’s need for assistance with personal benefits programs, including group health, disability, life, and professional liability insurance.
16. Evaluate the need for mentors and determine how the TBA YLD can assist.
17. Develop and implement a professional development conference.
18. Have the Publications Committee prepare quarterly press columns for targeted local newspapers.
19. Maintain and continue to update the on-line database which outlines the various state and local courts and profiles their personnel.
20. Present seminars to educate TBA members on the revised ethical rules.
21. Encourage diversity in the composition of the TBA YLD Board, whether it be racial, gender, practice area, geographical, or size of firm represented.
22. Encourage members of minority groups and those with disabilities to apply to law school, stay in law school, and remain in Tennessee after graduation.
23. To recruit law students and encourage them to become active members of the TBA YLD upon graduation.
24. Promote the inclusion of qualified women, minorities and the disabled on the faculties of continuing legal education programs.
25. Develop and maintain relationships between the TBA YLD and organizations representing women, minorities and the disabled in the legal profession.
26. Identify issues relating to the law and the legal profession on which participation and debate by the TBA would be constructive, and participate in the debate of those issues when possible.
27. Assist the TBA in improving the public perception of the legal profession and the organized bar.
28. Publish projects of the TBA YLD in various media outlets throughout the state.
29. Continue coordinating public service projects with other organizations, including non-law related organizations.
30. Promote the delivery of pro bono legal services.
31. Expand Statewide Public Service Day so that a project is performed in each district.
32. Work with school systems to provide more law-related resources for student development, such as Junior Judges, MAPS (Mediators Achieving Peace), Youth Court, Youth Summit, Law Day, Mock Trial and Dialogue on Freedom.
33. Continue participation in the IOLTA grant review committee.
34. Continue Voter Awareness and Disaster Relief.
35. Study whether the TBA YLD districting should be adjusted.
36. Review the TBA YLD By-laws and suggest appropriate amendments.
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YLD officers and members of the 2002-2003 Long Range Planning Committee
Jonathan O. Steen
President
Beth A. Dunning
President-Elect
Cynthia Richardson Wyrick
Vice President & Chair, Long Range Planning Committee
Committee Members
Cynthia Richardson Wyrick
Sevierville, Tennessee
Chair
Michelle Sellers
Jackson, Tennessee
Reporter
David Carter
Columbia, Tennessee
Dan Coughlin
Kingsport, Tennessee
Beth A. Dunning
Nashville, Tennessee
Carol Anne Lamons
Knoxville, Tennessee
Angelia Morie
Nashville, Tennessee
Parke Morris
Memphis, Tennessee
Jonathan O. Steen
Jackson, Tennessee
Danny Van Horn
Memphis, Tennessee
Special thanks to former TBA YLD Staff Directors Rebecca Jacobs and Betsy Hilt, and ABA/YLD Affiliate Assistance Team Member Jay Ray for their assistance and guidance.
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