Welcome to the WSBA’s first-ever blog, which includes a tab specifically for Washington’s Young Lawyers Committee (YLC) content. The YLC understands that as a newer attorney you are probably wondering about who’s hiring, how to start your own practice, how to keep up with your hectic schedule, recent changes in the law, how to handle difficult clients, how to maintain that all-too-critical work-life balance, where to meet other young attorneys — the list goes on and on. If so, the YLC in general, and the blog posts from new and young lawyers, are for you.
Since 1987, the Washington Young Lawyers Division (WYLD) communicated with young lawyers through its publication, De Novo, which served as the voice of newer and young attorneys in Washington State. De Novo’s mission — to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, information, and commentary, and to encourage discussion regarding the broad experience of younger lawyers — remains as important today as ever.
Earlier this year, the passage of the license fee referendum required the WSBA to make major reductions to its budget. These budget cuts resulted in the replacement of the WYLD with the newly-formed YLC. Despite the name change, the YLC shares the same goals, values, and mission as the WYLD: to encourage the interest and participation of newer and younger lawyers in the activities of the Bar and to facilitate the transition to practice. And so, despite some changes this fall, the YLC will take on the mantle previously carried by the WYLD and De Novo.
What’s new?
Read the final issue of De Novo.
Well, for one, De Novo’s stand-alone electronic publication is a thing of the past. Read the final issue of De Novo.
From now on, the WSBA’s official print publication, NWLawyer (formerly known as BarNews), will regularly feature articles written by and for newer and younger lawyers. Second, the YLC is now interacting with younger and newer attorneys through this blog. Let’s face it: in this age of instant electronic communications, the use of a blog is long overdue. So read our young lawyer articles in NWLawyer and join the discussion here on the blog.
If you have any questions about how you can become involved in the YLC, or if you’re interested in writing for the YLC, please contact me. You can also submit a post directly to blog@wsba.org.
The Washington Young Lawyers Committee (WYLC) is the vehicle for new attorneys and law students to get involved with the Washington State Bar Association.
Joel Matteson. Joel is an associate at the Bellingham office of Tario & Associates, P.S. and a member of the WSBA Young Lawyers Committee. He can be reached by email at jmatteson@tariolaw.com.
