Post Authored by Laura Wibberley
The Young Lawyers Section (“YLS”) of the Chicago Bar Association has been serving the Chicago community for fifty years. The YLS was first created in July 1971. The executive board of The Chicago Bar Association amended the bylaws to require that 20% of committee membership was to be filled by attorneys under the age of 36. The YLS was the one of the first and largest organizations of young lawyers in any metropolitan areas in the United States.
The purpose of the YLS was to provide programs, leadership, and facilities to encourage young attorneys in the profession to work together on their own ideas and programs to improve the community and the profession at large. By the fall of 1971, more than 350 young attorneys volunteered to participate in YLS committees.
Here are just a few of the contributions made by young attorneys in the YLS during the 1980s:
- The YLS cosponsored events with the Disability Law Clinic with Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation to provide mobile pro bono legal aid clinic for low-income, physically disabled persons.
- YLS Daycare committee sponsored a day care program.
- The YLS also created “Law Explorers” designed to explore high school students to the legal profession.
- The Child Abuse and Neglect Committee also prepared a set of guidelines for practitioners on the Abuse and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
- Trial Techniques Committee also hosted a seminar pertaining to “Trial Superstars.”
- The YLS also held a Hunger Relief Drive raising $25,000 for shelter.
- In addition, the first annual 10K road race was held as a part of Law Week.
- The YLS Moot Court competition hosted 15 law schools from Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana.
The YLS has been actively cultivating the legal profession for almost fifty years. Visit the YLS website to learn more about how you can contribute to its success today.