DAYL President’s Page
Good, Better, Best – Here’s to 2018!
January 2018
A year ago, when I really started thinking about what I wanted to accomplish as DAYL President, a special poem my grandmother always said to me as a child immediately came to mind. It goes:
Good, Better, Best
Never Let It Rest
Until Your Good Is Better
And Your Better Is Best
It occurred to me that helping make young lawyers the best they can be would be my focus for 2018. I am proud to say that, in addition to the many, many other programs and events DAYL already hosts, we are adding a few new programs and events this year specifically designed to make our members the best lawyers they can be.
Applications are already out for the Second Chair Program, which will give young civil litigators an opportunity to gain jury trial experience by sitting “second chair” with seasoned criminal lawyers. I am excited about the partnership with Michael Hurst and the Dallas Bar Association on this program, and have enjoyed watching the applications come rolling in. Special thanks to Judge Tina Yoo Clinton, Katie Bishkin, Jody Rodenberg, Dennis Siaw-Lattey, and Shay Talbitzer for working to make this program successful. I am looking forward to participating in the program myself!
We are also expanding the very popular Trial Skills Boot Camp from a one-day event to a year-long CLE series. The Trial Skills CLE Series will begin on February 14 at 12:00 p.m. at the Belo with a dynamic presentation on Drafting and Arguing the Jury Charge, featuring Jeff Levinger, David Coale, Leslie Chaggaris, and Judge Martin Hoffman. The series will continue with CLEs throughout the year, including an Evidence Refresh and presentations on Opening Statements, Cross-Examination, and Closing Arguments. This year’s Boot Camp will focus on Voir Dire, and will feature presentations by Lisa Blue, Michael Hurst, Victor Vital, and Julie Pettit, among others. Thank you to Judge Hoffman, Debrán O’Neil, Chelsea Hilliard, Alex More, Crystal Woods, and many others for taking on my challenge of planning five CLEs in addition to the always-popular Trial Skills Boot Camp.
In addition, we are planning to bring Bryan Garner to the Belo in October for a day-long Legal Writing Seminar. Professor Garner will work with transactional lawyers in the morning, litigators in the afternoon, and will provide useful tips for all practice areas over lunch. I am thrilled that we will be able to allow our members to participate in one of Professor Garner’s seminars to take their legal writing to the next level.
Lastly, for years, DAYL has been focused on trying to provide meaningful programming for lawyers who have been practicing in the 5-10 year range. I am thrilled to introduce a new idea that I hope will fit that need – the Older Wiser Lawyers Roundtable. With my dear friends, Gemma Galeoto, Rex Mann, Sara Romine, and Christine Wakeman, we are planning four OWLS Roundtables throughout the year that will start with focused discussion on topics like business development, billing and collection, making partner, and moving firms, and end with an open forum for participants to discuss issues they are facing.
In addition to the wonderful lawyers and judges mentioned above, I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention how integral Cherie Harris has been in helping these ideas come to reality. We are lucky to have her!
I am beyond excited to watch these programs and events come to life, and I hope you’ll join me in using the hashtag #DAYLgoodbetterbest if you participate in any of these programs and events. Here’s to 2018!
Good, Better, Best,
Jennifer Ryback
DAYL President