The CBA celebrated its 150th Anniversary this year, and now that the page has been turned, it’s time to look to the next 150 years. What was the magic formula that got us to where we are today, and how can we harness that energy to take us to where we want to be tomorrow? The answer is right there in the question: It’s the power of the people who comprise the CBA. We are the next 150 years.
As the next generation of attorneys, it’s up to us to lay the foundation that encourages other young attorneys to join the CBA and participate in YLS. YLS helps build leadership skills and provides opportunities for advancement within the CBA. Folks like Sara Cooperrider, our immediate past president, got their foot in the leadership door with YLS. Since 23% of current CBA members are under 35 and 45% of members are over 50, it is more important than ever for young lawyers to help sustain the level of quality we have come to expect from our CBA experiences.
We are a strong legal community because of our strong connections with one another. In order to continue that high level of professionalism, and the collegiality it helps instill in us all, we need diverse voices and perspectives in our membership base. We need you to help encourage our non-member colleagues to join a legacy institution that is looking to the future.
We offer a variety of ways to get involved. Start easy and invite your friends to join you after work for a drink at a CBA event. Level up and bring someone along to a CLE. Perhaps most importantly, we offer access to the brightest minds in our local field. One day you could attend the BLAC-CBA Round Table Minority Summer Clerkship Reception and meet a federal judge, and the next day you could attend a practice group meeting and meet a new mentor. Anything could happen.
Membership with the CBA makes all kinds of opportunities possible. So let’s realize that potential. Help us write the next chapter of the CBA — because there’s no future without you!
Jabari Shaw, YLS Chair