Happy Reading!
The Young Lawyers Board has an array of activities going on state-wide throughout the year and we hope all attorneys, new and veteran, take advantage of them. But as a new admittee or young lawyer, one may ask, “how else can I become involved?” This is a great question with a variety of answers, and the opportunities are endless depending on the amount of time you would like to volunteer toward becoming involved in your city, state, or even country.
City Level
A quick Google search of
volunteer opportunities in Sioux Falls led me to a website with 343 current openings;
the list had everything from non-profit board of directors’ members and Sunday school
teachers to animal caregivers and math tutors. A small town may not have their
volunteer opportunities posted online, but word of mouth has incredible power
in a small town. I would suggest talking
to local non-profits, and churches or clinics to see if there are any
opportunities available and let business owners know that you would be
interested in helping out. You will have
offers before your know it. Also, take
advantage of any young professional groups where you live as they offer an
extensive list of benefits including networking luncheons and humanitarian
projects where you can meet new people and learn new skills.
State Level
Joining a bar committee is an
incredible way to get involved with the state bar of South Dakota. You can elect to join a committee based on
your own practice and skill set, or join a committee completely different than
your current work. Committees range from
administrative and criminal work to office technology and project rural
practice. There are also a wide variety
of in-person CLE’s, helplines and conferences you can attend and participate in
as a state bar member FOR FREE! You can
also pick a cause that is meaningful to you regardless of it being law related
or not and contact them for potential volunteer opportunities in your
area. You may be surprised at what you
find. Another way to become involved on
the state level is to run for a position in our state legislature. If you have
a passion for the law and for working toward creating appropriate law for the
state, the legislature may be your calling.
National Level
Just as there is an opportunity
to serve in the legislature at the state level, one could consider running for
one of our three Congressional seats.
There are also significant opportunities through the American Bar
Association. There are hundreds of
openings within the governance of the ABA as well as committee work. I suggest you take a look at the ABA website
to determine if you are interested in serving in any of those capacities: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/committees.html. The ABA also
promotes volunteerism on a global scale and international opportunities to
volunteer can be found through a variety of ABA committees and sections. The JAG Corps is also a great program to
consider through law school or after a few years of practice. Each branch of the military has their
specific credentials to qualify, but many accept applicants past 30 years of
age.
As one can see, there are
countless ways to become involved on multiple levels. The list above hardly covers what is
available to you. Find an organization
or a business that means something to you and allows you to make a difference
in your community.
