CBA Record January-February 2020

Y O U N G L A W Y E R S J O U R N A L

The Influence of the Young Lawyers Section Alumni By Octavio Duran, YLS Chair

CBA YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION

Chair Octavio Duran Duran Law Offices

and mentorship to the younger members. We do this because we understand it is our turn to pay it forward ‒ and we are happy to do so. Now that I am Chair, I have wanted to launch to a big project to thank YLS alumni, and to thank all of our members for their membership, support, and hard work.Therefore, we are hosting a ping pong tournament, pairing YLS alumni with cur- rent YLS members. This will provide a way for current YLS leaders to introduce alumni to our younger members, and it will con- tinue to enhance what is already a deeply intertwined community. This project will occur during February, which the YLS has designated as “Mentoring” month. Also in February, we are again hosting our YLS Casino Night and Texas Hold’em Tournament. The theme for this year is “Gatsby’s Speakeasy,” with roaring 20s décor, and costumes encouraged. The date, appropriately enough, will be on 2/20/2020. All proceeds from the event go to The Chicago Bar Foundation. Please go www.chicagobar.org/chicagobar/ylscasino and purchase your tickets. Additionally, I want to revive the Most Fit Lawyer Competition. Previously, Jonathan Mraunac headed the YLS Health and Wellness Committee and successfully executed this competition throughout his tenure as a committee chair. The Health andWellness Committee presented speak- ers who addressed topics ranging from alcohol abuse among the legal profession, to ways to balance a healthy lifestyle while leading the charge as a successful attorney. Health and wellness, and the need to balance the lifestyle of an attorney are very important to me. Thus, in keeping with our YLS theme of “The Balanced Lawyer,” the month of January will focus on physical health. We are once again hosting a Most Fit Lawyer Competition along with other programs to assist young lawyers in finding balance. Visit www. chicagobar.org/yls for details on the Fit Lawyer Competition and other health and wellness events in January.

First Vice-Chair Jeffrey Moskowitz J. Moskowitz Law LLC Second Vice-Chair Tracy Brammeier Clifford Law Offices P.C. Member Service Manager Chastidy Burns Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender Public Service Manager Lara Wagner The Law Offices of Lara Wagner LLC Project Officer John Risvold The Collins Law Firm PC

J ust three months ago, I started my own law firm. Immediately afterward, many alumni from the Young Law- yers Section reached out to congratulate me and to offer their assistance. When I was sworn in as Chair of the YLS, I had a very long list of folks I wanted to thank. Many of these people were YLS alumni, the very same ones who had just recently reached out to me. This provided a pleas- ant reminder of the loyalty and camara- derie that exist when someone becomes a member of the YLS. I became a YLS member right after I moved back to Chicago from East Lansing, MI. I immediately met many YLS mem- bers who encouraged me to get involved, and who were instrumental to my climb up the YLS leadership ladder. I have had the privilege of calling these fellow YLS alumni my mentors and friends, and truthfully I would not be where I am without them. I have not only expressed my gratitude to these YLS alumni, but I have also tried to repay the favor by referring business to them. Getting and referring business within the YLS is something that happens fairly frequently, and it can obviously help the early careers of many members. I am not the only YLS member who has received mentorship and guidance from our alumni. Indeed, almost all YLS members have received such assistance. Moreover, many of us older members are now doing our best to provide guidance

Project Officer Kenneth Matuszewski Patent Attorney

Secretary/Treasurer Kate Schnake Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP

Co-Editor in Chief YLS Journal Daniel J. Berkowitz Illinois Attorney General’s Office Co-Editor in Chief YLS Journal Kruti Patel Charles Wintersteen Law Group

Assistant Editor Kaitlin King Hart David Carson LLP

YLS Director Jennifer Byrne

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