CBA Record March-April 2022

YOUNG L AWYERS S EC T I ON : COME TOGE THER What Has the YLS Done for You? Perspectives on Purpose & Participation

By Kaitlin King & Ted Kontopoulos S haring a sense of community enables us to come together. Th e size of that community and the strength of those communal bonds rely on – among other things – participation. While par ticipation takes many forms, a common motivator is a sense of purpose and belong ing to something greater than oneself. As part of coming together for the 2022 YLS issue of the CBA Record, we reached out to several current YLS Executive Council o ffi cers to answer an important question: What has the YLS done for you? Th eir responses follow. “ Th e YLS helped me build community with attorneys outside of my area of practice. It offers a chance to connect with people I wouldn’t cross paths with otherwise.” Mar garet Mendenhall Casey, YLS Project O ffi cer

community and the broader community as a whole. Th e YLS has been a great group, and I am thrilled to be a part of it.” Kernisha Padilla, YLS Secre tary/Treasurer “The YLS has intro duced me to a large ne two r k o f pe e r s who have helped me advance my career since graduating law school. When I was a new attorney, often I

tice, or the chance to empower someone’s career through mentorship, there is a role and a place for you in the YLS. Despite the di ffi culties presented by the pandemic, the YLS has continued to produce quality pro gramming and host events virtually and/ or in person. As we continue to navigate uncertainties, the YLS encourages cur rent members to stay involved, and urges prospective members to reach out with any questions about how to get involved. Our community is strong because of our members and their participation; let us continue to become even stronger by coming together.

would be presented with a legal problem and not know where to start. But a quick call or email to the YLS network helped point me in the right direction and saved a lot of time. More recently, the YLS network has helped me with client referrals, which is monumentally helpful now that I have started my own practice.” Gavin Phelps, YLS Project O ffi cer

Kaitlin King, Co-Edi tor-in-Chief of the YLS Journal in the CBA Record, is an associate attorney at Hart David Carson LLP, where she focuses her pract ice in plaintiff ’s personal Ted Kontopoulos is a Co-Editor-in-Chief of the YLS Journal in the CBA Record, a Chair of the YLS Business Law Transactions Commit tee, and a senior inter national tax consultant

injury and other civil litigation.

“ Th e YLS is a corner stone for me, to the point that I cannot imagine what my legal career would look like if I never got involved. In addition to teaching me how to lead and

“ Th e YLS has been a great way for me to get connected to the Chi cago legal community, network with some of the best lawyers and legal minds in the city, build my practice, and

fi ght for social justice, the YLS helped me fi nd my writing voice, great friends, and con fi dence. I am a far better lawyer and person for it.” Kenny Matuszewski, YLS Member Service Manager “ Th e YLS has served as a catalyst for me professionally, but most importantly per sonally. Th e opportunities to connect with colleagues in various roles, career paths and varying interests have given me much insight and more appreciation of our legal

make lifelong friends. In particular, the YLS has helped me grow my practice, and grow relationships, mentorships, and friendships.” John Risvold, YLS Public Service Manager Whether you are looking for professional connections outside your area of practice, some help in starting your own practice, personal connections to the Chicagoland community, an opportunity to advance jus

at BKD LLP, where he provides tax contro versy, compliance, and planning services to businesses, individuals, trusts, estates, and not-for-pro fi t organizations.

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