The Oklahoma Bar Journal August 2023

Y oung L awyers D ivision

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About YLD Elections* *But Were Afraid to Ask

By Dylan D. Erwin

but I have also been gifted a litany of lifetime friendships. Why does this all matter though? Why should you care? Why did the Oklahoma Bar Journal , after giving me an entire year’s worth of arti cles, give me another megaphone? Because I have one final duty as your YLD immediate past chair person: to pass the torch. Elections for the 2024 OBA YLD Board of Directors are coming this October, and I think you should apply. Here’s what you need to know. NOMINATING PROCEDURE Article 5 of the division bylaws requires that any eligible member wishing to run for office must submit a nominating petition to the Nominating Committee. The petition must be signed by at least 10 members of the OBA YLD and must be submitted by Friday, Aug. 11, at 5 p.m. A separate peti tion must be filed for each opening, except a petition for a directorship shall be valid for one-year and two year terms and at-large positions. A person must be eligible for division membership for the entire term for which elected.

ELECTION PROCEDURE Article 5 of the division bylaws governs the election procedure. In September, a list of all eligible candidates will be published in the Oklahoma Bar Journal . Ballots will be emailed Oct. 2 to all YLD members at the email address in the official OBA roster. All mem bers of the division may vote for officers and at-large directorships. Only those members with OBA roster addresses within a subject judicial district may vote for that district’s director. The members of the Nominating Committee shall only vote in the event of a tie. Please see the OBA YLD bylaws for additional information at www.okbar.org/yld/bylaws. DEADLINE Nominating petitions, accom panied by a photo and bio of 350 words or less for publication derwin@holladaychilton.com no later than 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 11. The results of the election will be announced at the YLD meeting at the OBA Annual Meeting. in the Oklahoma Bar Journal , must be forwarded to me at

AT THIS STAGE OF MY LONG and storied legal career (read: nine years), I am dangling over the precipice separating the young lawyers from the – I suppose – not young lawyers. This awkwardly placed adjective is misleading. Under Article 2.1 of the Young Lawyer’s Division bylaws, “[a]ll members of the Oklahoma Bar Association in good standing who were first admitted to the practice of law in any jurisdiction 10 years ago or less” qualify as young . In short, it identifies the vintage of the attorney rather than the age of the individual. Not only that but by simply existing , you are automat ically a member of the YLD. Since I passed the bar, I’ve had the pleasure of being involved with the YLD. So as the resident old “young” guy, I don’t think it would be untoward to offer some unso licited advice to you newbies out there: get involved. Get involved early and stay involved. Since holding my first office in the YLD way back in 2015, I’ve been lucky enough to be elected to every possi ble office within the organization. Service to this wonderful commu nity of professionals has been a highlight of my career. Not only have I been provided with a pan oply of networking opportunities,

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THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL