Position Description for CYLA Section Liaisons

Section V.2(a) of CYLA Bylaws note Section Liaison responsibilities. Specifically, Section Liaisons (i) perform all duties of a CYLA Executive Committee Member and (ii) coordinate between the Section Liaison’s appointing Section and CYLA. Section Liaisons will attend all Section Executive Committee meetings at the Section’s expense. A Section Liaison is not a member of the appointing Section’s executive committee.

Pursuant to these Bylaws, Section Liaisons to the CYLA have a dual role. They are in place to create substantive content for CYLA members and participate in the success of the CYLA. They also act as a bridge for CYLA members to participate in CLA sections. Therefore, they have responsibilities to both CYLA and the section. As noted in the Bylaws, Section Liaisons are full members of the CYLA executive committee and therefore have a duty to their CYLA executive committee. They are prohibited from being a voting member of a Section’s executive committee during their term as Section Liaisons, but it is the hope that many Sections will appoint Section Liaisons as full executive committee members at the conclusion of their term.

Accordingly, and in furtherance of the forgoing, CYLA Section Liaisons have two distinct sets of duties – one set of duties to CYLA as an executive committee member and one set in their capacity as the liaison to the section to which they have been assigned.

Duties to CYLA

• Prepare for, actively participate in, and attend all CYLA meetings (executive committee conference calls, in person and long-range planning meetings and CYLA events)
  • Absences should be conveyed in sufficiently in advance of the meeting to CYLA’s chair and section coordinator
• Act as a conduit between CYLA and the section
• Update the CYLA executive committee and Chair on section activities for new lawyers
• Participate in the success of CYLA by
  • planning at least 1 CYLA webinar each year utilizing section and other experts to be speakers; and
  • writing or obtaining at least 1 article each year for CYLA publications (either for newsletters or self-study MCLE credit)
• Serve on at least 1 CYLA committee per year, as assigned or requested, and help fulfill the specific duties of that committee
• Attend the swearing-in ceremonies for your community, or a nearby legal community, when possible

Duties to the Section

• Participate in section executive committee meetings per the culture of the section^[1]
• Represent CYLA and new lawyer needs at the section executive committee
• Explore and cultivate opportunities for new lawyers to get involved in and meaningfully participate in the section^[2]
• Serve on section committees (at the Section Liaison’s discretion, if you have the time and bandwidth after meeting other duties)

1. Each section’s culture is different. Some sections encourage CYLA liaisons to attend every meeting and want the liaison’s active participation. Some sections do not. Please discuss expectations with the chair each year.

2. Meet with the chair to discuss what opportunities exist for new lawyers at the section level i.e. regular column in section publication(s), 101 or nuts and bolts webinars, mentoring programs. To the extent nothing exists, work with chair to identify and create meaningful opportunities for new lawyer participation.