From the Yld President

• Publication year: 2019
• Pages: 0010
• Citation: Vol. 24 No. 6 Pg. 0010

From the YLD PresidentVol. 24 No. 6 Pg. 10Georgia Bar JournalJune, 2019

HON. RIZZA P. O’CONNOR YLD PRESIDENT

A Year of Serving the Profession and the Public

As the calendar runs out on the 2018-19 Bar year, I am pleased to report that the Young Lawyers Division has once again lived up to its reputation as the “service arm” of the State Bar of Georgia.

On top of the hurdles we face in balancing the stresses of a demanding profession, I have seen my fellow young lawyers at their best these past 12 months in service to the YLD, the State Bar, the legal profession in general and the community at large. Involvement in Bar and YLD activities frequently demonstrates the warmest and most human element of our profession.

As YLD president this year, I could not be more proud of their efforts, which continue to create and foster programs that encourage and make young lawyers better. With more than 30 YLD committees, there are multiple events taking place each week. There have been CLEs, panels, networking opportunities and Lunch and Learn series taking place on a variety of topics.

The YLD also spearheads a number of major projects and events that have a significant impact not only within our profession but on the communities we serve throughout Georgia. I would like to take this opportunity, in my final Bar Journal article as YLD president, to brag on a few of the success stories that have highlighted this year.

Signature Fundraiser

On April 13, the YLD Signature Fundraiser took place at Terminal West in Atlanta. The event featured a “decades” theme and offered attendees the opportunity to play retro games from their childhood. The evening also included live music and dancing, food and an open bar.

The Signature Fundraiser raised $47,000 and proceeds went to our 2019 beneficiary, Lawyers for Equal Justice (L4EJ). A unique, dual-purpose program, L4EJ is not only helping new Georgia attorneys get their law practices off the ground but also working to close the justice gap in our state. L4EJ was established as an incubator program to serve as a springboard for recent law school graduates to start innovative, socially conscious and sustainable law practices by providing affordable legal services to underserved, low- and moderate-income clients. While the State Bar’s Law Practice Management Program offers a wealth of resources for starting a law office, L4EJ provides a way for new lawyers to gain hands-on, real-life experiencing in representing clients in need of legal services.

During the event, the 2019 Signature Service Award was presented to YLD Past Presidents Sharri Edenfield of Statesboro and Michael Geoffroy of Covington. The Signature Service Award is presented annually to recognize an individual who has achieved a certain level of service, as measured by his or her commitment to the YLD and other service-related organizations.

Both Sharri and Michael are well deserving of this honor. Each of them has a longstanding record of serving their communities, the profession and the YLD. Their commitment to be servant leaders has extended well beyond their time as YLD presidents.

This year through his law firm, MG Law, Michael started a program offering wills to...