Serving as President of The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division (YLD) is the highest honor of my career. With over 23,000 members under the age of 36 or within the first five (5) years of practice, the YLD is the largest division or section of The Florida Bar. Florida’s young lawyers are the best of what the legal profession has to offer! We are boldly changing not only the legal profession, but society – running for elected positions, managing our own law firms, leading our families, dominating non-legal occupations, rising within the ranks of our government offices, or even creating disruptive technology.  We are also dealing with obstacles no other generation has ever had to encounter – crippling student loans, stagnant wages, social turmoil, and COVID to name a few. Yet, young lawyers are still resiliently excelling. Although we are in tough times for young lawyers, tough times do not last always.

 

Our mission this year is to educate, advocate, connect, and serve young lawyers. I remember how uncertain I felt as a brand new lawyer, a first generation lawyer, a government lawyer and I am committed to ensuring the next generation of YLD members is affirmed and supported in all their endeavors. You can expect the same dynamic responsiveness to the needs of young lawyers that YLD has become known for. This includes:

As new practitioners, young lawyers are building the foundation their careers will rest upon. We need your participation to impact the lives of young lawyers and the future of the legal profession. If you’re interested in learning more about YLD or becoming more involved, contact us on social media @flabaryld or at yld@flayld.org. You are also welcome to contact me personally on social media @IrisElijah or at president@flayld.org. Let’s make this a great year!