February 16-17, 2024 at Disney’s the Swan Resort in Lake Buena Vista, FL
Each year, The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division hosts the Affiliate Outreach Conference (AOC), a premier conference for young lawyer leaders practicing throughout the state of Florida and providing the opportunity to apply for grants to benefit community service projects, learn, network, exchange ideas, and get the most up to date information about young lawyer issues, resources, and more.
This year AOC 2024: The Magic of Leadership will take place at the Walt Disney World® Swan Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida on February 16-17, 2024. Event registration will begin at 12:30 pm on Friday, February 16, 2024, and will be followed by Affiliate grant presentations, where The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division will award more than $50,000 to community and service projects. Running concurrently will be our business meetings, continuing legal education (CLE) sessions, networking opportunities, and free professional headshots. Friday will conclude with our AOC Gala where we will recognize award recipients.
On Saturday, the day begins with roundtable discussions at breakfast, followed by additional CLE programming from speakers addressing young lawyer-specific issues, lunch, and awards. To celebrate the magic of the weekend, Affiliates and young lawyers are invited to join The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division in an amazing scavenger hunt full of memorable experiences that afternoon.
Conference Schedule
Friday, February 16, 2024
12:30 PM – 4:00 PM · AOC Registration
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM · Law School Affiliate Meeting (business attire)
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM · Professionalism Programming (business attire)
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM · Affiliate Grant Presentations (concurrent sessions) (business attire)
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM · Networking Opportunities + Headshots (business attire)
6:00 PM – 10:00 PM · AOC Gala (formal attire)
Saturday, February 17, 2024
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM · AOC Breakfast with Roundtable Discussions (business attire)
9:00 AM – 11:30 AM · General Session and Speakers (business attire)
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM · AOC Luncheon and Awards Program (business attire)
1:30 PM – 3:30 PM · AOC Scavenger Hunt at Disney Boardwalk (casual attire)
5:00 PM and on · Choose your own adventure:
- After hours at the parks with link to discounted evening tickets
- Group dinner reservations to several different restaurants
Frequently Asked Questions
What are AOC Grants and how can I apply?
The YLD is awarding $50,000.00 to Affiliates during AOC for specific events they are interested in hosting during the upcoming year. To apply for a grant, each Affiliate submits a written application in advance and makes a presentation in-person at the conference to our Grant Committee. Apply for grants by the January 19, 2024 deadline here: https://flayld.org/affiliates/aoc-grant-application/. An Affiliate that applies for an AOC Grant but does not have at least one Affiliate Representative register and attend the required AOC events (In Person Grant Presentation, AOC General Session, and Roundtable Luncheon) will be deemed ineligible to receive grant funds. More information about the grant presentations can be found at the grant application link above.
Can I attend if I am not part of an Affiliate or if I am not the Affiliate Representative?
Yes! While we hope to get you involved in one of your local Affiliates, all young lawyers are welcome to attend the conference. Likewise, if you are involved in an Affiliate already but are not the designated representative to present a grant application, you can still attend. AOC is a great opportunity to learn about your affiliates, network, and earn CLEs and we are excited to have you join us!
Are CLE Credits available?
YES! CLE credits are pending for the Professionalism Program scheduled on Friday afternoon and for the AOC General Session scheduled for Saturday morning. Stay tuned for our reveal of dynamic speakers this year.
Where do I book my hotel, and does the YLD offer any reimbursement for travel?
Please book your room here: (Coming soon!). Each Affiliate may receive up to an $800 reimbursement, with a maximum of $400 per person for up to 2 presenting representatives per Affiliate, for travel costs. If you are not the designated representative to present a grant application for your Affiliate, there is no reimbursement for travel.
Law School Affiliates are also eligible to receive up to $800 Reimbursement, with a maximum of $400 per student representative, for up to 2 LSA Representatives.
Reimbursement covers any travel cost such as mileage (for use of personal car), airfare, rental car cost, fuel for rental car, tolls, as well as lodging and parking. It does not include personal food purchases or reimbursement of the registration fee. To be eligible for reimbursement, you must apply through the attached form within 30 days of AOC.
I know someone interested in sponsoring, what sponsorship opportunities are available?
There are still sponsorship opportunities available for AOC. Please review the attached sponsorship packet for specifics. If you or an organization have any sponsoring interest, please contact Warren Chin (warren@ecd.law), Sarah Morris (sarah.morris@rc1.myflorida.com), or Ciara Willis (cwillis@bushross.com). Sponsorship levels and additional information is also available here.
Will I be able to purchase Disney World tickets to use during the unscheduled hours at the conference?
Yes! Stay tuned for further details being released here about our discounted ticket opportunities with Disney for this conference.
I have never been to an AOC conference before. Is there anyone I can talk to ahead of time to get a better understanding of how the conference feels?
Whether it’s your first or tenth time at AOC, we at the YLD want each and every affiliate member to feel welcome at this conference. We have a team of ambassadors who have spent countless hours putting together this conference for you. Please reach out to either Sarah Morris (Sarah.Morris@rc1.myflorida.com) or Ciara Willis (cwillis@bushross.com) and they will be glad to get you connected to someone who will give you a call and talk to you about what to expect.