Diversity Committee
The purpose of the Diversity Committee is to advocate and support diversity in the legal community, to facilitate opportunities for law students and YLD members to grow in their own understanding of diversity, and to promote equality of opportunity for all.  The committee is dedicated to creating a more inclusive legal community grounded in respect and appreciation for individual differences. The committee endorses a broad definition of diversity and seeks to create a dialogue through programs and resources that enhance knowledge and encourage understanding of diversity. The most commonly known of these programs is the Diversity Committee’s Lunch and Learn Series, which brings in lawyers and other speakers from a variety of backgrounds to discuss a particular topic. Topics have included discussions on mental health, LGBTQ issues, interactions with law enforcement and sexual harassment in the workplace.

Membership Events Committee
This committee is tasked with engaging young lawyers in the YLD, regardless of whether they are newly admitted to the SC Bar or approaching the end of their eligibility in YLD.  In addition to coordinating member networking events, family friendly events, and new admittee receptions, this committee will also coordinate events designed to provide opportunities for YLD members and law students to interact and introduce law students to the SC Bar and the YLD. This committee also has hosted legislative events designed to bring lawyers together with lawyer legislators, and the committee intends to continue hosting such events next year. This committee has also been a way for the YLD to promote wellness to its members. Several circuits have instituted wellness events for their constituents. This committee is also responsible for the hugely popular family events that bring together spouses and children of our members. This upcoming Bar year, the Membership Events Committee will focus its efforts on partnering with SC Bar Committees and/or Sections in member programming as well as providing unique membership resources.

Professional Development Committee
The purpose of this committee is to assist young lawyers in becoming successful in the profession by facilitating networking opportunities with other young professionals, as well as educational opportunities for young lawyers, focusing on relevant issues relating to the profession. The members of this committee will work with the committee chairs to assist the circuit representatives in planning at least one professional development event in each circuit. These events will vary from after work events with other young professional organizations, such as the Young Bankers Division, the SC Association of Certified Public Accountants, and the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors of SC, to lunch and learn events for YLD members, which take place in a one- hour, lunchtime format, and may at times offer CLE credit. We are looking forward to leveraging technology – webinars and Facebook Live – to bring our programming to more young lawyers across the state.

Over the last four years, the Professional Development Committee has hosted a monthly lunch series at the federal courthouses in Charleston and Columbia through a partnership with Judge Duffy and Judge Childs. These events continue to be well-attended and well-received. The Professional Development Committee has continued tohost “Brews and News.” Across the state, young lawyers gather at a local brewery to enjoy good beer and hear an informative talk by local practitioners on topics pertinent to the practice of law such as networking and personal branding. These events have been very well-attended, especially by young lawyers who have an interest in getting more involved in the YLD. This committee will focus on soft skills professional development – with opportunities for business development coaching and business etiquette.

Publications Committee
Members of this committee prepare and update YLD publications and facilitate marketing of the YLD, not only among the Division’s members but also to all Bar members and to the public. The committee is responsible for the Division’s newsletter, South Carolina Young Lawyer, which is distributed quarterly to all YLD members and is published on the SC Bar’s website. South Carolina Young Lawyer has received national awards and recognition for the content provided to YLD members. The newsletter contains committee reports, upcoming events, member spotlights and practice tips, among other valuable information.

Special Projects Committee
The Special Projects Committee is a group dedicated to serving both the legal community and the broader public through a range of initiatives. Formerly the Backpack Drive and Annual Bar Convention committees, we have combined forces to maximize our impact and efficiency in supporting those in need and fostering professional growth and camaraderie among young lawyers.

Our primary focus remains on our flagship events: the Backpack Drive and Bar Convention. The Backpack Drive, traditionally held in the summer, mobilizes our members to collect new backpacks and school supplies for donation to students and schools across the state. Simultaneously, the Bar Convention, typically scheduled in January, features a compelling CLE program tailored to the interests of young lawyers, offering a minimum of three CLE credit hours. The convention also hosts a social event, providing a platform for YLD members, their guests, and members of the judiciary the opportunity to network and engage with peers and mentors.

In addition to these cornerstone events, the Special Events Committee is primed to respond to emergency opportunities and needs within both the legal community and the public sphere. We stand ready to tackle new initiatives, whether they arise from within our ranks or from external circumstances, using our collective experience and enthusiasm to make a meaningful difference.

By consolidating our efforts under the banner of the Special Events Committee, we aim to streamline operations, enhance collaboration, and amplify our impact in service to the Bar and the broader community. Join us as we embark on this exciting journey of service, professional growth, and civility. Together, we can achieve remarkable things.

Wellness Committee
The Wellness Committee provides programming for young lawyers that promote mental, emotional, physical, and social well-being. The Wellness Committee strives to provide resources and tools to young lawyers that address work/life balance, stress management, mental health, alcohol and substance abuse, physical health and well-being, and other quality of life issues. The YLD’s Wellness Committee also plans to collaborate with the Bar’s Wellness Committee to develop programs and events for the Living Above the Bar initiative.

Cinderella Project
The Cinderella Project, which will be in its 18th year during the 2018-2019 Bar year, involves gathering donations of gently-worn formal gowns, shoes and
accessories to benefit high school students across South Carolina. Students from area high schools are invited to attend a boutique held in the spring to “shop” for a dress and other accessories at no cost. Members of this committee coordinate with local boutiques, community organizations, other legal associations and law firms for collection of the dresses and solicitation of donations. Members will also organize the boutiques and assist the belles of the ball as they shop on the day of the boutique.

Families Forever
This committee focuses on educating the public and raising awareness about adoption and foster care in South Carolina and was recently recognized as an Angel in Adoption™ by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) in Washington, D.C. Members of this committee participate in adoption awareness and education projects by coordinating and hosting Families Forever Fairs throughout the state, in partnership with adoption agencies, attorneys and other professionals.

Legal Feeding Frenzy
The Legal Feeding Frenzy committee is dedicated to fighting food insecurity in South Carolina. We partner with local food banks to organize food drives and competitions that encourage legal professionals and to compete against each other to raise donations for those in need. Our mission is to use the legal community’s collective resources to make a significant impact on the issue of hunger in our state. The annual competition coincides with North Carolina’s Feeding Frenzy, and we are working to grow the YLD’s participation in South Carolina! We also partner with the state’s law schools in order to get students involved.

Pro Bono & Community Outreach
The Pro Bono & Outreach Committee seeks to encourage and offer opportunities for young lawyers to provide pro bono legal services and outreach to the South Carolina community. The Committee collaborates with the South Carolina Bar Pro Bono Board/Program, as well as the pro bono offices at the University of South Carolina School of Law and Charleston School of Law. The Committee supports and promotes community outreach by facilitating and encouraging young lawyer participation in mentorship, volunteer, and sponsorship opportunities provided through partnerships with community organizations and programs, such as the federal drug court program (Bridge) and the Special Olympics of South Carolina, that serve a vast and varied range of South Carolinians.

Student Outreach
The Student Outreach Committee is committed to educating students about both the law and the practice of law. We believe that by engaging with students at an early age, we can help build a pipeline of future attorneys who are passionate about upholding our legal system.  Moreover, we can introduce the profession to students and foster an inclusive environment for students to recognize their potential to become an attorney, while participating in events that provide an opportunity to cultivate knowledge and skills that will aid them in future legal practice. 

Voices Against Violence
The Voices Against Violence Committee educates young lawyers and the public about the challenges victims of violent crime face. This committee encourages advocacy for victims through pro bono services, CLE seminars, and providing hands-on support to programs that aid victims of violence.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
The purpose of this committee is to provide free tax preparation for South Carolina residents with annual total household income of $52,000 or less. Members of this committee receive training to prepare basic federal and state income tax returns in various communities throughout the state and assist the chair with recruiting other lawyer volunteers to participate in the tax preparation “Super Saturdays.” The training will be sponsored and conducted by the Columbia Cooperative Ministry, the United Way of Greenville County or the Charleston Trident Urban League, which operate VITA sites.

Wills Clinics
The purpose of this committee is to provide free wills and estate planning documents for first response personnel and Habitat for Humanity homeowners. During the clinics, young lawyers will consult with first responders and homeowners and draft wills and advance directives. First responders and homeowners will leave with fully-executed documents. Members of this committee will plan clinics throughout the state and recruit attorney volunteers. Young lawyer volunteers need no prior estate planning experience to take part. Guidelines, forms and training sessions are provided prior to clinics.