Attorney at Law Magazine sat down with Ashlea Edwards of Akerman LLP’s Jacksonville office to discuss her new role as the President of The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division.
AALM: You have stated you’d like to “instill kindness, compassion, and service” among young lawyers. Tell us what this looks like to you?
AE: We are in an adversarial profession, but attorneys can still successfully advocate for their clients by being kind and compassionate to opposing counsel, the court, staff and other legal providers. For me, bar and community service helped me discover this. My hope is that this year the YLD can help young lawyers learn the importance and benefits of kindness, compassion and service in the legal profession.
AALM: Tell us a bit about the new Navigating Series. How did your experiences as a first-generation lawyer inspire this series?
AE: As a first-generation attorney, navigating the legal profession was new to me and my family. The purpose of the YLD’s new Navigating Series is to help young lawyers learn how to navigate the business of practicing law, whether it be navigating business development, starting your own law firm, negotiating a raise, bonus, or job change, and more.
AALM: What are some of the practical ways you hope to raise pro bono legal service engagement in young lawyers? What are some of the biggest obstacles you think prevents involvement?
AE: Each member of The Florida Bar has a professional responsibility to render pro bono legal services. Young lawyers may not be aware of the variety of pro bono opportunities in their area that meet this professional responsibility. The YLD plans to highlight pro bono legal service opportunities and recognize the work of young lawyers who have made change in Florida through pro bono work.
AALM: You’ve served on the YLD Board for more than eight years. What advice do you have to young lawyers who want to become more involved in their legal community?
AE: Be open to opportunities in your legal community. When I initially got involved in the YLD Board, I did not know what to expect. Now eight years later and a plethora of personal and professional memories, I wouldn’t change it. There are many ways that young lawyers can get involved in their legal community and I would encourage young lawyers to find something that they enjoy doing.
AALM: You’ve focused a great deal on professionalism and ethical practice in your time on the board, earning a President’s Award for your efforts. How will you continue to prioritize professional and ethical programming in your year at the helm?
AE: Professionalism and ethics have been a focal point of my YLD involvement, and this year will be no different. We will continue our partnership with the Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism through Decorum.Law, a website that hosts a wealth of professionalism resources designed to help lawyers maintain the highest standards of ethics and professionalism. We will also host the YLD’s first ever Professionalism Showcase at the Affiliate Outreach Conference, which will be an interactive presentation focusing on what professionalism means to young lawyers in and out of the courtroom.
AALM: In a previous interview with our magazine, you discussed a need for an emphasis on mental health in the legal profession. How important do you think it is to establish good work-life balance and a foundation for mental health as a young lawyer? How does the YLD support mental health in young lawyers?
AE: Since that interview, I’ve learned more and personally experienced issues relating to lawyer wellness and burnout. I would encourage young lawyers to develop ways to ensure that their own mental wellness remains a priority so that they can be happy, succeed in their practice, and ultimately avoid discipline through The Florida Bar. The Florida Bar and the YLD promote different wellness related resources, like the Florida Lawyers Helpline, which is a confidential, free and around-the-clock support for Florida Bar members.
AALM: The YLD works closely with Florida’s law schools and law students. Tell us about the upcoming Law Student Symposium and any other initiatives you have planned for law students.
AE: The success and growth of future lawyers in Florida is the essence of the YLD. The YLD is rolling out a new project to support law students – the Inaugural Law School Symposium – which will take place October 11, 2024 on an interactive platform that will provide creative ways for law students of all levels to engage with one another and to absorb more about the practicalities of the law.
AALM: In your experience with the board, you’ve worked closely with several other YLD presidents. What lessons have you learned from them and what goals of theirs do you hope to continue to push forward?
AE: Since I’ve been on the board, many YLD presidents have focused on providing resources to young lawyers transitioning into the practice of law. With the Navigating Series and continuing the Practice Series Webinars, free lunchtime courses that take a case from start to finish in any given practice area, we will continue this tradition of focusing on that crucial period to ensure career-long success for these lawyers.
AALM: What are some areas you think will need to be addressed moving forward to best prepare Florida’s young lawyers for success in the practice of law?
AE: The legal landscape in Florida will continue to change with different issues arising, which may range from artificial intelligence to reliability to something new. YLD leaders must stay apprised of and address these ever-changing issues.
