Dear Young Lawyers Section Members:

Welcome to the latest edition of Electronically-In-Touch, the e-newsletter of the NYSBA Young Lawyers Section. We have an issue full of articles and news, and hope you enjoy the content. Included is an article regarding career advice and tips in the current legal market, which I hope you will agree is very timely, an informative article on conducting discovery and investigations when foreign language documents are involved, and an update on New York election law – again timely due to the recent election cycle. We also have some news regarding past and future NYSBA YLS networking events, and hope that you continue to attend those. Finally, we hope that you continue to enjoy the material in this newsletter, and as always, we welcome your articles and submissions as this is, of course, a member-driven publication.

Nilesh Yashwant Ameen, Esq.
Editor, Electronically-In-Touch

Legal Profession

Young Lawyers: Tips on Finding a Job in a Recovering Economy
by Anting J. Wang

On-campus recruiting (“OCR”) has been the only means by which many young lawyers have been exposed to serious job hunting – and the carefully-controlled interactions between firms and students which are the product of OCR often have a slightly surreal quality to them, such as employers conveniently slotted into back-to-back interviews via an electronic bidding process.  However, as the economy recovers, young lawyers may find that their OCR experiences are now outdated and/or inapplicable.  Instead, junior attorneys have joined the real world and must market themselves along more traditional lines and understand what sells and what doesn’t in an economy that has picked up, but that by no means is back in full force. 

This article seeks to provide guidance to young lawyers looking to transition after two to three years of practice, whether from a brief spell of unemployment or those merely looking to move laterally.  It is geared mostly to those seeking firm jobs, as many junior attorneys seek a structured environment in which to learn their craft, and because most opportunities for junior associates are likely with firms.  This article does not delve into the finer points of drafting a resume or interview skills.  Instead, it focuses on common-sense approaches to strategy and presentation in order to maximize young lawyers’ marketability.  Read more

Discovery/Litigation

The ABCs of Global Legal Matters
By Erin Payne & Jason Perkins

When the scope of your clients’ business needs is subject to sudden and frequent change, adaptability is key. In some cases, bringing your practice in line with these fluctuating demands may be as simple as increasing your available resources for document production or due diligence review. Then comes the day when you get a call like this:

Instantly, a new layer of complexity exists. Simple document translation isn’t enough. Now you must cull and identify relevant documents before translation can even occur.  Read more

Election Law

Landmark Election Case Changes Voter Registration
By: Joseph J. Savino and Daniel S. Szalkiewicz

On August 18, 2010, the Appellate Division, Second Department handed down a landmark 5-0 decision, redefining the Election Law in New York State.¹  The decision allows voters to register and enroll with a new party upon moving to a new county. The case involved Debra Ortutay, a candidate for the New York Independence Party State Committee, and whether she was required to wait until after the November general election in order to register to vote and enroll in a new party.

The Supreme Court, relying on precedent, held when a voter relocates from one county to another, a change in party enrollment will not take effect until after the next general election.  Faga Savino, LLP, on behalf of Ms. Ortutay appealed the Supreme Court decision to the Appellate Division, setting the grounds for a judgment that would drastically change party enrollment procedures.  Read more

News/Events

NYSBA/AABANY/Society of Young Lawyer Entrepreneurs "Meet & Mingle"

The Manhattan and Queens Districts of the NYSBA Young Lawyers Section co-hosted a successful “Meet and Mingle” with the Asian American Bar Association of New York Young Lawyers’ Committee and Society of Young Lawyer Entrepreneurs on November 9, 2010 at the Hill in Manhattan.  Over sixty people attended and enjoyed the opportunity to socialize and network.  “It was an amazing event,” said Vanesa I. Pagan, an NYSBA member.  “I had the chance to connect with old friends and meet a lot of great new contacts.  I look forward to attending more events in the future.”  The Manhattan and Queens Districts would like to thank the NYSBA for its sponsorship of this event.

– Anting J. Wang

	Anne B. Nicolson of Flemming, Zulack, Williamson Zauderer LLP and Tucker Stanclift, Immediate Past Chair of the NYSBA Young Lawyers Section		Peter Stambleck, YLS Family Law Liaison, and Sebastian M. Hoskins of the Herzog Law Group
	Jessica Wong, Lauren Lee and Francis Chin		Vanesa I. Pagan of Vanesa I. Pagan Law PLLC
	Kevin Chu, Francis Chin, Yang Chen and Vanesa Pagan

Young Lawyers Section Third and Fourth District Annual Holiday Event at DeJohn's in Albany

The Third and Fourth Districts of the NYSBA Young Lawyers Section will be co-sponsoring a holiday event at DeJohn's Restaurant and Pub (www.dejohns.com) in Albany on Thursday, December 16th, from 5:30 – 8:30 PM. DeJohn's is conveniently located at 288 Lark Street in Albany. There will be complimentary appetizers at the event, in addition to drink specials.

We do kindly ask everyone to bring an unwrapped toy that will be donated to the local chapter of Toys-for-Tots.

This event will be a great opportunity to meet young attorneys in the Capital Region and learn more about the Young Lawyers' Section. We will be pleased to provide you with more information at the event regarding opportunities to become more active in the Section. In addition, your contributions will be for a worthwhile cause.

In order to give us an accurate head count, please RSVP to: yls@nysba.org

We hope to see you there!

The State Bar Association is registered with the Public Integrity Commission pursuant to the Lobbying Act to engage in lobbying activities. Consequently, public officials cannot accept certain benefits from the Association. Further information can be obtained by contacting an official's agency ethics officer or the Association at (518) 463-3200.

Save the dates for the following Young Lawyers Section Events

Annual Meeting ½ Day Morning Program
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Hilton New York, New York City

Bridging the Gap
Thursday and Friday, January 27-28, 2011
Hilton New York, New York City

		Young Lawyers Section Trial Academy March 23-27, 2011 Cornell Law School, Ithaca This 5-day trial techniques program will teach, advance and improve the courtroom skills of young lawyers and place an emphasis on direct participation.
Each morning will feature a group lecture on an aspect of the trial process followed in the afternoon by small break-out groups to put the theory into practice on topics such as Jury Selection, Opening Statements, Evidence, Foundations and Objections and Closing Statements. Each break-out group will be lead by experienced Team Leaders that will be dedicated to your group throughout the week.
		Young Lawyers Section United States Supreme Court Admissions Program June 12-13, 2011 Hyatt Regency Hotel, Washington, DC Spend two exciting days in our Nation’s Capital. To qualify for admission to the bar of the United States Supreme Court, you must have been admitted to practice in the highest court of a State, Commonwealth, Territory, Possession or the District of Columbia since at least June 12, 2008.
Please plan on joining us for an exciting experience, culminating with your admission to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Save these dates for these programs and watch the mail for registration materials!

Electronically-In-Touch is the monthly electronic newsletter of the NYSBA Young Lawyers Section (YLS). It is a member driven publication, encouraging YLS members to write articles, and as such we would welcome submissions from members on any relevant topic, including practice tips, substantive legal articles, case updates, work/life advice, and information regarding upcoming meetings and events. Please submit articles to  Nilesh Yashwant Ameen, Esq., at nilameen@aol.com, no later than the 10th of the month.