I started out at the State Bar of Wisconsin serving as Member Services Director. It was a job I loved because it gave me the opportunity to work directly with the hundreds of talented members who each year volunteer their time and talents to furthering our mission and work.

During my first year, I remember traveling to Milwaukee to attend what was then a pretty new event – the Young Lawyers Leadership Conference (now called the Young Lawyers Conference), organized and put on by our Young Lawyers Division (YLD). I was immediately impressed by the energy, passion, and commitment that the few hundred lawyers gathered that day demonstrated toward the law, their profession, and furthering the collective work of the State Bar.

The next morning, I participated in a meeting of the YLD Board. It immediately became clear to me that the YLD is an incredible force for good within the State Bar and provides a unique opportunity for new lawyers to make connections, develop their leadership skills, and have their collective voices heard within the broader profession. 

Over the years, the YLD has proven to be the premier pathway in developing leaders not only in your State Bar, but also in the profession as a whole and the communities in which our members live and practice. Through leadership training and networking opportunities, service projects, programs, publications, and services, the YLD leads the way in engaging our newest members.

I have always believed that what you get out of your membership is in large measure dictated by what you are willing to invest in it. For our newest members, the YLD provides an incredible opportunity to learn, to grow, and to lead. You just need to step up and engage.

Saveon Grenell (right) networks with Emily Stedman and Rose Simon-Silva (center) during a session break at the 2017 Young Lawyers Conference.

The YLD historically has been a vital training ground for further leadership in the State Bar. You need only look to current and past State Bar leaders to see the deep organizational roots that were planted back during their “YLD days.”

But in truth, our young lawyers are not just the leaders of tomorrow. They are shaping, defining, and leading us today. They challenge the status quo and push all lawyers to be more inclusive and responsive in serving an increasingly diverse profession.

I look forward to once again attending the Young Lawyers Conference. It takes place on Friday, March 29, 2019, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., at the Concourse Hotel, Madison, and will be followed by a networking reception. The agenda will be filled with highly effective CLE, relevant and engaging speakers, and premier networking opportunities. If you are under 36 or in your first five years of practice following admission to the State Bar of Wisconsin, I encourage you to join me. Here’s the best part – it’s free! Register at wisbar.org/sa7286.

Don’t wait. You can have the opportunity to lead today.

Over the years, the YLD has proven to be the premier pathway in developing leaders not only in your State Bar, but also in the profession as a whole and the communities in which our members live and practice.