Trial Magazine

At every AAJ convention, AAJ’s caucus group members get together and give back to the community, whether it’s sorting boxes at a food bank or serving meals to the needy.

In Austin, AAJ’s New Lawyers Division teamed up with the LGBT Caucus to support the End Distracted Driving (EndDD) project. Working with AAJ President Julie Kane and Joel Feldman—the founder of the Casey Feldman Foundation and sponsor of EndDD.org—caucus members gave presentations to local high school students. Their goal was to raise awareness of the distracted driving epidemic and warn of its dangers. Over two days, AAJ members reached almost 750 students in Austin. To learn more about presenting at your local high school, visit www.EndDD.org.

Minority Caucus members worked with faculty at the University of Texas School of Law to assemble a panel for minority law students. Caucus members discussed the importance of mentoring and their experiences as minority trial lawyers. Dallas attorney Erin Nowell explained, “As members of AAJ’s Minority Caucus, our mission is not only to aggressively represent our clients but also to aid and support minority attorneys with the same goal. This should start with high school, college, and law students—and that was the focus of our panel.”

The Women Trial Lawyers Caucus (WTLC) supported Dress for Success Austin, an organization committed to providing disadvantaged women with services and opportunities, such as helping them establish a solid work history and create a support network. The WTLC asked attendees at their business meeting and brunch in Austin to bring donations, and the caucus created an Amazon wish list so members could send purchases directly to the organization.

AAJ’s caucuses will hold service projects in Boston during AAJ’s 2017 Annual Convention in July. More information will be posted on the groups’ list servers and Facebook pages.

For more information on upcoming convention service projects, contact Jennifer Rafter at jennifer.rafter@justice.org.