More than 120 young lawyers from across the state attended the YLD's inaugural Leadership Conference in Milwaukee earlier this month.

March 17, 2010 – More than 120 young lawyers from 20 Wisconsin counties, as well as lawyers from several different states, gathered in Milwaukee on March 12 for the first annual Young Lawyers Leadership Conference. The State Bar of Wisconsin Young Lawyers Division (YLD) put on this event to provide young attorneys with leadership training and to encourage networking between lawyers from across the state and beyond.

“It was a great success,” said YLD President Nick Vivian. “We plan to build on this achievement and turn this into an annual event.”

The conference began with an inspiring keynote address by Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice, David T. Prosser, who challenged young lawyers to be leaders in their community and in the profession. The young lawyers in attendance seemed eager to meet these high expectations as they were trained in being better leaders in the bar, their community, and even in taking care of their personal lives.

“Young lawyers are the key to the continued success of the Bar,” said State Bar President-elect, Jim Boll, as he addressed the conference attendees. Boll commited to appointing young lawyers to State Bar leadership positions during his administration. He also invited the young lawyers to attend his swearing-in ceremony at the State Bar Convention.

During the conference, the YLD also announced the recipient of its 2010 Professional Achievement Award to Carrie M. Benedon of Lathrop & Clark LLP in Madison. Benedon, a 2005 graduate from the U.W. Law School, received the award due in large part to her exceptional dedication to pro bono work and public service.

The Young Lawyers Leadership Conference also included an ABA-style Speed Networking Session, where participants networked with another attorney for three minutes and then were moved on to the next attorney. Many were a bit skeptical of the concept, but after the session was over, many found that they really enjoyed the brief conversations with their fellow attorneys. “Plus, it is a great way to meet other young lawyers,” said Jill Kastner, YLD president-elect and chair of the event. “Although three minutes is not enough time to finish a conversation, that was the point. We wanted to leave conversations unfinished so that young lawyers would have a good reason to continue the networking at the Milwaukee Ale House where the YLD sponsored a networking reception.”

The YLD would like to thank all of its speakers at the conference: Justice David T. Prosser, State Bar President-elect Jim Boll, Gary Bakke, Jonathan Fritz, Carrie Benedon, Cale Battles, Nerino Petro, Nick Vivian, Jill Kastner, Jonathan Gruhl, and Deanne Koll.