YLA SNAPSHOT

Aulstin Gardiner

2022-2023 TCYLA President

It’s Getting HOT, HOT, HOT!

We are in the dog days of summer as my term comes to an end as President of the Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association. This experience has been as rewarding as it has been challenging. I started this term with high ambitions, and I was able to implement new items and build upon my predecessors’ previous implemented programs to my satisfaction thanks to the amazing team of TCYLA Officers and Directors I have had surrounding me these last twelve months.

One of the items I wanted to improve was our social media. Previously, we had a Facebook page that was limitedly updated. Now, not only do we have an Instagram, but we update both platforms consistently with amazing graphics, news, and events thanks to Sara Vargas. If you have not followed our Instagram, you can find us at @TarrantYoungLawyers. As the young kids say, our social media is straight fire! (Full disclosure: I do not know if I am using that term correctly).

We Came, We Saw, We Podcasted

Another new item that I implemented was our TCYLA President’s Podcast, which can be found anywhere you listen to your podcasts. Although I may have been a little ambitious on how often I would be able to produce new episodes, I am very happy with the quality of content that was created in this steep learning curve of scheduling, recording, editing, and producing a podcast. Our last episode was with Cody Cofer on the topic “Controlling Your Narrative,” which highlighted how to build the case that best helps your client and how to control the narrative. Even though we only were able to produce six episodes, I have received great feedback and feel proud of the content that has been published. Despite this being a “young lawyer” podcast, I hope you listen to your fellow Tarrant County colleagues, even if for the first time, as I believe these lessons apply to all attorneys of any age or number of years in practice.

Going Out with a Bang

Thanks to the hard work of the board, the Texas Young Lawyers Association has deemed us worthy for three Awards of Achievement presented at the Texas State Bar Leader’s Conference. The TCYLA took home third place in the Comprehensive Award, third place on the Single Project – Service to the Public Award, and First Place for our Newsletter across all Young Lawyer Associations across the state. The Comprehensive Award was given for our implementation on new and expanded projects for this year—specifically, our podcast, softball team, social media, and Law Related Education initiative. Our Service to the Public was given due to our work on the Suitcase Project in partnership with CASA and made possible with the help of a grant received by the State Bar, spearheaded by our next President, Elizabeth Haslam. Our Newsletter was made possible by the work of John Kash and Spencer Mainka. Even with these highlighted individuals, there were many board members that participated in all aspects of these items; a true team effort all around.

The Future is Bright

As the sunsets on my time as a board member of the TCYLA, I am encouraged by the young attorneys continuing their time in this organization, and I am excited about the new slate of Directors nominated. The TCYLA will be joined this year by the following newly appointed Directors: Scott Prescher (Prescher Law Firm), Marylynn Smitherman (Kelly Hart & Hallman), Stefan Garcia (Blaies & Hightower), Kelsey Linendoll ( Padfield & Stout ), Erika Flores ( Law Office of Francisco Hernandez), and Paul Farmer (Bonds Ellis Eppich Schafer Jones ). I am excited to see what amazing projects, events, and new programs they implement and improve upon with the new slate of Officers and Directors in the next year. I wish them well and will be here to support them any way possible as the Immediate Past-President. g