It has been an incredible honor to serve as President of the Austin Young Lawyers Association (AYLA) this past year. I would like to begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to Debbie Kelly, AYLA Executive Director and truly superhuman in every sense, for her unwavering dedication to AYLA.
One of the questions I am most frequently asked during my year as president of the Austin Young Lawyers Association is how I manage to do “it all.” I am not entirely sure what “it all” includes, but I do know that I put my all into what I am able to do. I have been engaged in leadership and volunteer work since middle school, and as I leaned into my legal career, work naturally took priority over many other aspects of my life. As new chapters began, however, it never crossed my mind that I needed to close chapters that already meant so much to me simply to start another.
Each year, in the early months, hundreds of middle and high school students from across Texas gather for the YMCA Texas Youth and Government conferences to debate legislation they have spent months researching, drafting, and refining. These young people—representing communities and backgrounds as diverse as our state itself—arrive prepared to advocate for ideas they believe will make government more effective, equitable, and responsive. It is an extraordinary display of civic engagement, and one that reflects a vibrant future for our democracy.
International Women’s Day, observed annually on March 8, serves as a global recognition of women’s achievements and an ongoing call to advance gender equality. Historically, female attorneys, scholars, and activists have advanced legal arguments, challenged discriminatory frameworks, and helped redefine the contours of civil rights. In courtrooms, classrooms, legislatures, and community organizations, women have been instrumental in championing reforms related to workplace equity, education, family law, voting rights, and protection from violence and discrimination.
Each year, the presidents of the Austin Bar Association and the Austin Young Lawyers Association (AYLA) are invited to speak at the Leadership Academy Orientation. This year, I was asked to discuss leading with empathy. As I reflected on my development as a leader and how I incorporate compassion into my professional style, I immediately thought of my friends—many of whom are also my colleagues. Since my undergraduate years, these individuals have been the backbone of my perseverance.
In October, I had the honor of sitting on a panel alongside powerhouse attorneys with the Mother Attorney Mentor Association of Austin or the “MAMAs.” The current President of MAMAs, Connie Ditto, strategically recruited myself, Amber Russell, and María Amelia Calaf to speak on a panel moderated by Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch about our unique paths to leadership of initiatives while navigating our careers and motherhood.
Did you know that AYLA used to plan monthly community service and volunteer opportunities prior to 2020? Obviously, something happened.
I graduated from St. Mary’s University School of Law and was sworn in to the Texas Bar in 2012. However, there are days when I still feel like I’m a baby lawyer. Especially days when I make mistakes or instantly regret saying, or not saying, something.
This is my first official article as president of the Austin Young Lawyers Association (AYLA). I have been a member of AYLA since before law school graduation, and I have had the opportunity to meet and work with many young attorneys over the years.
Jenna is an associate counsel at CapMetro, where the mission is to empower and enhance communities through the delivery of high-quality public transportation in Austin and its surrounding areas. Jenna graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and St. Mary’s University School of Law. Her passion for leadership and bar service dates back to her time at St. Mary’s, where she served as the Student Bar President and held positions as director, Secretary, and Vice President of the San Antonio Young Lawyers Association before moving to Austin in 2016.