2026

In election years and otherwise, it seems every other day can bring something new to be stressed and despair over when reading or watching the news. When the world feels like it is spiraling out of control and we don’t know what to do in response, it can be easy to feel like our actions don’t really matter and freeze.

Each year, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., AYLA coordinates a Day of Service for its members to participate in several community service events and donation drives throughout Austin. The 15th annual MLK Day of Service will take place on Monday, January 20, 2025. This local project is modeled after the national MLK Day of Service, which is

AYLA’s 8th Annual Tailgate for a Cause fundraiser was a great success. For this year’s holiday event, AYLA will be partnering with Partnerships for Children for their Holiday Wishes Program. The tailgate was a great success and helped raise money to provide holiday cheer to families who might not otherwise have the opportunity. 

On Saturday, November 16, the AYLA Health & Wellness Committee organized a cycle class at RIDE Downtown. The class was an awesome opportunity for Austin attorneys to unwind and get to know each other outside of the office or courtroom. The Health & Wellness Committee is focused on facilitating lawyer well-being through regular activities like group exercise. Huge thanks to

AYLA recently completed production on its series of tutorial videos meant to educate members of the public on how to pick juries without a lawyer in justice of the peace and municipal courts. See the YouTube playlist here. These videos were made possible by a grant from the Texas Bar Foundation and with the help of Judge Sylvia Holmes, Justice

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your law practice. I am an Associate at Cornell Smith Mierl Brutocao Burton, LLP, where I practice management-side labor and employment law. My practice encompasses all facets, including litigation, advising, and disputes before government agencies. I grew up in Austin and had the great opportunity to return to Austin after graduating from

At the AYLA board retreat in early August, AYLA President Emily Morris expressed that one of her goals this year is inclusion and prioritizing CLEs for AYLA members. With that end goal in mind, AYLA is intentionally recruiting young lawyers interested in speaking on their area of expertise on our panels and as CLE presenters.  Including young lawyers in presentations

The Austin Young Lawyers Association (AYLA) held its annual Evening with the Judiciary at Chateau Bellevue on Thursday, Sept. 26. For more than 20 years, this reception has been a signature event where AYLA members have the opportunity to share an evening of food and conversation with local, state, and federal judges.  We also thank our generous and loyal sponsors

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your law practice. I moved to Austin with my then-fiancée, now wife, in June of 2021. I had just graduated from the University of Washington School of Law, and my wife was working remotely because of the pandemic. We were in the position of being able to pick and choose where we

The Austin Young Lawyers’ Association and Austin Bar Association are excited to invite AYLA members to apply for the 2025 Leadership Academy, which is entering its 14th year! The goal of the Leadership Academy is to foster leadership skills in the Austin legal community, expand and develop relationship networks, and to assist Austin-area lawyers in making a difference in our