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.
AYLA recently sat down with member Toni Rask to get to know her better. This is another installment in AYLA’s ongoing Member Spotlight series.
Three years and 2,000 miles apart, we each reached the same crossroads. Both of us worked as public defenders—Mindy in California, Lindsay in Colorado—where success was measured in jury verdicts, motion wins, and sheer survival in a relentless, high-stakes system.
October was filled with a lineup of fantastic AYLA gatherings.
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.
The AYLA Health & Wellness Committee is excited to announce that AYLA will be publishing its inaugural recipe book in 2026.
The Austin Young Lawyers Association (AYLA) was one of the winners of the 2025 Texas Free Legal Answers Summer of Service competition as part of the Central Region group, which won by answering the most questions and having the highest attorney participation.
AYLA is hosting our ninth-annual Tailgate for a Cause fundraiser on Saturday, Nov. 22, for the UT vs Arkansas game.
We recently sat down with AYLA member Clare Mattione for our Member Spotlight.
The Austin Young Lawyers Association (AYLA) celebrated the 25th anniversary of its signature Evening with the Judiciary event.