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YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISIONNEWSPRESIDENTBrittany Brooks Frankel, GreenvillePRESIDENT-ELECTAnna Kathleen Rush, HattiesburgSECRETARYReagan Joyner Spears, PhiladelphiaIMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENTKye C. Handy, JacksonABA YLD REPRESENTATIVEChristina M. Nunez, JacksonDIRECTORSDanielle E. Ashley, Laurel - East District IIWilliam A. Bettis, Ridgeland - Central District IVidhi Bamzai, Jackson, Hinds Post VKate S. Davis, Meridian - East District IM. Denise Fondren, Oxford - Northern District ICorey Harris, Jackson, Hinds Post IVAllison Hartman, Jackson, Hinds Post VICaroline K. Forks, Oxford, Northern District IIJoseph Miles Forks, Oxford, Director-at-LargeKatelyn D. Foster, Jackson, Hinds Post IIScarlett A. Jones, Poplarville, West DistrictKelly A. McCall, Gulfport, Coastal II DistrictChristina M. Nunez, Jackson, Hinds Post IIIG. Laithan Simmerman, Gulfport, Coastal I DistrictAmber L. Stewart, Madison, Central District IIGabrielle C. Wells, Jackson, Hinds Post ILOCAL YOUNG LAWYERS AFFILIATESDelta.................................................................Yeager M. BassGolden Triangle......................................Grace M. LawtonHarrison County.........................G. Laithan SimmermanHattiesburg AreA............................................Andie SzaboJackson County........................Cameron M. McCormickJackson...........................................................Madison KeyesJones County .........................................Danielle E. AshleyLauderdale County............................Kathrine C. CurrenLee CountY....................................... Bryce A. MontgomeryNorthwest Mississippi ...........................................(vacant)Oxford Area .................................................Morgan S. HartWarren County.....................................Robert W. ArledgeCOMMITTEE CHAIRSBar Admissions Ceremony...............Robert W. ArledgeChild Advocacy.........................................Lindsay ArevaloCommunications.......................................Laura K. CooperDisaster Legal Assistance..............Christina M. NunezDiversity ......................................................Karmel L. KeetonHigh School Mock TrialChair ............................................................Briana A. O'NeilCentral Region....................................................Jay KuciaNorthern Region........................ Justin Carlton MoodySouthern Region......................G. Laithan SimmermanLaw School Relations (MC)................Brianna CaldwellLaw School Relations (UM)..................Conner WhittenLaw-Related Education.............................Bud SheppardNominations, Elections & Awards.............Matt DaltonPro Bono ...........................................................Briana KeelerSeminars ...............................................Gregory J. Alston, Jr.Solo and Small Firm......................TreMarcus RosemonBrittany Brooks FrankelYoung Lawyers Division President2024-2025The Young Lawyers Division has launched into 2025 with gusto by hosting events all across the state this Spring.I would be remiss not to begin this article by thanking Briana O%u2019Neil for her impressive and tireless work as the chair of the 42nd Annual High School Mock Trial Competition. Briana and her regional chairs (Jay Kucia - Central; Justin Moody - Northern; and Laithan Simmerman - Southern), along with members of our Bar staff (Casey Creasey, Chad Phillips, and Dana Robertson), knocked it out of the park this year. The statewide competition was held Feb. 28 %u2013 Mar. 1 at the Hinds County Courthouse. First place was awarded to Sacred Heart Catholic School Team 1, coached by Mary Moore Conville, Ward Conville, Olivia Drinkwater, and David Miller. Sacred Heart will represent Mississippi in the National High School Mock Trial Competition May 7-10 in Phoenix, Arizona. We sincerely appreciate all of the attorneys who served as coaches and judges. The competition would not be possible without your support.On Jan. 10, our Pro Bono committee, chaired by Briana Keeler, hosted a successful Wills for Federal Law Enforcement%u00a0event in Gulfport at the%u00a0Dan M. Russell, Jr., United States Courthouse. The committee drafted last wills and testaments for federal law enforcement officers and their spouses, and they are making plans to host a similar event in Jackson later this year.The Seminars Committee, chaired by Gregory Alston, hosted the Bridge the Gap CLE in Gulfport Jan. 24. Presenters included Jasmine Magee with the Harrison County District Attorney%u2019s Office, Brandon Riches with the Riches Law Firm, Stephen Broadus with Balch & Bingham, Sam Newman with the Newman Law Firm, and Ryne Hand with Hand Law. Bridge the Gap CLE was also held April 25 in Jackson. As a reminder, while the Bridge the Gap Series is required for new attorneys, attorneys of all ages are invited to attend the series to obtain CLE credit. The Seminars Committee also plans to hold another special topic CLE in the Spring. In February, Anna Rush, YLD President-Elect, and I attended the American Bar Association Midyear Meeting in Phoenix. At each of the conferences I have attended throughout my presidency, there has been a discussion about legal deserts in our country, and Mississippi is certainly not immune from this issue. I sincerely hope that attorneys of all ages will continue to work together to retain our young, talented Mississippians. Young attorneys in Mississippi want and need mentors, and we should all make it a priority to support and engage our young attorney population.Our Diversity Committee, chaired by Karmel Keeton, planned a successful Pre-Law Day April 4 at Jackson State University. The event featured a panel discussion related to law school admissions, plus workshops to assist students with LSAT prep, resume review, and drafting their personal statements. Through this event, the Diversity Committee provides hands-on assistance to Mississippi%u2019s college students by connecting aspiring attorneys to sea50 SPRING 2025