YLD Committees

To join a YLD Committee or Committees, please fill out a membership application available below as a PDF file and return to the YLD office. Membership on a committee is good through one Bar year (June to June).

2008-09 YLD Committee Brochure and Sign-Up

Advocates for Students with Disabilities
This committee provides technical support and networking opportunities to the growing community of attorneys whose practice or passion includes students with disabilities and their families. The committee ensures the number of attorneys involved with families continues to grow and that these attorneys have excellent continuing education opportunities, as well as a network of colleagues. The committee also provides support on issues such as estate planning, civil rights, healthcare issues, power of attorneys, juvenile justice, and guardianships.

Craig Lewis Goodmark, co-chair
554 Lakeshore Drive
Atlanta, GA 30307
goodmark@comcast.net

Jennifer Christina Jones, co-chair
King & Spalding LLP
1230 W. Peachtree St.
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-215-5727
jcjones@kslaw.com

Appellate Admissions
This committee arranges the biannual ceremonies for admission of new Bar admittees to the Georgia Supreme Court, the Georgia Court of Appeals and the U.S. District Courts.

David Baird Carpenter, chair
Schreeder Wheeler & Flint LLP
1100 Peachtree Street, Suite 800
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-681-3450 Fax: 404-681-1046
dcarpenter@swfllp.com

Aspiring Youth Program
This committee assists at-risk middle school students by increasing their aspirations to graduate from high school and college by demonstrating the importance of education, hard work and commitment. All program activities take place during the "latch-key" hours when youths are most often unsupervised and include tutorials, mentoring, study groups, programs directly related to issues facing teenagers today and recreation time. Young lawyers serve as positive role models while developing mentoring relationships with the students. This program meets twice a year: Two afternoons weekly for six weeks in the fall and in the spring. Attorneys are needed to volunteer at the middle school for two hours a day as often as possible during the fall or spring program.

LeRoya R. Chester Jennings, co-chair
Dekalb County Solicitor General
556 N. McDonough Street, Suite 500
Decatur, GA 30030
404-371-2234
lcjennings@co.dekalb.ga.us

Janet C. Scott, co-chair
Dekalb County Board of Education
3770 N. Decatur Road
Decatur, GA 30032
678-676-0420 Fax: 678-676-0234
jcscott06@hotmail.com

Business Law
Business Law Committee addresses issues specific to young lawyers whose practice involves either commercial litigation or commercial transactions. The committee monitors and addresses legal developments in the areas of business, commerce and finance on both federal and state levels.

Seth Nathan Katz, co-chair
Thompson Law, LLC
Buckhead Plaza 2, 3050 Peachtree Rd NW
Ste. 355
Atlanta, GA 30305
404-816-0500 Fax: 404-816-6856
skatz@thomlaw.net

Peter Werdesheim, co-chair
Carlock, Copeland & Stair LLP
285 Peachtree Center Ave., Ste. 2600
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-221-2222 Fax: 404-222-9482
pwerdesheim@carlockcopeland.com

Community Service Projects
This committee provides opportunities for young lawyers to participate in local, state or national service projects focused on various social issues, such as working with organizations that address the needs of underprivileged children, hunger, domestic violence, and the environment.

Jennifer Blackburn, co-chair
Troutman Sanders LLP
600 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 5200
Atlanta, GA 30308-2216
404-885-3061 Fax: 404-962-6574
jennifer.blackburn@troutmansanders.com

Shiriki Lean Cavitt, co-chair
Troutman Sanders LLP
600 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 5200
Atlanta, GA 30308-2216
404-885-3122 Fax: 404-962-6582
shiriki.cavitt@troutmansanders.com

Corporate Counsel Committee
This committee serves the professional needs of younger attorneys who practice in the legal departments of corporations and other private sector organizations. CLE programs are offered each year covering topics of particular interest to in-house attorneys, including, but not limited to, corporate governance and compliance, ethics, diversity, technology solutions and partnerships with private law firms. In addition to providing a forum for committee members to communicate, the committee sponsors networking events between corporate counsel and business lawyers from private practice.

Stephanie Joy Kirijan, chair
Georgia Power
241 Ralph McGill Blvd. N.E., BIN 10151
Atlanta, GA 30308-3374
404-506-4113 Fax: 404-506-4724
skirijan@southernco.com

Criminal Law
This committee strives for the improvement of the criminal justice system, and where appropriate, seeks to implement changes. The committee annually sponsors CLE seminars and the Commitment to Justice Award.

Nedal Saleh Shawkat, chair
Douglas County District Attorney
8700 Hospital Drive, 2nd Floor
Douglasville, GA 30134
770-920-7292 Fax: 770-920-7123
nshawkat@co.douglas.ga.us

Disaster Legal Assistance
This committee coordinates emergency legal assistance for victims of natural disasters.

Amy Rene Stone, chair
Office of the Public Defender
Tifton Judicial Circuit
1212 Chestnut Avenue
Tifton, GA 31794-4023
229-387-6488 Fax: 229-387-6234
astone@gapublicdefender.org

Elder Law
This committee is involved in the delivery of legal services to the elderly, monitoring legislation and other legal developments affecting the elderly community, and providing general information to older Georgians.

William Louis Norse Jr., chair
Duffy & Feemster, LLC
236 E. Oglethorpe Avenue
P.O. Box 10144
Savannah, GA 31412
912-236-6311 Fax: 912-236-7641
wnorse@duffyfeemster.com

Ethics & Professionalism
This committee develops programs to assist lawyers in achieving the ethical and professional standards set forth for the legal profession and to make the public aware that lawyers are striving to meet and exceed these standards. This committee works with the Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism. The committee recognizes one young lawyer who has demonstrated outstanding professionalism with its Ethics & Professionalism Award.

David Winston Adams, co-chair
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC
1201 W. Peachtree St., N.W., Suite 3500
Atlanta, GA 30309-3460
404-872-7000 Fax: 404-870-4846
daadams@wcsr.com

Nicole Gail Iannarone, co-chair
Bondurant, Mixson & Elmore, LLP
3900 One Atlantic Center
1201 West Peachtree Street, N.W.
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-881-4100 Fax: 404-881-4111
iannarone@bmelaw.com

Family Law
This committee provides educational and networking opportunities to young lawyers whose practice involves family law. The committee sponsors a networking event as part of the annual Family Law Institute, as well as an annual signature fundraising event to raise money and awareness for causes involving family related issues in Georgia.

Kathleen Burt Connell, chair
Warner, Mayoue, Bates, & Nolen, P.C.
3350 Riverwood Parkway S.E., Suite 2300
Atlanta, GA 30339
770-951-2700 Fax: 770-951-2200
kconnell@wmbnlaw.com

High School Mock Trial
This committee provides educational litigation experience to hundreds of high school students by sponsoring a statewide mock trial competition, sending a team to the national competition, and holding a summer law camp. Young lawyers, judges and teachers throughout Georgia get involved in all levels of the competition as coaches, judges and committee members.

William H. Noland, chair
Groover & Childs
P.O. Box 898
Macon, GA 31202
478-745-4712 Fax: 478-745-7373
william@grooverandchilds.com

Sara Ann Evans, vice-chair
Hawkins & Parnell LLP
4000 SunTrust Plaza
303 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30308-3243
404-614-7400 Fax: 404-614-7500
sevans@hplegal.com

Intellectual Property Law
This committee promotes communication among young lawyers practicing in the various areas of intellectual property law as well as networking with other practice groups to enhance the availability of business opportunities. The committee provides CLE programs as well as social activities that promote networking and Bar participation.

Charles Adam Pannell III, chair
King & Spalding LLP
1180 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30309-3521
404-572-4692
cpannell@kslaw.com

Intrastate Moot Court Competition
This committee sponsors the annual Intrastate competition among students from Georgia law Schools. It organizes and conducts all aspects of the competition.

Sarah Catherine Cipperly, co-chair
Legal Aid of Cobb County
30 South Park Square, Suite 101
Marietta, GA 30090
770-528-2568 Fax: 770-528-2574
sccipperly@atlantalegalaid.org

Benjamin Thomas Erwin, co-chair
Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP
1600 Atlanta Financial Center
3343 Peachtree Road, N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30326
404-504-7635 Fax: 404-365-9532
berwin@mmmlaw.com

Juvenile Law
This committee is responsible for studying and recommending changes in the areas of juvenile law, facilities and rehabilitation. The committee encourages and celebrates excellence in juvenile law practice across Georgia through sponsorship of an annual CLE event and child advocate awards. The committee organizes and co-sponsors the Celebration of Excellence, a graduation ceremony for youth in the state foster care system. In addition, the committee is in the process of researching, drafting, and editing recommended revisions to Georgia's Juvenile Code. The committee also promotes participation in and funding of juvenile representation through the Lawyers Challenge for Children Campaign.

Darice Marie Good, co-chair
Good & Lee LLC
881 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Suite 18
Atlanta, GA 30306
404-881-9262 Fax: 404-881-9269
daricemgood@yahoo.com

Kirsten Widner, co-chair
Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic
Emory University School of Law
1301 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA 30322
404-712-1233 Fax: 404-727-7851
kwidner@emory.edu

Labor and Employment Law Committee
This committee produces two CLE programs each year for attorneys representing employees and employers in labor and employment matters, including, but not limited to, harassment and discrimination issues, wage and hour law, worker's compensation concerns, non-compete agreements, collective bargaining, and other federal and state law applicable to the employer-employee relationship.

Joshua Henry Viau, chair
Elarbee Thompson Sapp & Wilson, LLP
229 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 800
Atlanta, GA 30303-1614
404-659-6700 Fax: 404-222-9718
viau@elarbeethompson.com

Law-Related Education/Law Awareness for Youth
This committee supports and encourages the growth of law-related education in the state, particularly through the inclusion of law-related curriculum in the schools. These efforts include preparing an Introduction to Law textbook and hosting an annual Teachers' Workshop.

Thomas Richard Mondelli, chair
City of Atlanta Department of Law
68 Mitchell Street, S.W. Suite 4100
Atlanta, GA 30303-3520
404-330-6530
tmondelli@atlantaga.gov

Leadership Academy
John Busbin Jackson, co-chair
Weinberg Wheeler Hudgins Gunn and Dial
950 East Paces Ferry Rd Suite 3000
Atlanta, GA 30326
404-832-9580 Fax: 404-875-9433
jjackson@wwhgd.com

Carl Robert Varnedoe, co-chair
Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell
& Berkowitz, PC
P O. Box 5047
Macon, GA 31208-5047
478-750-0777 Fax: 478-750-1777
cvarnedoe@bakerdonelson.com

Legislative Affairs
This committee serves as the clearinghouse for YLD-initiated legislation and aids legislators and other YLD committees in various matters. The committee also holds the annual Legislative Breakfast.

Ashley S. Harris, co-chair
Waste Management
2859 Paces Ferry Road , Suite 1600
Atlanta, GA 30339
770-805-3543 Fax: 770-805-8485
aharris2@wm.com

Benjamin James Vinson, co-chair
McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
303 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 5300
Atlanta, GA 30308
404-527-4173 Fax: 404-527-4198
bvinson@mckennalong.com

Litigation
This committee addresses the needs of younger litigators by sponsoring litigation themed lunch-and-learns, CLE and CLE/socials both inside and outside metro Atlanta. The committee also places an emphasis on social activities as well as service to the community, fostering networking among the members. Monthly lunch meetings are held September through May.

Christopher Ryan Abrego, co-chair
Webb Zschunke Neary & Dikeman LLP
One Securities Centre
3490 Piedmont Road N.E., Suite 1210
Atlanta, GA 30305
404-264-1080 Fax: 404-264-4520
cabrego@wznd.net

Edward T. McAfee, co-chair
Carlock Copeland & Stair LLP
2600 Marquis Two Tower
285 Peachtree Center Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-221-2329 Fax: 404-523-2345
emcafee@carlockcopeland.com

Minorities in the Profession
This committee encourages increased participation by minorities in the Bar and the YLD, examines the problems affecting the minority lawyer and expands the opportunities for minority lawyers within the profession. Monthly lunch meetings are held September through June.

Stephinie Petties, co-chair
Georgia Legal Services Program
104 Marietta Street, N.W., Suite 240
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-894-7707 Fax 404-463-1584
spetties.piedmont@glsp.org

Kimbley Puckett, co-chair
Georgia Legal Services Program
104 Marietta Street, N.W., Suite 240
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-463-1570 Fax 404-463-1584
kpuckett@glsp.org

National Moot Court Competition
This committee conducts the Region V competition of the National Moot Court Competition.

Stephanie Oginsky, chair
Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP
1170 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 1900
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-870-4609 Fax 404-806-5609
soginsky@lockelord.com

Real Estate
The Real Estate Law Committee promotes communication among young lawyers practicing in the various areas of real estate law as well as networking with other practice groups to enhance the availability of business opportunities. The committee provides CLE programs as well as social activities that promote networking and Bar participation.

Tyler Dunn, co-chair
Morris Hardwick Schneider LLC
7000 Central Parkway, Suite 300
Atlanta, GA 30328
770-392-0500 Fax 770-392-0479
tdunn@closingsource.net

Meredith Leigh Wilson, co-chair
Holland & Knight
1201 West Peachtree St., N.E., Ste 2000
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-898-8132 Fax: 404-881-0470
meredith.wilson@hklaw.com

Signature Fundraiser
The Signature Fundraiser Committee organizes and orchestrates an annual fundraising event in Atlanta to raise money to support non-profits. The committee will begin meeting monthly in August in Atlanta.

Jennifer Blackburn, co-chair
Troutman Sanders LLP
600 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 5200
Atlanta, GA 30308
404-885-3061 Fax 404-962-6574
jennifer.blackburn@troutmansanders.com

Ms. Whitney Diane Mauk, co-chair
Boyd Collar Knight LLC
400 Galleria Parkway, Suite 1920
Atlanta, GA 30339
770-953-4300 Fax: 770-953-4700
wmauk@lawbck.com

William W. Daniel National Invitational Mock Trial
This committee hosts an annual criminal mock jury trial competition among law students. The talented competitors are law students hailing from law schools across the country. All Georgia law schools are also invited to participate. Every summer, the William W. Daniel National Invitational Mock Trial Committee sends hundreds of applications to ABA accredited law schools. Only 18 schools are invited to compete in this well known competition named in honor of the late Judge William W. Daniel of the Superior Court of Fulton County.

Barbara Marschalk, chair
Drew, Eckl & Farnham
P.O. Box 7600
Atlanta, GA 30357-0600
404-885-6322 Fax 404-876-0992
bmarschalk@deflaw.com

Women in the Profession
This committee's mission is to ensure the success of women attorneys just beginning their careers by providing a forum for dialogue and ideas on multicultural concerns of women, sponsoring programs directed to business and professional development, organizing networking activities, and supporting organizations and causes which advance the status and progress of women in society.

Trinity Marie Hundredmark, chair
Andersen, Tate & Carr, P.C.
1505 Lakes Parkway, Suite 100
P.O. Box 2000
Lawrenceville, GA 30046
770-822-0900 Fax: 770-822-9680
thundred@atclawfirm.com