NEW BRUNSWICK – The YLD Awards Committee is now accepting nominations for the 2023 Young Lawyers Division Awards. A description of the awards and their respective criteria are listed below. Nominations are open to YLD members. The deadline to submit a nomination is March 24. To nominate yourself or a fellow young lawyer, or if you have any questions, please email the Committee Chair, Stacey R. Gorin at [email protected]
The Awards
Service to the Community
Young lawyers who have devoted substantial time and energy to community-oriented activities such as pro bono work, government service, charity involvement, or other public service over the past year are candidates for the Service to the Community award. Young lawyers who are in paid public service positions are not eligible for this award unless they are doing something in addition to the job that they get paid for.
Service to the Bar
Nominees for the Service to the Bar category should be young lawyers who dedicated considerable volunteer time to bar activities at the county, state, and/or national level, including specialty and minority bars, over the past year.
Professional Achievement
The Professional Achievement award acknowledges a young lawyer who has had significant professional accomplishments during the past year. This can include publications, demonstrated excellence in a particular area of law, a significant verdict or law-changing appellate or Supreme Court decision, or other such professional achievement.
Young Lawyer of the Year
The Young Lawyer of the Year award is presented to a young lawyer whose combined personal and professional achievements over the past year merit special recognition, and who has additionally made significant community and public service contributions, has actively participated in the organized bar and has stood out in the areas of professional knowledge, skill, integrity and courtesy.
The Rules
Nominees must be members of the New Jersey State Bar Association and “young lawyers” as of May 31 in the year the award will be given to be eligible for an award.
A “young lawyer” is any lawyer who has been engaged in the practice of law for ten years or less OR who is under the age of 36.
Nominees that do not meet these basic criteria must be rejected. If there are no viable candidates for any given award, such an award may not be bestowed at the discretion of the Awards Committee.
The Timeline
• 02/23/2023: Nominations open.
• 03/24/2023: Nominations close.
• 04/14/2023: Award recipients announced at the April 2023 YLD meeting.
• 05/18/2023: Awards will be presented at the May 2023 Annual Meeting in Atlantic City, NJ.
2023 YLD Awards – Nominations due on or before March 24