The Arkansas Bar Association held its 121st Annual Meeting in Hot Springs over the weekend. The three-day conference, themed “Game Changers,” included a diverse array of continuing education sessions, keynote speakers such as Olympic gymnast and law graduate Shannon Miller, and various awards acknowledging outstanding service of lawyers in Arkansas. Sarah C. Jewell was recognized for her year of service as 2018-2019 Chair of the Arkansas Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section (YLS). YLS is the primary service arm of the Association and provides leadership opportunities for young lawyers within the organization and in the community.
During her time as YLS Chair, Jewell served as an Arkansas YLS Delegate to the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division at the American Bar Association meetings in Chicago (2018), Charleston (2018) and Las Vegas (2019). At each assembly of delegates, the state representatives voted on law and justice-related resolutions slated for proposal for the American Bar Association House of Delegates. If passed by the House of Delegates, the resolutions are proposed to Congress.
Members and law school students benefited from various continuing legal education events planned by YLS, such as a Practical Skills CLE track at the mid-year meeting and FastCase legal research training. Jewell spearheaded community-focused service events, including three Wills for Heroes legal clinics in Fayetteville and Little Rock that provided free estate-planning services to more than 130 local first responders, military, firefighters and police officers.
Jewell also planned a Feed the Funnel service project, in conjunction with The Pack Shack and primary sponsor McMath Woods P.A., for lawyers at the Arkansas Bar Association Annual Meeting in Hot Springs. In just an hour’s time, lawyer volunteers packed 10,576 meals, which were donated to Project Hope Food Bank in Hot Springs. This was the first service element ever implemented into the Association’s Annual Meeting conference agenda.
YLS provides members with valuable leadership, networking, and service opportunities. This year was no exception. During Jewell’s tenure, YLS provided a networking tailgate for lawyers and law students, a reception for lawyers and local judges, and offered free professional headshots for law students to use as they begin their legal careers.
