Greetings Young Professionals Council Alumni!

The 2021 AHLA year was a busy year for the Young Professionals Council (YPC), and certainly one that we will remember. We thought it would be nice and perhaps provide a moment of nostalgia to update Alumni on how the YPC has been able to continue your work, and engage with AHLA young professionals over the last year.

Message from the Young Professionals Council Chair

by Mara Smith, 2021 Chair

My time serving on AHLA’s YPC has been the most rewarding professional experience of my career. In my role as Chair of the YPC during the COVID-19 pandemic, I have had the privilege to work with YPC members to find innovative ways to adapt and develop new programs in the Networking, Publications, and Education spaces and reinvent how young professionals interact with the AHLA Practice Groups. Despite the personal and professional challenges that each of the YPC members have faced over the last year, the YPC members have been willing to adapt to the needs of the changing health law industry. AHLA continues to support YPC in efforts to involve young health law professionals and law students. AHLA’s virtual platforms and staff support have allowed YPC to reach a much wider audience over the last year than in previous years where we focused on mostly in-person programming at the Fundamentals Program and Annual Meeting. The last year provided YPC with many new ideas and opportunities for young professional engagement and I look forward to incorporating these ideas into future AHLA YPC programming. 

Message from the Young Professional Delegate

by Lindsay Holmes, 2021 Young Professional Delegate to the AHLA Board of Directors

It was an honor to serve as the Young Professional (YP) Delegate to the AHLA Board of Directors for the past year. Seeing the resiliency of AHLA and the Board firsthand during the pandemic was amazing. AHLA quickly pivoted to completely virtual programming while continuing its mission to provide unmatched education in the health law space. As the YP Delegate, I provided a strategic perspective to the Board on AHLA’s engagement with young professionals and law students. Young professional and law student membership remains a high priority for AHLA, and the organization plans to continue to focus on young professional-centered programming and mentorship. It was a privilege to be able to act as a liaison to the Board on behalf of this community. 

What the Young Professionals Council Has Been Up To

Young Professionals Council Collaboration with AHLA Practice Groups

The YPC continues to maintain a healthy pool of young professional volunteers to support AHLA’s substantive Practice Groups in their educational efforts. The YPC worked with Practice Group leadership to identify opportunities for young professional involvement. For example, the YPC partnered with the Life Sciences Practice Group to publish a three-part 101 series, including a networking call, educational call, and toolkit. YPC members also personally authored several bulletins and articles for the Practice Groups they support. 

Young Professionals Council Helps to Educate Young Professionals

The YPC hosted free educational calls for young professional members on hot topics and legal issues. One call focused on providing direct advice and strategies on how to get involved in AHLA through volunteering and participating in the various Practice Groups and how to get connected within the greater AHLA community. The YPC also hosted a town hall for law students, answering questions and giving advice about entering the industry.

Young Professionals Council Supports AHLA Publishing Efforts

The YPC provided a monthly publishing opportunity for young professionals in the Health Law Connections magazine. An AHLA young professional authored a spotlight article in every issue published this past year. 

Young Professionals Council Supports Young Professionals in Networking

The YPC created virtual networking opportunities even in the midst of a global pandemic. For example, the YPC sponsored and hosted “Coffees and Conversations” at the virtual AHLA Fundamentals of Health Law conference. In addition to external networking, the YPC did not miss the opportunity for YPC virtual happy hours, to nurture the internal connections that make the YPC experience so special.