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    Elections

    Elections Notice

    The ABA Young Lawyers Division will elect its officers and other representatives at the Annual Meeting on August 9, 2025, in Toronto, ON. The officers and representatives being elected include the Secretary, Clerk, two delegates to the ABA House of Delegates, and the Division’s candidate for young-lawyer member-at-large on the ABA Board of Governors.

    Each candidate must declare their candidacy by filing a written notice to that effect with the Secretary, with a copy to the Speaker and the Staff Director. No prospective candidate may campaign for election before declaring their candidacy. The window for filing a declaration of candidacy will open at the fall of gavel at the Midyear Meeting on February 1, 2025 in Phoenix, AZ. Any candidacies must be declared by no later than 90 days after the Midyear 2025 meeting. The candidate slate for the elections is now closed.

    The applicable bylaws and guidelines relating to eligibility and nomination are available from the Secretary, or on the Division’s Elections website. For more information, please contact the 2024-2025 Secretary, Lauren Barnes Williams at [email protected]. 

    2025-2026 Officer and Representative Positions Available for Election

    • Secretary 
      • Candidate: Nancy A. Maurice
    • Clerk
      • Candidate: Brandi Pikes
    • YLD delegate to the ABA House of Delegates (2 positions available for election)
      • Candidate: Kye Handy
      • Candidate: Joshua A. Katz
      • Candidate: Jacob W. Petterchak
    • YLD Nominee to the ABA Board of Governors
      • Candidate: Cali Franks-Field
      • Candidate: Kuhu Parasrampuria

    Elections-Related Resources

    For more information, please contact:

    Elections Committee Interpretations

    Under the Elections Guidelines, the Division's Elections Committee interprets the guidelines and shall, in response to any candidate’s or officer’s written question regarding the interpretation, issue a written opinion answering the question asked. The Committee shall report its opinion to the Council and publish it on the appropriate page of the Division’s website.

    YLD Election Guidelines Interpretations

    Running for Office

    Am I eligible? No person is eligible for candidacy unless they (1) have been a Member of the ABA Young Lawyers Division since the preceding annual meeting; (2) registered for and attended the preceding annual or midyear meeting or the preceding Division national conference since the preceding annual meeting; and (3) attend the election, unless excused pursuant to a rule, policy, or procedure.

    These requirements are in place to ensure that any Division Officer has been engaged enough in the YLD to be able to understand the needs of the Division and represent the interests of our members.

    Additional eligibility requirements

    • Officers: A person must continue as a Division Member in good standing throughout their term (including, in the case of the Chair-Elect, the ensuing term as Chair).
    • Constitutional Representatives: a person must be a Division Member and young lawyer when their term begins, and otherwise satisfy the ABA Constitution and Bylaws qualifications.
    • YLD Nominee to the ABA Board of Governors: Under Section 7.3 of the ABA Constitution and Bylaws, a person must be admitted to practice in their first bar within the past ten years or be 36 years old or less at the beginning of the term. The term does not begin until the annual meeting after the Division “elects” its nominee, and the nominee is elected by the House of Delegates.

    Am I a Member of the Division? Division Membership is open to “young lawyers” within the American Bar Association. A “young lawyer” is a lawyer who has been admitted to practice in their first bar within the past ten years, or is less than thirty-six years old. “Law student members” and young lawyer “Associate members” may not serve as officers of the Division.

    What experience do I need? Election candidates have typically held one or more nationally elected positions or several senior appointments at the national level, before seeking election. However, these customs are merely customs, not rules, and any eligible person can run for any available position.

    Who do I contact with questions? Contact Elections Committee Chair/Assembly Speaker Patrick H. Morris.  

    Past Candidates Forums: 2021 Annual Elections