Texas Bar Journal • April 2025

The Issues: Texas Young Lawyers Association Election 2025

The Texas Bar Journal asked 2025-2026 Texas Young Lawyers Association president-elect candidates Ashton Barrineau Butcher and Armin Salek to share their perspectives on issues facing young lawyers in the state. For biographical information on the candidates, go to texasbar.com/elections or see p. 210 of the March issue. Vote online from April 1 to April 30, 2025. The deadline to cast ballots is 5 p.m. CDT April 30, 2025.

WHY DO YOU WANT TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF THE TEXAS YOUNG LAWYERS ASSOCIATION?
BARRINEAU BUTCHER: I want to serve as president of the Texas Young Lawyers Association because I believe the bar is for everyone, and I want to lead TYLA in continuing its mission of supporting and empowering all attorneys in the early stages of their careers. TYLA membership is automatically granted to all Texas lawyers licensed 12 years or less, with over 40,000 members spanning across the state and across countless practice areas. Though our members come from varied backgrounds and face unique challenges, we are united by the shared experience of being young lawyers.

As a first-generation college graduate, the first attorney in my family, a mom, and a transactional attorney specializing in mergers and acquisitions, I’ve spent much of my career seeking mentorship and resources to guide me through the complexities of the legal profession. Having faced these challenges myself, I understand the importance of fostering an environment where young lawyers can thrive. TYLA and our local affiliates provide the community, resources, and support necessary to help our practitioners at every stage of their journey. I am eager to contribute to this legacy and work to expand our impact in helping young lawyers succeed.

SALEK: I want to bring a sense of urgency to addressing the justice gap. Today, an individual in Texas would need to make less than $19,562.50 to qualify for legal aid. Even if they qualified, they would only have a one in five chance of receiving the legal support they needed. I see this when I refer my students’ families to legal aid and they come right back because public interest organizations are understaffed and overwhelmed. And how many Texans earning $20,000 or $30,000 or $50,000 can afford to hire private counsel? Based on my success rate in referring community members to my attorney peers, the answer is next to none. And when I share self-help materials, many of the pamphlets require a graduate degree to comprehend and refer litigants to the same attorneys they cannot afford. We choose not to hear these stories and confront these realities. That disconnect between the beauty of the legal profession from the lens of a lawyer and the frustrations of dead ends from the perspective of low- and middle-income Texans is why we are not putting in the work to correct our justice gap. It is time for some honest conversations and urgency.

WHAT ARE THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES FACING YOUNG LAWYERS IN TEXAS AND WHAT ROLE SHOULD TYLA PLAY IN ADDRESSING THEM?
BARRINEAU BUTCHER: Lack of community. Many young lawyers struggle to find a supportive professional community, often leading to isolation and burnout. By increasing engagement with law students, first- and second-year lawyers, and Texas transplants, TYLA and our local affiliates can foster strong professional connections, helping young lawyers build a supportive community early in their careers.

The ever-changing role of attorneys. As client demands and legal technology evolve, the realities of legal practice continue to change. TYLA’s partnership with local affiliates to support mentorship programs and provide training on emerging trends will help ensure our members stay competitive and prepared for the challenges of a rapidly evolving profession.

Attorney wellness. With long hours and high stress affecting both mental and physical health, attorney wellness continues to present a meaningful challenge for young lawyers. TYLA should continue to build on our wellness resources, ensuring young lawyers are supported in maintaining their well-being.

SALEK: Young lawyers want fulfillment and financial stability, without sacrificing their well-being. As a candidate for president-elect of the public service arm of the State Bar of Texas, I will focus on fulfillment. Most lawyers, young and seasoned, have a great desire to do good in the world and break down barriers to justice. For many of us, that is why we pursued this career. TYLA needs to be at the forefront of not only providing all lawyers with opportunities to support low- and middle-income Texans, but also to think of innovative solutions for the justice gap. We cannot have an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality about a legal system that is leaving so many behind. And at the end of the day, we need to remind our profession that this is so much more than a career. We are caretakers of the justice system.

YOU HAVE SERVED THE PROFESSION IN A NUMBER OF CAPACITIES AT A NUMBER OF LEVELS. WHICH OF THESE EXPERIENCES HAS BEST PREPARED YOU TO LEAD TYLA?
BARRINEAU BUTCHER: My 10 years at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld have been my most valuable training ground for leading TYLA. Akin was my first legal community after graduating from law school. I started as a first-year associate and have spent my entire career there, including two years as a partner. The rigor and high expectations at Akin have deepened my appreciation for hard work, investing in people, and adaptability—skills crucial for leading TYLA.

Firm citizenship has always been central to my joy in my career. Beyond billable hours, I’ve dedicated thousands of non-billable hours serving on committees, training and mentoring associates, serving through pro bono, and contributing to the firm in every way I can. The focus of firm citizenship—identifying what an institution and its people need to be their best and making it happen—is the same focus I will bring to the role of TYLA president.

SALEK: My role as the founder and executive director of a nonprofit working at the intersection of law and education best prepared me for this role. On a daily basis, I am balancing legal work with grant writing, financial planning, fundraising, event organizing, legal advocacy training, classroom instruction, and more. I am pulled in different directions to cities across Texas and in collaboration with law firms, bar associations, law schools, and legal aid. The added beauty of my role with the Youth Justice Alliance is that it aligns so perfectly with bar leadership. As I traveled to work with TYLA, the American Bar Association, and local bar associations, I have connected with aspiring lawyers from across Texas who will serve as bar leaders someday. I simultaneously work with the present and future of our profession and that is why I know that we can address barriers to legal support.

IF A COLLEGE STUDENT SOUGHT YOUR ADVICE ON WHETHER TO PURSUE A LEGAL CAREER, HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?
BARRINEAU BUTCHER: Over the years, I’ve met with many students to discuss law school and legal careers. I always emphasize that a legal career requires purpose and dedication. It demands time, energy, and resilience, but if it’s the right fit, it can bring immense satisfaction.

I guide students through “why” and “what” questions to help them reflect: Why do you want to be an attorney? What traits and skills of yours will help you succeed? What activities excite you most? What does success look like to you?

I also share my personal experience—going beyond the typical “day in the life” and discussing both my successes and challenges and how this career has impacted me. Connecting on a real level is key to helping students understand the realities and rewards of a legal career.

SALEK: As a non-traditional lawyer, I could not recommend law school more. This degree allowed me to serve my family, my nonprofit, the schools I support, and the broader community through my pro bono work. This degree changed immigration outcomes for my family, helped me advocate for my passions at the local and national levels, and there is not a day where this degree has not helped me represent myself or stand up for others. Even as a new lawyer, when I was told that I did not qualify to teach law at a high school because I was only recently licensed, I used my legal knowledge to dissect statutes and prove that a misinterpretation of the law would not stand between me and my dream career. And that terrifying bar exam? I loved it! I did not know the amount of information my mind could process until the bar.

HOW IMPORTANT ARE YOUR COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES IN SHAPING YOUR LIFE AS A LAWYER? WHICH HAS AFFECTED YOU THE MOST?
BARRINEAU BUTCHER: After many years believing the bar wasn’t “for me” as a transactional attorney, my life as a young lawyer changed significantly when I finally got involved in the local bar community. I was struck by how welcoming and supportive the legal community can be—connecting with experienced attorneys and fellow young lawyers has deepened my sense of belonging in the profession and broadened my perspective beyond my practice and my firm.

Being actively involved in the bar has also reinforced the idea that being a lawyer is not just about individual success. It’s about contributing to and strengthening the legal community as a whole. This sense of shared purpose has not only enriched my career but has also shaped the way I view my role as an attorney. The support, mentorship, and opportunities to give back to the profession have been invaluable to my growth both professionally and personally.

SALEK: What I love most about my work is that I am constantly out in the community across Texas, in classrooms, supporting trial advocacy programs, and hosting events to spread legal knowledge. One of my favorite programs is the Youth Justice Alliance Law Day program that we have hosted for high school students in Austin, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, the Rio Grande Valley, and Abilene. These programs combine law school classes from expert practitioners with informal networking across generations of both aspiring and licensed lawyers. We do not sit students down for panels of judges and lawyers talking at them, instead we uplift student voices while offering them practical legal training. A few of my favorite lessons from our Law Day events include our jury selection simulation, mock family law hearings, and mock bond reduction hearings. Imagine having a taste of that knowledge before law school!

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