TYLA PRESIDENT’S PAGE SEPTEMBER 2022
‘These Are Spirit Fingers’
In Bring It On, Torrance Shipman convinces “new girl” Missy
Pantone to join the Rancho Carne Toros cheerleading squad. In her
impassioned speech, Torrance tells Missy, “We have fun. We work hard.
And we win national championships.” Having served as TYLA’s
president-elect, and now as TYLA president, I have sometimes felt like
Torrance Shipman.
I recently took the “captain” position of a national-award-winning
team. Last month, TYLA received numerous awards from the American Bar
Association’s Young Lawyer Division at its Annual Meeting in Chicago.
For the 2021-2022 bar year, under the leadership of Immediate Past
President Jeanine Novosad Rispoli, TYLA received not only two
first-place awards for our Civility projects, but also first
place in the Comprehensive category for overall programming. I certainly
have big shoes to fill this year.
Being team captain often starts with team building, which sometimes
involves impassioned pleas for others’ involvement—so here’s mine.
TYLA’s public service work gives our board a unique opportunity to
connect and work with other leaders throughout Texas. Not only does TYLA
work hard and win national awards, but our board members also build and
develop foundations for amazing careers. Past board members have gone on
to serve as federal and state court judges, at both the trial and
appellate levels; as general or chief legal counsel of companies large
and small; and in other governmental leadership positions. Several past
board members have even gone into business with each other as law
partners and as in-house/outside counsel.
A key part of developing these relationships is helping each other
overcome the challenges of developing innovative public service
programming and striving to be the best we can be. At times, it can feel
as though someone has dropped the spirit stick. So far, that’s been me
realizing that some of what I thought were original project ideas have
already been completed by someone else. Other times, board members have
to temporarily “tap out” for work or a significant life event. But it is
in our team-oriented approach that we support each other, have the
flexibility to pivot ideas to maintain innovation and gain inspiration
in approaching public service, and overcome the challenges we face year
after year.
Although our board completes most of our public service projects, we
value the contributions made by committee volunteers, interns, and other
partners, as well as feedback from our members. With more involvement,
TYLA can better maintain its connections with you and our respective
communities and better see when our spirit fingers could use a little
more spirit.
If you’re interested in joining the TYLA board, or volunteering, please
reach out and let me know. I’ll do my best to find you a place on our
cheer pyramid. We are incredibly proud of all our public service
projects and the impact our projects have in helping others. That’s what
makes all we do worthwhile, even if we come in second place at
nationals.
Michael J. Ritter
2022-2023 President, Texas Young Lawyers Association
For more information on TYLA, contact them at tyla@texasbar.com or go to tyla.org.
