New Lawyers

About the HCBA New Lawyers Section

Want to grow your network? Build your reputation? Demonstrate your leadership skills? Make a difference in the local community? You can make it all happen through the HCBA.

No matter where you fit within our definition of a "new lawyer" the HCBA offers opportunities to learn, to lead, and to connect that sync well with your needs and interests.

 

The New Lawyers Section is comprised of:

  (a) a lawyer admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Minnesota who:
         1) has been so admitted within the past six years; OR
         2) is thirty-six years of age or younger; OR
         3) is eligible for membership in (whether or not he or she joins) either:
              i. the Minnesota State Bar Association New Lawyers Section; or
              ii. the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division.
  (b) a law student admitted to an accredited Minnesota law school.

 As a new lawyer, your experience, your insights, and your engagement are deeply valued at the HCBA. We encourage you to tailor your involvement to what makes sense for you today, expecting that this will change over time as you move up in your career and you move through different life stages. Throughout your time in the Hennepin County region, we are here to be YOUR bar association.

Want to get to know other new lawyers and quickly gain leadership opportunities?

Get active in the New Lawyers Section. This Section focuses on the unique professional development needs of new lawyers, creates opportunities for social connection, and partners with local nonprofits to be of service to the community. The monthly meeting is a great place to start. Join us for the monthly meeting, held the third Tuesday of the month at 11:30 am via Zoom. Email Sarah Grundhoefer (sgrundhoefer@mnbars.org) for more details.

Have a particular area of interest?

Sign up for sections and committees.  You can get involved at any time of the year, and there's always the need for volunteers who will step forward and step up to make member programming and community service efforts happen.

Recommended ways for new lawyers to get involved in the HCBA:

• HCBA's substantive law sections provide the professional connections that you are looking for as a new lawyer. Meet and network with attorneys in the areas of law that you are interested in. Stay current on the latest legal issues and real-world challenges facing today’s attorneys, while making connections that will be beneficial throughout your career.
• Attend HCBA CLE programs during the year at the HCBA office or via Zoom, including many seminars designed just for newer lawyers. Check out the CLE and Events Calendar for upcoming programs.
• HCBA social events and happy hours let you connect with judges, new lawyers, and attorneys from specific areas of practice. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter and check out the HCBA events calendar to make sure you don’t miss any of these fun events.
• Gain real leadership experience through committee work and participation in HCBA projects. These include diversity initiatives, programs that support professionalism for the bar, and that improve access to justice in the community. View the full listing of HCBA committees.
• There are many opportunities to give back to the community through New Lawyers Section outreach programs, as well as through the Hennepin County Bar Foundation, and the Volunteer Lawyers Network—the pro bono arm of the HCBA.

Additional resources for new lawyers are available from Minnesota CLE's website: The Minnesota New Lawyer.

Questions about membership and involvement opportunities for new lawyers?

Contact Sarah Grundhoefer at sgrundhoefer@mnbars.org.