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About Our Section

The Young Lawyers Section (YLS) has as its primary goals the promotion of justice, the encouragement of public service, and the promotion of diversity and education of young lawyers and newly admitted practitioners. These goals are achieved through the educational, public service, and community programs produced by the section’s twenty-plus statewide committees and the nine regional young lawyer organizations in the state. The section also serves a valuable social and networking role in introducing young lawyers to each other and assisting them in their transition into the Connecticut legal practice. The section includes all members of the CBA who are 37 years old or younger or who have been admitted to the Bar for less than six full bar years.

Section Executive Committee

Chair

Paige M. Vaillancourt

Rescia Vaillancourt PC
5104 A Bigelow Commons
Enfield, CT 06082
(860) 452-0052
paige@ctmalaw.com

Chair-elect

Sara Bonaiuto
Shipman & Goodwin LLP
265 Church St, Ste 1207
New Haven, CT 06510
(203) 836-2803
sbonaiuto@goodwin.com

Secretary

Olivia Benson
Saxe Doernberger & Vita PC
35 Nutmeg Drive, Ste 140
Trumbull, CT  06611
(475)302-5743
obenson@sdvlaw.com

Treasurer

Jermaine A. Brookshire Jr.
Herrick Feinstein LLP
2 Park Ave
New York, NY 10016
(212 ) 592-1597
jbrookshirejr@herrick.com

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The CBA wishes to further encourage and increase the active involvement of young lawyers, lawyers who no longer qualify for membership in the Young Lawyers Section, and diverse lawyers in the leadership and activities of CBA sections. The goal of the CBA Presidential Fellows Program is to provide such lawyers with an opportunity to become more involved in the substantive work of CBA sections, further develop their leadership abilities, and promote the section to other members of the YLS and the bar.

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Upcoming Events

EC Calendar

  • Feb 03
    Cultivate Resilience, Reduce Stress, and Bolster Wellbeing with Emrys Tetu (ELW260203)
    Zoom Meeting
    12:00 PM to 1:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time)

    Is stress affecting how you feel (physically, mentally, or emotionally) and your interactions (with clients, colleagues, or loved ones)? Improve your wellness, quality of life, and services to your clients with techniques you’ll learn and practice to reduce stress and skill-build for resilience, as well as a 20-minute meditation to support mental space, regulation, and equanimity. This will be a weekly series with different well-being tips and techniques presented at each session, including 1-3 minute exercises for quick resets.

  • Feb 03
    Uncommon Procedure: Bills of Discovery, Subpoenas, Offers of Compromise, and Prejudgment Remedies
    CBA Law Center and Virtual - CLE Pass Eligible
    538 Preston Ave., 3rd Fl.
    Meriden

    6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time)

    This CLE program explores procedural tools that are powerful yet often underutilized in everyday legal practice. Uncommon Procedures is designed to give attorneys a practical, working understanding of bills of discovery, subpoenas, pre-judgment remedies, and offers of compromise. Through clear explanations and real-world context, the seminar demystifies these procedures and highlights when and how they can be used strategically and ethically in your practice. Whether you encounter these tools infrequently or have avoided them due to uncertainty, this program provides a practical roadmap for confident use.

  • Feb 10
    Cultivate Resilience, Reduce Stress, and Bolster Wellbeing with Emrys Tetu (ELW260210)
    Zoom Meeting
    12:00 PM to 1:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time)

    Is stress affecting how you feel (physically, mentally, or emotionally) and your interactions (with clients, colleagues, or loved ones)? Improve your wellness, quality of life, and services to your clients with techniques you’ll learn and practice to reduce stress and skill-build for resilience, as well as a 20-minute meditation to support mental space, regulation, and equanimity. This will be a weekly series with different well-being tips and techniques presented at each session, including 1-3 minute exercises for quick resets.

  • Feb 10
    YLS Diversity Dinner (SYL260210)
    Pond House
    1555 Asylum Avenue
    West Hartford, Connecticut
    United States
    5:30 PM to 8:30 PM (Eastern Standard Time)
  • Feb 18
    Attorney Marketing Network: Getting Law Firms Found on AI Engines (EDU260218)
    Webinar- CLE Pass Eligible
    12:00 PM to 1:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time)

    Join us in a practical CLE seminar focused on how attorneys can remain visible and competitive as Google and AI-driven answer engines reshape online search. Dave Hendricks, Legal Internet Marketing Consultant and Owner of Attorney Marketing Network, will explain how SEO and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) now work together, and what law firms must do to ensure their websites, content, and online authority are recognized and recommended by platforms such as Google, ChatGPT, and Gemini. This seminar will leave attendees with clear, actionable strategies to improve rankings, authority, reviews, and off-page signals that drive modern client discovery.

Latest Related News

  • YLS Day of Giving Website Thumbnail CBA Young Lawyers Section and CTCPAs Host Holiday Season Day of Giving

    Monday, December 22, 2025

    On December 2, The Connecticut Bar Association’s (CBA) Young Lawyers Section (YLS) joined together with the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants (CTCPA) to host a new collaborative Day of Giving benefiting Connecticut Foodshare and the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.
  • 2025 Pro Bono Fair Website Thumbnail Young Lawyers Section Hosts 2025 Pro Bono Fair and Golf Event

    Tuesday, October 21, 2025

    On the evening of October 14, over 80 members of the Connecticut Bar Association Young Lawyers Section (YLS) gathered at the Hartford Golf Club for the section’s 2025 Pro Bono Fair and Golf Event.
  • 2025 YLS Retreat Website Thumbnail Young Lawyers Section Leaders Attend 2025 Annual Leadership Retreat and Receive Service Awards

    Tuesday, August 19, 2025

    The Connecticut Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section (YLS) hosted its annual leadership retreat on August 8-9 at Foxwoods Casino in Ledyard. The YLS Executive Committee holds this event each summer to familiarize new members of the committee with the duties of their leadership roles and to present awards to members of the committee for their service during the previous bar year.

Section Annual Reports