About the Queensland Young Lawyers Association Inc

Queensland Young Lawyers Inc (QYL) is an organisation dedicated to encouraging and supporting the personal and professional development of young lawyers. This is achieved through 3 key activities:

1. Legal and Professional Skills Development/PR and Marketing

There are countless CLEs on offer to all lawyers these days. We try to make ours different by focusing on practical information lawyers need: eg, "Never too Young to Build a Client Base" and "Time is Money - Time Management Skills". We hold these after work usually, to ensure our members have a chance to meet other young lawyers and compare notes.

We also offer seminars to assist young lawyers in achieving their goals. Last year one of our seminars was on "Swimming with Sharks" with various health specialists giving their tips for staying in charge of your career and your health.

We invite prominent legal practitioners and other professionals to share their invaluable experiences and insights both in and outside the law. We organise talks that in the past have included Justice Michael Kirby, Andrew Boe (criminal law specialist), Sir Gerard Brennan and so on.

We host information forums at each university campus so students are introduced to young lawyers from a range of working environments. We encourage students and articled clerks to join to help with the transition to private practice, the bar or practice in commercial or other endeavours.

2. Social and Networking Functions

There's no denying that life as a lawyer can have its dull moments. Young lawyers work long hours and we deserve to let our hair down once in a while. We organise social functions for our members to meet and keep in touch with each other regularly. We also organise functions with other young professional organisations to encourage networking and building of friendships outside of the law.

QYL is a member of the young professionals network: a collaborative network of young professional organisations including the Brisbane Junior Chamber of Commerce, young doctors, accountants, bankers and engineers. We join members of these other organisations for monthly kick-starts, a huge annual "Big DEAL" event ("Doctors, Engineers, Accountants and Lawyers"), end of financial year drinks and so on - all in the name of making professional contacts of course.

3. Community Participation

Through our functions, we have raised funds for charities such as the Leukemia Foundation and the Starlight Foundation. We encourage our members to take part in community legal activities and we will work harder to bring young lawyers out into the community through associations with other organisations such as the community legal centres association.

Membership of QYL can give you a valuable support network for when things get tough. We encourage you to make the most of it.

Our Supporters

Queensland Young Lawyers is a not-for-profit organisation. We are not formally associated with the Queensland Law Society or the Bar association but enjoy an excellent working relationships with both.

Many firms and organisations provide support for QYL by encouraging employees to take out membership, attend our functions or join our executive.

Membership costs just $50 ($25 for students) and is open to solicitors or barrister under 36 years of age or within 5 years of admission, articled clerks, law graduates or students. Please contact us if you want to discuss membership or joining our executive. We welcome your call or email us.