I credit the MBA's Young Lawyers Division with giving me some of my most important and meaningful professional relationships. And for that reason, it was a particular honor to serve as the YLD's chair this past year. We had an unprecedented year in many ways, due to the devotion and energy of our incredible board members.
First and foremost, we expanded our already robust calendar of joint events. We rolled out programs on professional civility at all of the Massachusetts law schools and helped with the inaugural year of the law student section. We also held educational and social events with MATA, MDLA and the Dispute Resolution Section. Through the ABA, the YLD was also the recipient of an "Embracing Diversity" grant. We were so proud to support MBA President Jeff Catalano, and the whole of the MBA leadership, in voting in favor of the groundbreaking Immigration Resolution.
It was also a great honor and pleasure to be one of the sponsors of the equally groundbreaking three-part series on implicit bias. This topic is ever more visible and ever more important, and the YLD is proud to have been a part of this effort, and will continue to be a part of this effort in the future.
The YLD has also built upon our outreach efforts, putting on programming for all of the incoming law students, successfully making connections at each of the Massachusetts law schools and welcoming our newest lawyers to the MBA. For the second year in a row, we held a mixer with the Worcester County Bar Association, which saw excellent turnout from attorneys, and also from the Worcester community judiciary.
All of this on top of our standing slate of community service and networking activities, including the Lawyers Have Heart 5K, the Boston Celtics game, the Cradles to Crayons drive and volunteering at the Special Olympics, just to name a few.
Serving our YLD community for the last five years, and finally as chair of the division, has given me a clear view into the bright future of the Massachusetts legal profession. The MBA enjoys a large network of dedicated, intelligent and enthusiastic young lawyers and I look forward to watching them all become leaders in their respective fields. The YLD is so special due to the commitment of our board members, and I'd like to especially thank the executive board of Sam Segal, Mike Molloy and Meghan Slack, all of whom have worked so hard to make this year a success. I wish Sam, next year's executive board and the entire YLD, the best of luck for an even better year in 2017-2018!
My involvement in the YLD over the last five years was supported from day one by my incredible law firm, Meehan, Boyle, Black & Bogdanow, P.C., and I would like to thank them for their constant support and encouragement. The YLD and its myriad opportunities have given me the warmest introduction to the incredible and admirable members of the MBA, whom I am so lucky to share the practice of law with. I will miss being your YLD chair very much, but am so excited for next year's YLD vision and leadership under Sam Segal.
Santoro is the 2016-17 chair of the Young Lawyers Division