Breaking Barriers: Building Belonging, Leadership, and Service Across North Carolina’s Legal Community
“Breaking Barriers” isn’t just a theme; it’s a call to action. In the legal profession, barriers can take many forms: the gap between seasoned attorneys and new lawyers finding their footing; the divide between those in private practice and public service; or the walls that separate us by geography, background, or access.
At its core, breaking barriers means creating space for conversation, mentorship, and shared purpose. It means ensuring that every young lawyer and law student, no matter where they are in their journey, feels seen, supported, and connected to the larger mission of justice and service that defines our profession.
This year, the North Carolina Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division (YLD) is embracing that mission through new programs and events designed to bring our members together across experience levels, communities, and causes.
Coffee with the Chair: Conversations that Connect
One of the most powerful ways to break barriers is through conversation. That’s the inspiration behind our new Coffee and Conversations with the YLD Chair event. This series is an informal, statewide tour where young lawyers and law students can meet directly with YLD leadership to share ideas, feedback, and inspiration over a cup of coffee.
In a profession that can sometimes feel formal or hierarchical, Coffee with the YLD Chair aims to dissolve those boundaries. Over a cup of coffee, titles fade and voices rise. It’s an opportunity to connect as colleagues, share challenges and successes, and imagine together what the future of our profession could look like.
As YLD Chair, I believe breaking barriers starts with listening to one another. Every conversation helps shape a stronger, more inclusive division where ideas flow freely, and every member knows they belong.
If you missed the Durham and Raleigh sessions, please join us at one of our upcoming sessions in Greensboro or Charlotte. RSVP online!
From left, YLD members Kayla Jenkins (North Carolina Central University School of Law), Emma Schueren (Campbell Law School), Chair Spence and Roy Walker (Duke Law School). The Coffee with the Chair event took place at Triangle Coffee House in Durham in November.
Pro Bono Leadership Cohort: Leading Through Service
The Civic Engagement & Pro Bono Division is proud to introduce the inaugural YLD Pro Bono Leadership Cohort, a new statewide initiative inviting North Carolina law students and young lawyers to strengthen their leadership through service.
This Cohort is built around collaboration, mentorship, and impact. Participants will engage in meaningful pro bono work, connect with civic leaders and develop the tools to make a difference in their communities.
Key Commitments (Save the Dates!):
- Kickoff Meeting (Virtual): January 2026
- Civic Engagement Roundtable: February 28, 2026 | Bar Center, Cary
- NC Lawyers On Call Volunteer Day: March 6, 2026 | Statewide
- NC–GA Joint Pro Bono Project: April 25, 2026 | Asheville
- Virtual Pro Bono Opportunities: Participate in one or more projects — Entrepreneurs Assistance Program (EAP), NC Free Legal Answers, or Wills & Advance Directives.
This cohort represents the heart of what breaking barriers truly means, turning passion into purpose, and service into leadership. For more information, apply online!
Breaking Barriers, One Event at a Time: Honoring Cheslie Kryst’s Legacy
The YLD is hosting a full season of programs to bring our community together in service, wellness, and fellowship. Our Wellness Committee is hosting a book club and has selected “By the Time You Read This,” a deeply personal work by Cheslie Kryst, an accomplished NC attorney, advocate, and trailblazer who embodied what it means to break barriers.
Miss USA Cheslie Kryst, Miss America Nia Franklin, and Miss Teen USA Kaliegh Garris made history in 2019 as the first Black women to hold their respective titles. But beyond the headlines, Cheslie’s legacy is woven into North Carolina’s legal community. Cheslie joined Poyner Spruill law firm as a complex civil litigator. Her passion for justice shone through her pro bono work, where she advocated for inmates facing excessive sentences for low-level drug offenses — a mission inspired by Bryan Stevenson’s transformative book Just Mercy.
Her drive and leadership extended beyond the law, as she championed causes close to her heart, including Dress for Success, where she served as an Impact Ambassador, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, where she contributed as a board member. Her passion for community service further reflects her deep belief in lifting up other women and helping them break barriers of their own through confidence, mentorship, and opportunity.
Reading Cheslie’s story together as a community will give us a chance not only to reflect on her brilliance and advocacy, but also to recommit ourselves to her vision of a profession where every lawyer can show up fully, authentically, and boldly. Sign up for the book club.
Support the Cheslie C. Kryst Fund: On May 20, 2025, the Cheslie C. Kryst Justice Fund was dedicated in honor of Cheslie’s life and legacy. The YLD is proud to support this initiative and is committed to reaching our $50,000 fundraising goal. We need your help with the $10,000 left to reach our goal. Your gift allows her legacy to live on through the North Carolina Bar Foundation Open Door Fellowship, which creates pathways for diverse law students to gain access to mentorship and opportunity in the legal profession. To help us reach our goal, you can donate and learn more information about the initiative.
Looking Ahead
Breaking barriers isn’t something we do once; it’s a lifelong practice. Whether we’re sharing coffee and ideas, serving through pro bono work, or finding inspiration in stories like Cheslie’s, we’re reminded that our greatest strength lies in connection.
For more information about YLD programs, upcoming events, or ways to get involved, visit the NCBA YLD Events Calendar.
Together, we are building a legal community that listens more, leads with purpose, and uplifts others along the way.
Sheila Renee Spence is the 2025-26 chair of the North Carolina Bar Association Young Lawyers Division.