First-ever YLD Job & Resource Fair scheduled for March 6 in Ft. Lauderdale
Members of the Bar’s new Corporate Counsel Committee will be among the firms looking for new talent — registration will open soon
Arti Hirani emphasized that the job fair is not just about finding a position — it’s also designed to show young lawyers how to build long-term careers and advance within an organization once they’re hired.
The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division will host its first-ever Job & Resource Fair on Friday, March 6, 2026, at the Broward County Convention Center in Ft. Lauderdale, giving new attorneys the chance to meet top employers, network with colleagues, and gain career-building insights.
The event is scheduled for Friday, March 6, 2026, at the Broward County Convention Center in Ft. Lauderdale. Lodging will be available nearby at the Omni Ft. Lauderdale Hotel.
The YLD’s first-ever Job & Resource Fair is a collaborative effort of the YLD and the Bar’s Board of Governors.
“First and foremost, this is their initiative,” says Florida Bar President Rosalyn Sia Baker-Barnes, referring to the YLD. “This is their job fair and their program, [and] the Board of Governors is proud to assist with it.”
The Job & Resource Fair is the culmination of a concept more than a year in the making. Baker-Barnes and YLD President Arti Hirani had discussions during their president-elect year to find ways to collaborate and this event fulfills a joint leadership objective to connect new lawyers with meaningful job opportunities, says Baker-Barnes.
Hirani emphasized that the job fair is not just about finding a position — it’s also designed to show young lawyers how to build long-term careers and advance within an organization once they’re hired. In addition to meeting and interviewing with dozens of top employers, attendees will have the chance to connect with judges and elected officials. The event will also feature CLE sessions on topics such as becoming a better partner and attracting higher-quality clients, Hirani said.
Rosalyn Sia Baker-Barnes: ‘We are incredibly proud of President Hirani for having the vision, not only to educate the young lawyers on what it takes to have a meaningful and successful career, but to actually give them an opportunity to go out and get a job — or perhaps transition into a different role.’
“We are incredibly proud of President Hirani for having the vision, not only to educate the young lawyers on what it takes to have a meaningful and successful career, but to actually give them an opportunity to go out and get a job — or perhaps transition into a different role,” she says.
More than 20 companies have already registered as exhibitors for the fair, Hirani said. “I’m hoping to double this in the next two weeks,” she says.
Members of the Bar’s new Corporate Counsel Committee will be among the firms looking for new talent. Baker-Barnes says several board members have signed on for their law firms to be at the fair.
“One of the big things that we’ve been trying to do with the committee is provide exposure to the opportunities that exist in Florida for in-house corporate counsel and general counsels — the companies that are hiring lawyers in Florida to handle their legal work,” says Baker-Barnes. “These are multimillion, multibillion dollar corporations.”
Among the Corporate Counsel Committee members are the in-house counsel for American Express, Brightline, Coca-Cola, Citibank, and JetBlue, to name a few, says Baker-Barnes. Committee members’ participation in the job fair is important to highlight the opportunities within that area of practice to young lawyers, and to help them become familiar with what it takes to become a corporate counsel, she says.
“We have that background and experience that, I think, lends itself to this type of joint program,” Baker-Barnes said. “Because we can talk to young lawyers about what we’re looking for when it comes to hiring — the qualities we want to see in our associates.”
Registration will open soon.