By Jenifer Tomchak and Nick Stiles
*Excerpt from the Nov/Dec issue of the Utah Bar Journal

The Utah State Bar Leadership Academy is a prestigious program aimed at nurturing the next generation of legal leaders within Utah. Long before COVID, the Utah State Bar Commission recognized that fewer young attorneys were applying for and participating in its committees, sections, divisions, and on the commission itself. As a result, those positions were largely filled by attorneys in the later stages of their careers, mostly located in Salt Lake County. The commission was concerned that there would be a lack of leadership as those individuals aged and retired, and that the committees and various legal groups were missing important perspectives of lawyers from different backgrounds and parts of the state.

To address this concern, and at the request of then-Bar President, Angelina Tsu, the Bar Commission established the Utah State Bar Leadership Academy. This program, now in its eighth year, aims to teach leadership skills to attorneys from all over the state in exchange for their promise to serve on a Bar Committee for one year after graduating the program.

Each year, up to 12 participants are selected from a competitive nomination process to participate in the program. The Leadership Academy Board strives to select nominees from every judicial district and with varying backgrounds and practice areas. A preference is given to nominees who have been practicing for less than 10 years.

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If you are interested in applying for the 2025 Leadership Academy, click here or the button below. The time commitment to participate in the Leadership Academy is one 1.5-day retreat, and one meeting a month for the year. If you have questions about the Academy, you’re welcome to contact any member of the Board. The deadline to apply is December 20, 2025.