Editor’s Note: In this blog series, we are getting to know the members of the Texas Young Lawyers Association Board of Directors. TYLA, commonly called the “public service arm” of the State Bar of Texas, works to facilitate the administration of justice, foster respect for the law, and advance the role of the legal profession in serving the public. All TYLA programs are accomplished through the volunteer efforts of its board and committee members, with the cooperation of local affiliate young lawyers associations. Learn more at tyla.org.
Name: Ashley Hymel
Firm: Hymel Law LLC
Area of Law You Practice: Small Business Corporate Law
Position Held in TYLA: District 6, Place 4 Director, Co-Chair National Trial Competition Committee
How did you get involved in bar service? I was “voluntold” to help with an NTC tournament by my boss my first year of practice, and I kept volunteering every year after that until eventually I made my way on to the TYLA board.
What is your favorite TYLA project and why? NTC will always have my heart, but I’m also excited to release a project we’ve been working on this year: Musician’s Guide to Knowing Your Rights. I’m also a musician and have many friends who have no clue how to protect their rights to their music, so I’m excited to give them this resource.
What tips can you give to other attorneys to manage stress? I started in big law, but I’ve had my own practice for a few years now, so I’m not sure I’m qualified to give advice to attorneys in firms with multiple sources of responsibility and stress. I guess my main tips are: (1) If someone else can do it, let someone else do it—be selective about the things you decide to stress over, and (2) Once it’s done, let it go—it’s out of your hands and there will be a whole new project to stress over tomorrow, so don’t let the old one pile on to your stress quota.
What do you do in your spare time? Listen to podcasts on mindset and productivity, watch movies, write, record, rock climbing, and perform music.
What is one thing most people don’t know about you? This is a tough one because I’m a pretty open book. Many people know this, but I think it’s a cool fact regardless: I lived in London once and still wish I could find a way to move there. It feels more like home than other any place ever has.
Anything else you wish to share? I typically hate naming favorites, so I’m gonna give myself an extra challenge here: favorite flower: calla lily; favorite color: purple; favorite movie: The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus; favorite song: give me a genre then ask me again; favorite TV show: Anne with an E; favorite food: Thai; favorite piece of clothing: jeans; favorite book: The Gifts of Imperfection. That’ll do.