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Supreme Court of Texas Director of Public Affairs Amy Starnes receives Anne Charles Excellence Award at 2023 NABE COMM Conference

Amy Starnes, director of public affairs for the Supreme Court of Texas, received the Anne Charles Excellence Award during the 2023 National Association of Bar Professionals, or NABE, Communication Workshop held October 3-6 in Park City, Utah. The award, one of the highest honors of the NABE Communications Section, is presented to a member of … Continue Reading

Professional Ethics Committee seeks public comments on proposed ethics opinion

The Professional Ethics Committee for the State Bar of Texas is accepting public comments on the following proposed ethics opinion: Proposed Opinion 2023-4 (comment deadline 12/18/2023): Do the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct permit a lawyer to offer legal services under a subscription service fee model in which the client pays a monthly fee … Continue Reading

Texas Access to Justice Commission names April Faith-Slaker as new executive director

The Texas Access to Justice Commission, or TAJC, announced April Faith-Slaker as its new executive director and director of the Legal Access Department of the State Bar of Texas. She will take office in late October 2023. “The Commission is pleased to report that the selection of Ms. Faith-Slaker resulted from an extensive, nationwide search … Continue Reading

Dallas Bar Association celebrates 150th anniversary

The Dallas Bar Association, or DBA, is celebrating its 150th anniversary, marking a century and a half of dedication to the legal profession, justice, and the Dallas community. Established in 1873, the DBA has been a cornerstone of legal excellence, promoting the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and legal expertise. Since its formation, it has … Continue Reading

Dallas Volunteer Lawyers host legal e-clinic each Wednesday in October

Volunteer attorneys will answer legal questions for free during the Dallas Bar Association’s LegalLine E-Clinic throughout October every Wednesday. Clinics run online from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Volunteer attorneys will call participants to provide up to 15 minutes of free legal advice. Lawyers will remain anonymous. They may also provide referrals to local, legal, … Continue Reading

Texas Latinx Judges swears in Maria Salas-Mendoza as president

El Paso Judge Maria Salas-Mendoza has been sworn in as president and chair of the board of directors of Texas Latinx Judges, or TLJ, the organization announced in a press release. The nonpartisan, nonprofit professional association focuses on “the advancement of current and future Latinx judges” through networking opportunities, recognition of contributions to the judiciary, … Continue Reading

Suellen Perry named Law-Related Education Teacher of the Year

Suellen Perry, a legal studies career and technical education instructor at Henderson High School in Henderson, Texas, has been named a Law-Related Education Teacher of the Year by the American Lawyers Alliance, a nonprofit whose mission is to promote understanding and appreciation of the law and the American legal system. Perry, a graduate of UC … Continue Reading

State Bar of Texas President Cindy Tisdale receives 2023 Dan Price Award for outstanding contributions to Texas family law

State Bar of Texas President Cindy Tisdale was honored with the 2023 Dan Price Award by the State Bar of Texas Family Law Section. This award highlights her accomplishments within the realm of Texas family law as well as her impact on the Family Law Section over the past year, according to a press release. … Continue Reading

Dallas Bar Association names Charla Aldous a Living Legend

The Dallas Bar Association, or DBA, has named trial lawyer Charla Aldous among its Living Legends, highlighting her major courtroom wins, career successes, and legal strategy. The DBA’s Living Legends series honors Dallas lawyers who have vaulted to the forefront of the profession through dedication and courtroom success. Other DBA Living Legends include former Supreme … Continue Reading

Local Bar Leaders speaker series emphasizes second chances, recovery from burnout

The Local Bar Leaders Conference began with a theme of second chances. “The last time I saw Judge (Richard G. Kopf), my daughter was running off with the gavel he used to sentence me,” Shon Hopwood said during the opening luncheon. Hopwood’s first stint with the law began with a 10-year stint in federal prison … Continue Reading

Jerry Kolander receives Justice G. Denton Distinguished Lawyer Award

By Terry Greenberg When Jerry Kolander grew up in Amarillo, he had a friend named Tommy Denton. They played sports together through junior high and at Tascosa High School. Denton went to Baylor University on a football scholarship and Kolander went to Texas Tech University to play baseball. Denton became an opinion-page writer and opinion … Continue Reading

Local bar associations celebrated for improving legal assistance to low-income Texans

Bar associations from around the state were honored for their commitment to access to justice issues on July 22 during the State Bar of Texas 2023 Local Bar Leaders Conference in Houston. Terry O. Tottenham, a commissioner on the Texas Access to Justice Commission and past president of the State Bar of Texas, presented the … Continue Reading

Embracing a higher purpose: Tyler attorney Blake Bailey finds beauty in connecting with the world

Tyler attorney and mediator Blake Bailey is finishing his fifth decade as a lawyer, and during this time, he has grown a profound passion for assisting others in need. He does this routinely through his practice at home, but a February trip to Poland to aid fleeing Ukrainian refugees displaced by the Russia-Ukraine violence elevated … Continue Reading

Texas Access to Justice Commission renews statewide legal clinic initiative for Texas veterans

In cooperation with legal service providers and local bar associations, the Texas Access to Justice Commission, or TAJC, has renewed its statewide legal clinic initiative to provide civil legal assistance to veterans. Texas veterans can visit free, in-person legal clinics during June in several locations throughout the state. Volunteer attorneys will offer one-on-one advice and … Continue Reading

Pilot program to offer attorney parking cards for Travis County Civil and Family Courts Facility

Starting on June 5, Austin attorneys will be able to receive attorney parking cards for the Travis County Civil and Family Courts Facility, the Austin Bar Association announced Wednesday. “We have been studying the parking situation for the past several months and believe we have the space to allow for attorney parking,” District Judge Amy … Continue Reading

St. Mary’s Law receives Texas Bar Foundation grant for public service fellowships

St. Mary’s University School of Law’s pro bono efforts were bolstered by aid from the Texas Bar Foundation. A $15,000 grant will support six law students who work in unpaid positions with legal service providers for low-income clients and government agencies. “Without the fellowship, I would not have been able to complete my summer placement,” … Continue Reading

Dallas Bar Association hosts e-clinics in June

Volunteer attorneys will be available to answer legal questions on Wednesdays in June through the Dallas Bar Association’s LegalLine E-Clinic. The clinics, which run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., are free of cost. A volunteer attorney will call a participant for up to 15 minutes of legal advice. No attorney-client relationship will be established. … Continue Reading
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