State Bar of Texas Blog : State Bar of Texas Blog : News & Features on Lawyers & Attorneys & Legal Professionals in Austin, Dallas, Houston & TX

The Texas Legal Protection Plan (TLPP) is celebrating its 40th anniversary at the Bob Bullock Museum in Austin on Friday, November 30th. Forty years ago, the State Bar created the Texas Legal Protection Plan in order to provide the citizens of Texas with access to affordable legal representation. For four decades, the organization has assisted thousands of Texans with their legal needs ranging from simple advice and document preparation to family law matters, estate planning, consumer protection matters, and more. 

The event will pay special tribute to a select group of individuals who have contributed to the success of TLPP as well as organizations that have faithfully served the legal community and beyond. Some of the honorees include the American Bar Association (ABA), the State Bar of Texas, Texas Young Lawyers Association, and the Texas Veterans Commission. Additionally, the event will recognize a few of our long standing provider attorneys from around the state who have worked tirelessly to ensure that Texans get their legal needs met. TLPP will also honor the Honorable Joel Bennett, who has committed his entire life to serving. Finally, the event will recognize the “Founding Father” of the Texas Legal Protection Plan, Franklin Jones, Jr.  

The event will feature remarks from the ABA President-elect, Mr. Jim Silkenat. For more information about this event, please visit http://www.tlpp.org/.

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The State Bar of Texas has learned that an apparent scam artist has assumed the identity of a Texas attorney who has not practiced in several years, and set up a fake law firm website using the attorney's maiden name, former office address, and portions of her professional biography.

The attorney was alerted to the scam after a legal finance firm contacted her at home with concerns about the  impersonator. Because the case is under investigation by the FBI and local law enforcement, we are withholding details on the matter. At this time we do not know how the scam artist is using or intends to use the fake website.

In recent years scams have targeted Texas attorneys with fraudulent checks and wire transfers in fake debt collection matters, and scammers have impersonated law firms and called members of the public attempting to collect debts.  This is the first time the State Bar of Texas has seen a fake website established in an attorney's name, and attorneys and the public should be vigilant about this new tactic.

If you have questions about the identity of a Texas lawyer, please search our official Find a Lawyer member directory or contact our Membership Department at (800)204-2222, Ext. 1383. If you are an attorney who believes your identity has been stolen, contact the nearest FBI office and local law enforcement.

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Frank E. Stevenson II, a partner in the Dallas office of Locke Lord, L.L.P., has been elected Chair of the Board of Directors of the State Bar of Texas. He will take office during the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting to be held June 14-15 in Houston and will serve as chair until June 2013.

Stevenson has practiced administrative, transportation, real estate, and finance law for more than 30 years. He has served on the board of directors of the State Bar of Texas since 2010 and on the board of the Dallas Bar Association since 1999, serving as president in 2008. He has served on the Dallas Bar Foundation’s board of directors since 2007, and was chair of the Dallas Bar/Legal Aid of Northwest Texas Equal Access to Justice Campaign in 2003.

Stevenson is an associate member of the Dallas Citizens Council and serves on the executive committee of the Sammons Center for the Arts. He has been on the board of the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce since 2007 and has served Amherst College in numerous capacities, including as a member and then chair of the executive committee of the Alumni Council. The college awarded Stevenson its Medal for Eminent Service in 2009.

He is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation, a sustaining life fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and the Dallas Bar Foundation, and a life fellow of the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers Foundation.

He graduated with a B.A. magna cum laude from Amherst College and earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.

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