You want to grow your firm, but you also want to grow it the right way. I want to be able to hire staff, but not spend every waking hour training them. I want to draft my motions and orders, but I don’t want to get bogged down in the minutiae of drafting (like having to do a Find & Replace for my client’s name). I want to be profitable, but I don’t have a system for properly tracking my revenue.
In this episode of the State Bar of Texas Podcast, host Rocky Dhir welcomes U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton to explore the often-overlooked role of state constitutions in American law. After passing the bar, attorneys take an oath to uphold not only the U.S. Constitution, but also their state constitution as well. But how well do lawyers understand the rights and protections found in their own state constitution, and how often do they put them to work in their legal practice. Sutton shares practical examples of how state constitutional provisions can shape legal arguments and outcomes and explains why attorneys should look beyond federal law when advocating for clients.
In this episode of the State Bar of Texas Podcast, host Rocky Dhir welcomes marketing professionals Amanda Sexton and Zack McKamie to discuss effective marketing strategies for law firms. They talk about SEO tactics and what lawyers need to know about developing an advertising approach that makes sense for their individual law firm. Later, they take a deep dive into the ethics of lawyer marketing, AI considerations, social media usages, and much more.
Marcy Hogan Greer is the 2026 recipient of the Chief Justice Jack Pope Professionalism Award.
The award is presented annually by the Texas Center for Legal Ethics to an appellate attorney or appellate judge who epitomizes the highest standards of professionalism and integrity. The Pope Award is named for former Supreme Court of Texas Chief Justice Jack Pope, one of the Texas Center for Legal Ethics’ founders and the first recipient of the award in 2009. Greer will receive her award during the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society John Hemphill Dinner on September 10 in Austin.
Greer, a partner in Alexander Dubose & Jefferson in Austin, is recognized for her work in federal and state trial and appellate courts throughout the country. Among other accolades, she received the 2021 Gregory S. Coleman Outstanding Appellate Lawyer Award from the Texas Bar Foundation, the 2022 Pro Bono/Community Service Award from the University of Houston Law Center Alumni Association, and the 2024 Distinguished Lawyer Award from the Austin Bar Foundation.
The State Bar of Texas Executive Committee will meet at 10 a.m. CDT on September 8 at the Texas Law Center in Austin. The meeting is open to the public and will be streamed live on the State Bar of Texas YouTube page.
The agenda can be viewed here. Among other agenda items, the committee will hear updates on the SBOT 2027-2028 proposed budget and the president-elect and district director elections.
Those who wish to address the Executive Committee in-person during this meeting should fill out a speaker card at the beginning of the meeting and submit it to a staff member onsite. To sign up to speak remotely during the meeting, please email boardofdirectors@texasbar.com or call 512-427-1400 or 800-204-2222 (toll free) before 5 p.m. CDT on Friday, September 4. Please provide the agenda item number you wish to speak on.
Written comments regarding agenda items must be received by 5 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, September 2, for timely distribution to the Executive Committee members before the meeting. Please submit written comments by email to boardofdirectors@texasbar.com and indicate the agenda item you are referring to.
Volunteer attorneys will be available to answer legal questions on Wednesdays in September through the Dallas Bar Association’s LegalLine E-Clinic. The clinics are free of cost to participants.
A volunteer attorney will call a participant for up to 15 minutes of legal advice. No attorney-client relationship will be established. Individuals may receive referrals to local, legal, or social service agencies.
The Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program, an initiative of the Dallas Bar Association, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, and local lawyers, is hosting free virtual and in-person legal clinics for eligible Dallas County residents throughout September.
All virtual clinics run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.:
Sylvia A. Cardona, a partner in Rosenthal Pauerstein Sandoloski Agather in San Antonio, has been elected 2026-2027 chair of the Texas Bar Foundation (TBF). Cardona took office June 12, according to a press release.
Cardona has a broad complex litigation practice representing companies and individuals in state court, federal court, and arbitration proceedings. In her practice, she handles disputes involving breach of contract, business torts, injunction litigation, real property rights, mineral rights, deceptive trade practice, negligence claims, personal injury, non-competes, theft of trade secrets, and professional liability issues.
Fluent in Spanish, Cardona also has experience in cross-border transactions and assisting non-U.S. persons and entities with their U.S.-based businesses. She handles all aspects of litigation and serves as lead counsel in high-stakes related disputes. In 2008, Cardona was elected as the first Latina president of the Texas Young Lawyers Association.
The Houston Bar Foundation (HBF), the charitable arm of the Houston Bar Association, is now accepting applications for the second year of its Community Grants Program.
This program aids projects that advance the HBF’s mission of supporting legal representation for those in need, promoting understanding of the legal system, and fostering the administration of justice throughout the greater Houston area.
“Based on the overwhelming number of submissions we received last year, it’s clear there’s a tremendous need for investment in programs that expand access to justice and strengthen our community,” said 2026 HBF Chair Benny Agosto Jr. in a press release. “Through the Community Grants Program, we are proud to support organizations and initiatives that make a meaningful difference in the lives of Houston-area residents.”