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.”
The Houston Bar Foundation (HBF) awarded $10,000 scholarship grants to each of Houston’s three law schools, South Texas College of Law Houston, Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and University of Houston Law Center, to support law students who demonstrate financial need and a commitment to public interest law, public service, and pro bono work. The scholarship funding will be distributed during the 2026-2027 academic year and may be awarded to one or more students selected by the law school, according to a press release. “The Houston Bar Foundation is proud to invest in the next generation of lawyers who are committed to expanding access to justice,” HBF Chair Benny Agosto Jr. said in a press release. “These scholarships help support students whose dedication to serving others reflects the foundation’s mission and values.” Scholarship recipients will be selected by their respective law schools based on financial need and demonstrated interest in public interest law through academic achievement, volunteer activities, clinical programs, internships, or career goals. The grants are part of the HBF’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the legal profession and promote service to the community through charitable giving and educational support. For more information about the HBF, go to hba.org.
The Texas Access to Justice Commission honored four Texas local bar associations July 24 for their commitment to access-to-justice issues. Senior Justice Debra Lehrmann of the Supreme Court of Texas presented the Deborah G. Hankinson Awards on behalf of the commission during the State Bar of Texas’ Local Bar Leaders Conference in Houston.
The Hankinson Awards honor local bar associations and young lawyer affiliate associations that demonstrate a commitment to access to justice by creating initiatives that increase access to civil legal services, increase awareness of access to justice issues, or raise funds for legal aid providers on a local and statewide basis.
For details on the awards and winners, see the press release.