Posted inNews

Sharon Sandle receives 2025 Pat Nester Innovation in Professional Development Award

By Will Korn on

Sharon Sandle, director of the Law Practice Resources Division of the State Bar of Texas, is the recipient of the 2025 Pat Nester Innovation in Professional Development Award. This award was established by the State Bar of Texas CLE Committee in 2017 and recognizes an individual whose innovative contributions have substantially advanced continuing legal education in Texas.

Under Sandle’s direction, the State Bar’s Law Practice Resources Division comprises the Texas Bar Books legal publishing program, the Law Practice Management Program, and the Texas Opportunity & Justice Incubator program (TOJI). Under her guidance, the division has shifted from traditional publishing to a digital-first approach, including the launch of TexasBarPractice.com, a hub for the Texas Bar Books legal publishing program and practice management resources. Sandle was also instrumental in the early development of TOJI and its transition to a virtual program with a statewide reach.

A graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, Sandle serves as the executive director of the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society and on the executive committee of the Association for Continuing Legal Education (ACLEA).

Posted inNewsState Bar

State Bar of Texas Executive Committee to meet March 25

By Rebecca Johnson on

The State Bar of Texas Executive Committee will meet at 10 a.m. CDT on March 25 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. The meeting materials are available here.

Among other agenda items, the committee will hear updates on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 and on the upcoming elections for president-elect and district directors.

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 Monday, March 24. 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 Thursday, March 20, 2025, 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.

Posted inNews

Outstanding volunteers honored by TexasBarCLE

By Will Korn on

Six Texas attorneys have been selected as recipients of the “Standing Ovation Award” from TexasBarCLE. The lawyers were chosen based on their exceptional volunteer contributions to CLE programing in 2024.

“TexasBarCLE is grateful to all our volunteers for their dedication to the continuing education of their peers. But every year, a few go above and beyond,” Director of TexasBarCLE Hedy Bower said. “These are the folks who are consistently gracious, easy to work with, and willing to step up when it counts. The staff truly appreciates the chance to recognize those who made a real difference—sometimes in ways that saved the day.”

The following lawyers were recognized:

Cade W. Browning, Abilene

Elizabeth S. Cantu, Edinburg

Leigh de la Reza, Austin

Avery Duke, Boerne

Philip Mack Furlow, Lamesa

Marilyn C. Maloney, Houston

For more information about TexasBarCLE, go to texasbarcle.com.

Posted inNewsTexas Bar Foundation

Texas Bar Foundation announces 2025 award recipients

By Will Korn on

The Texas Bar Foundation (TBF) announced the recipients of its 2025 slate of awards. Each year, the foundation honors those who exemplify the highest standards of the legal profession and are nominated and selected based on their outstanding contributions to the legal field and dedication to justice.

This year’s recipients will be recognized at the 2025 Annual TBF Dinner on Friday, June 20, at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort, during the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting. The recipients are as follows:

Outstanding 50-Year Lawyer Award

Hon. Diane DeVasto, Tyler; Andrew L. Kerr, San Antonio; Barbara K. Runge, Houston; Hon. Ruby Kless Sondock, Houston; Luther H. ‘Luke’ Soules III, San Antonio

Dan Rugeley Price Memorial Award

Georganna L. Simpson, Dallas

Lola Wright Foundation Award

Andrew S. Murr, Junction

Outstanding Law Review Article Award

Gus G. Tamborello, Houston

Ronald D. Secrest Outstanding Trial Lawyer Award

William H. Ford, San Antonio

Samuel Pessarra Outstanding Jurist Award

Senior Justice Debra Lehrmann, Supreme Court of Texas, Austin

Gregory S. Coleman Outstanding Appellate Lawyer Award

Jeffrey S. Levinger, Dallas

Terry Lee Grantham Memorial Award

Amy M. Stewart, Dallas

 

For more information about the TBF, go to txbf.org.

Posted inSponsored Content

Sponsored Content: Secure Your Success: How LawPay Is Your Trusted Partner in Data Security

By Baillee Perkins, Content Writer for LawPay on

Your Security is Our Priority

As a lawyer, maintaining client and staff confidentiality is a top priority. At LawPay, we understand concerns about data security and are committed to protecting your information and answering any questions you may have.
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Posted inNews

Frisco Career and Technical Education Center wins 46th annual Texas High School Mock Trial Competition

By Will Korn on

The team from Frisco Career and Technical Education Center, in Frisco won first place at the 46th annual Texas High School Mock Trial Competition on March 8 at the George Allen Courthouse in Dallas, according to a press release.

This is the Frisco team’s first state championship after finishing runner-up the last three years. Frisco will represent the state of Texas at the 2025 National High School Mock Trial Competition May 7-10 in Phoenix, Arizona. Uplift North Hills Preparatory, in Irving, placed second, and Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet, in Dallas, finished third.

The competition included more than 20 high school teams from across Texas to argue a hypothetical criminal court case written by local attorneys with the Dallas Bar Association (DBA), according to a press release. Judges and attorneys served as “jurors” and selected the teams that were best prepared and demonstrated exceptional presentation skills. Students portrayed prosecution and defense attorneys, as well as “witnesses.”

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Posted inSponsored Content

Sponsored Content: Creative Lawyering Is Never the Answer

By Mark Bassingthwaighte, Esq., ALPS Risk Manager on

Sometimes lawyers will try to find a way to creatively lawyer their way around an issue that stands in the way of a decision they wish to make. For example, during a CLE event, two lawyers in attendance tried to convince me that my position on the resolution of conflicts of interest was wrong. They boldly declared there is no such thing as a nonconsentable conflict because, in their opinion, creative lawyering can solve any and all conflict problems. They’re wrong.
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Posted inSponsored Content

Why your legal arguments fail (and how to fix them) with Jefferson Fisher

By State Bar of Texas Staff on

State Bar of Texas PodcastIn this episode of the State Bar of Texas Podcast, host Rocky Dhir welcomes Texas trial lawyer and author Jefferson Fisher to discuss tips for becoming a more effective verbal communicator. We can probably all think of a moment (or many) when we struggled with natural, constructive communication with those around us. Jefferson shares advice for legal professionals to help them foster authentic relationships with both peers and clients. The two also discuss communication techniques for handling yourself well in the midst of arguments or other stressful situations.
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Posted inNews

Dallas Bar Association hosts e-clinics in March

By Eric Quitugua on

Volunteer attorneys will be available to answer legal questions on Wednesdays in March 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. Individuals may receive referrals to local, legal, or social service agencies.

Calls from the clinic will remain anonymous. Participants should expect a call from an unknown number labeled “No Caller ID” or something similar. To participate, an online form is available at https://tinyurl.com/DBALegalLine. Registration for e-clinics closes at noon on the Tuesday prior.

Clinics are scheduled for March 5, March 12, March 19, and March 26.

For more information, go to dallasbar.org/?pg=LawyerReferralService.

Posted inLaw Schools

Baylor University School of Law wins TEX-ABOTA’s 2024 Best in Texas Voir Dire Competition

By Les Hatch on

In September 2024, law students from all 10 Texas law schools came together for three days at the Harris County Civil Courthouse in Houston to crown one “Best in Texas.”

Conceived through a partnership between the advocacy directors of the state’s law schools and the Texas chapters of the American Board of Trial Advocates (TEX-ABOTA), the Best in Texas Voir Dire Competition is a one-of-a-kind mock trial tournament that focuses on the undertaught art of jury selection.
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