State Bar of Texas Board of Directors to meet January 27

By Amy Starnes on January 20, 2022

The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors will meet at 9 a.m. CST on January 27.

The presiding officer will be physically present at the Texas Law Center in Austin. Other directors will participate remotely according to the requirements of Texas Government Code Sec. 551.127. Attorneys and members of the public can attend the meeting in person or watch it live on the State Bar’s YouTube channel.

Public comment will be accepted in person or via Zoom or telephone. Those who wish to address the board in person should fill out a speaker card onsite and submit it to a staff member. To sign up to speak remotely, please email amy.starnes@texasbar.com or call (800) 204-2222, ext. 1706 (toll free) before 5 p.m. CST on January 26. Written comments regarding agenda items may be sent to boardofdirectors@texasbar.com and must be received before 5 p.m. CST on January 25 for timely distribution to the directors before the meeting.

Posted inNews People

State Bar of Texas past President Allan DuBois dies at 76

By Adam Faderewski on January 18, 2022

State Bar of Texas past President Allan DuBois, 76, died January 9, 2022, in San Antonio. He served as president of the State Bar of Texas from 2015 to 2016, focusing his efforts on raising awareness of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program and funding for the Sheeran-Crowley Memorial Trust, which provides financial help to Texas attorneys, judges, and law students who need treatment for substance use, depression, and other mental health issues.

DuBois’ candid disclosure of his previous alcohol dependency and decades-long sobriety instilled hope that recovery is possible, and his awareness efforts raised more than $500,000 for the Sheeran-Crowley Memorial Trust during his State Bar presidency.

Posted inAbout The Bar Appellate Government News State Bar U.S. Supreme Court

State Bar files conditional cross-petition for a writ of cert with US Supreme Court

By Amy Starnes on January 12, 2022

The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors filed a conditional cross-petition for a writ of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court in response to plaintiffs’ filing in the McDonald lawsuit challenging the mandatory bar.

Plaintiffs in the case filed a petition for writ of certiorari on November 24. The bar’s conditional cross-petition argues that the plaintiffs’ petition should be denied; however, if the petition is granted, the court should consider whether the State Bar of Texas is a government agency for purposes of the government speech doctrine and not subject to scrutiny under the First Amendment’s Free Speech Clause.

Go here to see all the filings in the case and find a summary of similar litigation against other mandatory bars.

Posted inSponsored Content

Genora K. Boykins becomes first woman, first African American to serve as South Texas College of Law Houston Board of Directors chair

By Adam Faderewski on December 30, 2021

Genora K. Boykins was elected chair of the South Texas College of Law Houston Board of Directors at a board meeting on December 8. She is the first woman and first African American to serve as board chair. Boykins succeeds J. Ken Johnson, who served as board chair from 2014 to 2021.

“I am excited to take on the leadership role as chair of the STCL Houston board as we continue to excel in providing an exceptional legal education to our diverse student body,” Boykins said in a press release. “I look forward to working with the board, Dean Michael Barry, faculty, staff, alumni, and students as we provide an innovative and transformative legal education. South Texas produces an inclusive community of future lawyers and leaders that values, celebrates, and supports the diversity of our global community.”

Posted inGuest Blog

Opinion: Adverse Childhood Experiences in the juvenile justice system

By Ashley Saenz on December 28, 2021

Adverse Childhood Experiences scores are typically very high for children who find themselves in the juvenile justice system. Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACE, are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (0-17 years of age).(1) ACEs are used to identify the amount of traumatic stress an individual has experienced. While it has gotten better in the past few years, there is not enough focus on a child’s trauma in the juvenile justice system.

The sum of the total number of categories (not incidents) that a child reports is their ACE score.(2) While these ACE scores can be tough to acknowledge, they serve as an important recognition point in children, parents, and families, which can help stop a negative generational trend and lead a child toward healing and hope.(3) Your own ACE score can help you understand and process some of your own struggles, as well as help you understand the needs of trauma-exposed children and adults. You can calculate an ACE score by following the link here.

Posted inNews People

In Memoriam for November 2021

By Adam Faderewski on December 28, 2021

The State Bar of Texas’ Membership Department was informed in November 2021 of the deaths of these members. We join the officers and directors of the State Bar in expressing our deepest sympathy.

Posted inLaw Schools News

St. Mary’s University School of Law receives $1.8 million gift

By Adam Faderewski on December 16, 2021

St. Mary’s University School of Law received a $1.8 million gift from an anonymous donor to benefit scholarships for students.

The gift is an estate gift pledge of $800,000 toward an existing endowed scholarship for law students and $1 million to create a new endowed scholarship for female law students.

Posted inAccess to Justice News People Pro Bono

Harriet Miers named Texas Access to Justice Commission chair

By Adam Faderewski on December 9, 2021

The Texas Supreme Court named Harriet Miers, a partner in Locke Lord in Dallas and Washington, D.C., as the new chair of the Texas Access to Justice Commission, effective January 1, 2022. Harry Reasoner, who has served as chair for 12 years, will serve as chair emeritus.

Posted inAbout The Bar Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals State Bar U.S. Supreme Court

Final judgment issued in McDonald mandatory bar challenge

By Amy Starnes on December 8, 2021

U.S. District Court Judge Lee Yeakel has issued a final judgment in the McDonald lawsuit challenging the mandatory bar.

In September, the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors approved changes to bar rules and policies following a U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals panel opinion in the case.

The final judgment enjoins the State Bar from “using Plaintiffs’ mandatory dues to support lobbying or legislative activities (including such activities by the Texas Access to Justice Commission) seeking substantive changes to Texas law unrelated to regulating the legal profession or improving the quality of legal services.”

The Fifth Circuit opinion upheld the constitutionality of the majority of the bar’s challenged activities. Plaintiffs have since filed a petition for writ of certiorari in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Go here to see all the filings in the case and find a summary of similar litigation against other mandatory bars.