The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors held its quarterly meeting on January 27. Highlights of the meeting appear below. You can watch video of the meeting at youtube.com/statebaroftexas and read the agenda and meeting materials at texasbar.com/bodmaterials.
State Bar of Texas Budget
The board approved the State Bar of Texas fiscal year 2022-2023 proposed budget for publication in the Texas Bar Journal. You can view the proposed 2022-2023 budget documents here. The State Bar will hold a public hearing on the budget on April 11. The final step in the bar’s budgeting process will be to present it to the Texas Supreme Court for consideration. View the bar’s historical financial documents at texasbar.com/finances.
Resolution in Support of Remote Proceedings
The board approved a resolution in support of the efforts of the Texas Supreme Court and its Remote Proceedings Task Force to remove impediments to remote court proceedings, including the adoption and implementation of rule amendments. Before adopting the proposed resolution, the board agreed to add a clause stating: “Whereas the Board of Directors still acknowledges the importance of in-person proceedings, it hereby wishes to preserve the option of remote proceedings where appropriate.”
Proposed Changes to the Texas Lawyer’s Creed
The board approved the referral of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force’s proposed changes to the Texas Lawyer’s Creed to the board’s Administration Committee for further study and consideration. View the proposed changes here.
Diversity Council
The board referred the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force’s recommendation regarding the creation of a State Bar diversity council to the board’s Policy Manual Subcommittee for further study and consideration.
Candidates for 2022-2023 Chair of the Board
The board heard presentations from four candidates for 2022-2023 chair of the board: Chad Baruch (Dallas), David Calvillo (Houston), Lucy Forbes (Houston), and Todd Smith (Austin). You can view the candidates’ nomination letters to the board here under agenda item 8 and watch the video of the meeting to hear their presentations.
Looking Ahead
The next board meeting is scheduled for April 29 in El Paso. If you have comments for the board, please email them to boardofdirectors@texasbar.com. Click here to find your district directors.