As Americans we rightfully celebrate the 75th anniversary of D-Day and the sacrifices made, while struggling to reconcile with Vietnam War deaths 50 years ago. Although I spent three years on active duty in the Marine Corps in the early 1970s, I was stationed safely in Okinawa, Japan, when the United States’ combat operations in … Continue Reading
Several months ago, I read an article published in the Texas Bar Journal that identified the waning perception of lawyers as leaders in society (“Lawyers as Citizen Leaders,” by Leon Jaworski, February 2018, pp. 90-93). This reality continues to haunt me. In a world desperate for leadership, lawyers are—and must continue to be—leaders. Members of … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) or find more information at tlaphelps.org. What did I do last night? Who is mad at me? What did I do at work yesterday afternoon? Did I commit malpractice? Surely, a … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) or find more information at tlaphelps.org. My name is _____________. I am almost 60 years old, eight years clean in NA, and this is my first time in recovery. I thought … Continue Reading
It is a timeless and eternal verity that we all cherish our children and seek to ensure their overall well-being in every facet of their lives and stage of development. No sacrifice is too great to achieve that paramount aim. In the context of family law and the dissolution of marriage where children are involved, … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) or find more information at tlaphelps.org. I walked out of my first AA meeting confident I was not an alcoholic. The meeting was a speaker meeting, and the speaker told a … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: This post, which has been updated, was originally published on June 15, 2015, as the 12th story in the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery blog series, featuring attorneys in their own words. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP … Continue Reading
Editor’s Note: State Bar of Texas President Joe K. Longley sent the following message to members Wednesday. As we celebrate the holiday season and prepare for 2019, I offer this update on some recent happenings at the State Bar of Texas. 2019-2020 Budget Update The State Bar Board’s Budget Committee met December 13 to hear … Continue Reading
In order to be an air conditioning or refrigeration contractor in the state of Texas, one must have 48 months (approximately 8,000 hours) of practical experience. See Tex. Occ. Code § 1302.255. A residential wireman must have 4,000 hours of on-the-job training, while journeymen electricians must have 8,000 hours of on-the-job training. See Tex. Occ. … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: This post was originally published on January 16, 2014, as part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery blog series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org.… Continue Reading
Editor’s note: This post was originally published on July 3, 2014, as part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery blog series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. The first time I got intentionally drunk … Continue Reading
If a lawyer litigates long enough he or she will inevitably face written or oral objections to requests for production or interrogatories. While objections may be straightforward and easy to navigate, they become more complex and potentially fatal to a litigator’s case when opposing counsel raises an objection based on proprietary information privilege. While it … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: This post is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery blog series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. I started drinking alcohol at about age 6. Surrounded by military fighter pilots, alcohol … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: Stephanie R. Sterling, the 2018-2019 president of the State Bar of Texas Paralegal Division, issued the following message today for Texas Paralegal Day. Today marks the 37th anniversary of the founding of the Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas on October 23, 1981. It was the first such action by any state bar … Continue Reading
By Ricardo Garcia-Moreno I was lying on a stretcher, unable to talk or move as I went into full cardiac arrest the afternoon of February 4, 2018. My heart had stopped beating for approximately 20 minutes, and I was not breathing when emergency medical personnel loaded me into an ambulance. As I faded in … Continue Reading
The Honorable John Frank “Jack” Onion Jr., former presiding judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals who died in September at 93, was one of the longest serving, prolific, and consequential judges in the history of the state of Texas. But “honorable” was not just Judge Onion’s title. It captured his character, his work, … Continue Reading
By now, you have heard there is a shortage of court reporters or felt the pinch of not having a reporter when you need one. The Texas Court Reporters Association, or TCRA, has suggestions to help lawyers have a greater likelihood of having a reporter when they need one. Court reporters are vital to the … Continue Reading
It was a simpler time. When I was a kid in the 1940s and ’50s, growing up in the Oak Cliff section of Dallas, the best part of the week was Saturday. With my 25-cent allowance closely clutched, I stood in a rowdy line at the old Beckley Theater to see the latest B-Western or … Continue Reading
In F.F.P. Operating Partners v. Duenez, 237 S.W.3d 680, 686 (Tex. 2007), the Texas Supreme Court stated that negligent entrustment is a form of vicarious liability. The basis for imposing liability on the owner of the object entrusted to another is that ownership of the object gives the right of control over its use (Id.). But perhaps … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: State Bar of Texas President Joe K. Longley sent the following message to members on July 19. Dear Member, I am writing to let you know that the Board of Directors is seeking candidates for the 2019 president-elect race, which will take place April 1-30. Whether you are interested in running as a … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: This post is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. I started drinking in high school and immediately liked the way it made me feel. … Continue Reading
Death, drugs, and depression have gained gradual attention within the legal profession. Only a decade or two ago, few would even expel a whisper concerning these issues. But news organizations and films increase needed attention by providing a glimpse into a world most do not understand. In The New York Times last summer (July 15, … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: This post is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. Sometimes I am insecure explaining how I became an alcoholic. I felt like I should … Continue Reading
By C. Kelly Rentzel Editor’s note: This post is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. According to a recent study, those who score top grades in … Continue Reading
