Benny Agosto Jr. and Nikki Agosto donated $3 million to South Texas College of Law Houston, or STCL, to establish a diversity center at the law school. Only one donation to the law school has exceeded this amount. In recognition of the donation, the new center will be named the Benny Agosto Jr. Diversity Center … Continue Reading
The University of Houston Law Center debuted Aspiring Lawyer, a publication dedicated to undergraduate students nationwide interested in attending law school. Aspiring Lawyer will feature insights, tips, success stories, and guidance for pre-law students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds. “I am delighted that we have established the Aspiring Lawyer magazine which will provide helpful hints … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas’ Membership Department was informed in September 2021 of the deaths of these members. We join the officers and directors of the State Bar in expressing our deepest sympathy.… Continue Reading
The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, administrator of the Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts, or IOLTA, program, has become aware of issues related to mobile banking at PNC Bank (previously BBVA) that have resulted in lawyers being unable to view their IOLTA account. If you are an attorney with an IOLTA account at PNC Bank (previously … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas is aware of reports that some lawyers have temporarily lost access to their IOLTA accounts due to issues outside their control related to a bank merger. The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, which administers the Texas IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account) program, is in contact with the bank in … Continue Reading
South Texas College of Law Houston recognized alumni Mary-Olga Lovett, Judge Kyle Carter, and Derek Pershing on September 28 at its 2021 Alumni Association Annual Luncheon at Hotel ZaZa-Houston Museum District. Lovett received the Distinguished Alumni Award, Carter the Public Service Award, and Pershing was recognized with the Young Alumni Award.… Continue Reading
By Dylan Drummond For the past several decades, the Texas Supreme Court’s longtime public information staff attorney—Osler McCarthy—lovingly, laboriously, and manually emailed the court’s Friday orders to anyone who had asked to be added to an email distribution list he maintained. With Osler’s retirement last month, the court has now semi-automated this email notification system, … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors held its quarterly meeting September 24 in San Antonio. 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. 2022 Election Update The board approved Joe Escobedo Jr., of Edinburg, and Cindy V. … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors voted September 24 to approve Joe Escobedo Jr. of Edinburg and Cindy V. Tisdale of Granbury as candidates for 2022-2023 president-elect. Escobedo and Tisdale will appear on the ballot in April 2022 along with any certified petition candidates. Presently there are no additional president-elect candidates, although members … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors will meet at 9 a.m. on September 24 at the St. Anthony Hotel in San Antonio. Attorneys and members of the public can watch the meeting live on the State Bar’s YouTube channel. Public comment will be accepted in person at the meeting and virtually via Zoom. … Continue Reading
Erica Grigg credits the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program with saving her life. This month, she became director of the 37-year-old program. The Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program (TLAP) provides confidential help, referrals, and peer assistance programs to lawyers, judges, and law students experiencing mental health or substance use disorders. “Years ago, I reached out to TLAP … Continue Reading
Free legal resources are available to low-income individuals affected by flooding and other conditions created by Hurricane Nicholas. The State Bar of Texas’s toll-free disaster legal services hotline—800-504-7030—puts callers in touch with legal aid providers in their areas who can help with: Replacement of important legal documents lost or destroyed in the disaster; Life, medical, … Continue Reading
St. Mary’s University School of Law will launch the first fully online juris doctor program approved by the American Bar Association in fall 2022. St. Mary’s University plans to enroll 25 students in the first cohort of the five-year pilot program. The St. Mary’s University program is the first to offer all credit-bearing courses online … Continue Reading
Shannon Davis Hunter, of Coats Rose, has been selected as a fellow in Leadership Houston Class XL. Leadership Houston XL is a 10-month signature program for community leaders that will culminate with a civic class project to effect positive change and the development of individual, personal plans for future civic engagement.… Continue Reading
Editor’s Note: In recognition of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Texas Bar Blog is republishing this article from the May 2005 issue of the Texas Bar Journal about Texas lawyers called to active-duty military service. By Morgan Morrison More than 300,000 members of the U.S. Reserve and National Guard have been … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas’ Membership Department was informed in August 2021 of the deaths of these members. We join the officers and directors of the State Bar in expressing our deepest sympathy. • Milton H. Anders, 88, of Shreveport, Louisiana, died July 28, 2018. He received his law degree from LSU Law and was … Continue Reading
By Doryn Glenn The State Bar of Texas Jury Service Committee is warning the public against criminals that would seek to make them victims of scams that are becoming increasingly common. Individuals, pretending to be local law enforcement officers, are calling citizens stating that they have failed to appear for jury duty or some other … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Hispanic Issues Section and the Texas Access to Justice Foundation will host a “LAW-teria” to benefit the Texas Access to Justice Foundation and legal aid efforts throughout Texas. The virtual game night will take place from 5 to 6:30 pm. on September 16 via Zoom.… Continue Reading
Texas attorneys, willing and able to help their counterparts in Louisiana, can assist via a disaster response message board the Louisiana State Bar Association created in the wake of Hurricane Ida’s devastating impacts on the state. The message board allows lawyers to post what they need or how they can help their colleagues and allows … Continue Reading
The Texas Office of Court Administration has selected three vendors to support the new statewide Uniform Case Management System, or UCMS. The three vendors selected to support the UCMS are Icon Software, iDocket, and Tyler Technologies. UCMS is an opt-in court case management system aimed at supporting Texas counties with a population less than 20,000, … Continue Reading
The Dallas Bar Association has named Chief Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, as the inaugural recipient of the DBA’s Jurist of the Year Award. Lynn will receive her award at the DBA’s Bench Bar Conference in Horseshoe Bay, which is scheduled for November. Lynn was … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Executive Committee will meet at 10:30 a.m. CT on Tuesday, August 31. Members and the public can watch the meeting live on the State Bar of Texas YouTube page. The agenda for the meeting may be viewed here. To sign up to speak during the meeting, please email amy.starnes@texasbar.com or … Continue Reading
The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, received a $20 million Housing Stability Services Program grant package from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for COVID-19-related housing legal services. The grant will allow legal aid organizations throughout Texas to provide free civil legal services to eligible households experiencing housing insecurity. Services include … Continue Reading
The Dallas Bar Association will hold LegalLine E-Clinics from 4 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays in September. Volunteer attorneys will answer legal questions at no cost. To participate, fill out the online form for the upcoming LegalLine. LegalLine E-Clinics will be held on September 1, September 8, September 15, September 22, and September 29. A … Continue Reading
