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Legal Services to the Poor in Criminal Matters Committee announces Indigent Defense Awards winners

The State Bar of Texas Legal Services to the Poor in Criminal Matters Committee announced Texas A&M University’s Public Policy Research Institute (PPRI) as the 2025 recipient of the Michael K. Moore Award for Excellence in Research or Writing in the Area of Indigent Criminal Defense. The Office of Capital and Forensic Writs (OCFW), based … Continue Reading

Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee announces Pro Bono Excellence award winners

The State Bar of Texas Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee announced its 2025 Pro Bono Excellence award winners. Judge Roy B. Ferguson, of Houston, received the Judge Merrill Hartman Pro Bono Judge Award; Christina Yarnell, of Austin, received the Frank J. Scurlock Award; Ricardo Loza, of San Antonio, received the J. … Continue Reading

Texas Bar Foundation honors Supreme Court of Texas Senior Justice Debra Lehrmann

Supreme Court of Texas Senior Justice Debra Lehrmann will receive the Samuel Pessarra Outstanding Jurist Award from the Texas Bar Foundation during the foundation’s annual dinner on June 20 at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort in San Antonio. The award recognizes active or retired federal or state judges with “an exceptional reputation … Continue Reading

Texas Board of Legal Specialization certifies new class, celebrates 50 years of certifications

The latest group to be certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) was inducted at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center in Austin on March 14. Spanning 36 specialty areas, inductees included 206 attorneys and 49 paralegals. “Becoming board-certified in your specialty area, you are providing your clients with the best legal … Continue Reading

Sharon Sandle receives 2025 Pat Nester Innovation in Professional Development Award

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 … Continue Reading

Outstanding volunteers honored by TexasBarCLE

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,” … Continue Reading

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

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 … Continue Reading

Dallas Bar Association hosts e-clinics in March

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. … Continue Reading

Sara Keith assumes role as 2025 Houston Bar Foundation chair

Sara Keith, senior legal counsel to Shell USA, Inc., is the 2025 Houston Bar Foundation (HBF) chair. Keith succeeded 2024 HBF Chair Linda Hester at the foundation’s annual luncheon held at Hotel ZaZa Museum District on February 13, according to a press release. “I am incredibly honored to serve as the 2025 chair of the … Continue Reading

CLEAR Law Student and Lawyer Survey open through March 7

The Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ) and Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA) want to hear from law students and practicing attorneys across the country about their law school and legal experience. Your perspective will help inform the Committee on Legal Education and Admissions Reform (CLEAR) as it works to develop recommendations to improve bar … Continue Reading

State Bar board to meet January 24 in Austin

The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors will meet at 9 a.m. on January 24 at the Texas Law Center in Austin. The meeting is open to the public and will be broadcast live on the State Bar of Texas YouTube channel.  The meeting agenda is available here. Among the agenda items, the board … Continue Reading

ABA Hispanic commission announces inaugural Impacto Award

Betty Balli Torres, executive director of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, and civil rights attorney Danny Ortega are the 2025 recipients of the inaugural Impacto Award, sponsored by the American Bar Association Commission on Hispanic Legal Rights and Responsibilities. The award will be presented January 31 at the Diversity Awards Reception during the ABA … Continue Reading

Justice Jimmy Blacklock appointed 28th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas

Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Jimmy Blacklock as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Texas on January 6, and appointed James P. Sullivan as the court’s Place 2 justice, filling Blacklock’s previous spot, according to a press release. Blacklock becomes the court’s 28th chief justice, replacing former Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht, who retired at … Continue Reading

Nominations Sought for Pro Bono Awards

The State Bar of Texas Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee and the State Bar of Texas Legal Services to the Poor in Criminal Matters Committee are seeking nominations for their annual awards. The Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee Pro Bono Excellence Awards include the Frank J. Scurlock … Continue Reading
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