Texas lawyers have elected Steve Benesh of Austin as the next president-elect of the State Bar of Texas. Benesh received 52.41%—12,081—of the 23,051 votes cast during the monthlong voting period that ended May 2. His opponent, Jerry Alexander of Dallas, received 47.59%, or 10,970 votes. Benesh will be sworn in as president-elect on June 22, … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors on Friday voted to select Kennon Wooten as chair-elect. Wooten, a partner in Scott Douglass & McConnico in Austin, will take office in June and will serve as board chair until June 2024. Wooten was elected in 2021 to serve as a director on the State Bar … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors will hold its quarterly meeting at 9 a.m. CDT on April 28 in Waco. 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. Those who wish to address the … Continue Reading
Voting in the 2023 elections for State Bar of Texas and Texas Young Lawyers Association presidents-elect and open district director positions starts April 3 and ends at 5 p.m. CDT on May 2. To help you get to know the State Bar president-elect candidates better, we’ve produced two “Meet the Candidates” videos featuring messages from … Continue Reading
Former U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr, Texas Supreme Court Senior Justice Debra H. Lehrmann, Uniform Law Commission Executive Committee Chair Timothy Berg, and Chet Garner of PBS’ The Daytripper will be keynote speakers at the 2023 State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting in Austin, the bar announced on Wednesday. Barr, the 77th and 85th … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Executive Committee will meet at 10 a.m. CDT on April 4 at the Texas Law Center in Austin. The meeting is open to the public and will be streamed live on the State Bar of Texas YouTube page. The full agenda can be viewed here. Among other items, the committee … Continue Reading
Legal matters generally involve parties who have different versions of the story and the facts. Cases may be complex and involve legal terms unfamiliar to the public. Understanding the basics of the legal system, the differences in the types of courts, and the meaning of legal terms is important to accurately reporting on legal proceedings. … Continue Reading
By Doryn Danner Glenn “You have been summoned for jury service.” The feelings evoked when reading those words on an envelope pulled from the mailbox vary from person to person. Some are excited about the prospect of experiencing the court system in such a vital role. Others dread the thought of making a decision that … Continue Reading
State Bar of Texas president-elect candidates Jerry Alexander and Steve Benesh will participate in live, virtual candidate forums from noon to 1 p.m. Central on March 10 and April 4. Registration is required. You can register for these free events by clicking on the desired dates below. Register for March 10 Register for April 4 … Continue Reading
Fastcase and the State Bar of Texas are extending their partnership to provide all active State Bar members with free access to Fastcase caselaw alerts in 13 practice areas. Since 2014, State Bar of Texas members have received unlimited access to Fastcase’s nationwide legal research content service as a bar member benefit. In renewing their … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Disability Rights and Issues Committee is asking members of the legal community to take a short survey as it works to create a mentorship program. The committee’s goal is to facilitate mentorship for people with disabilities and for those who are caregivers of people with disabilities, specifically within the legal … Continue Reading
Editor’s Note: State Bar of Texas President Laura Gibson sent the following message to members on January 11. I recently joined Gray Reed senior counsel Greg Sampson for a TexasBarCLE webcast on succession planning essentials titled “Don’t Wait, Designate.” The video is now available to all State Bar of Texas members to watch on demand, … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee and Legal Services to the Poor in Criminal Matters Committee are seeking nominations for their Pro Bono Excellence Award and Indigent Defense Award. These awards honor individuals, groups, and entities that perform exceptional work in the field of legal services to … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Executive Committee will meet at 10 a.m. CST on January 10. The meeting is open to the public and will be streamed live on the State Bar of Texas YouTube page. The presiding officer and executive director will be physically present at the Texas Law Center, Stewart Morris Board Room, 1414 … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Litigation Section announced Dallas attorney Talmage Boston as the recipient of this year’s Luther (Luke) H. Soules III Award for Outstanding Service to the Practice of Law. The annual award is given to an attorney who embodies excellence in the practice of law, exemplary service to the Bar, and has … 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 use or mental health issues. Call or text TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. I had my first drink when I was 16 years old, and … Continue Reading
Prior to the establishment of the State Bar of Texas in 1939, the Texas Bar Association, or TBA, was the primary professional organization for attorneys in the state of Texas. The complete TBA meeting minutes from 1930 to 1940 are now available in the State Bar of Texas digital archives. These minutes reflect the actions … Continue Reading
Editor’s Note: State Bar of Texas President Laura Gibson sent the following message to members on Wednesday. It is the duty of the State Bar of Texas to improve and advance the quality of legal services to the public, and foster integrity and ethical conduct in the legal profession. The attorney grievance system is vital … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors held its quarterly meeting September 30 in McAllen. 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. 2023 President-elect Election Update The board voted to approve Jerry Alexander, of Dallas, and Steve … Continue Reading
Suicide is a leading cause of death among lawyers. In fact, 11% of lawyers have had suicidal thoughts at some point in their careers. In recognition of these facts, and in honor of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, the State Bar of Texas wants all Texas lawyers to be aware of the life-saving resources available to … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas received a national award for communications related to its 2022 elections. The National Association of Bar Executives Communications Section on September 23 awarded the State Bar of Texas a 2022 Luminary Award for Excellence in PR/Marketing/Social Media Campaigns in the large bar category. The State Bar deployed a multimedia campaign … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors will hold its quarterly meeting at 9 a.m. CDT on September 30 in McAllen. 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. Those who wish to address the board … 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 use or mental health issues. Call or text TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. I have always felt like an outsider and a loner. As a child, … Continue Reading
Former State Bar of Texas President Randy Sorrels received the prestigious Attorney of the Year Award at the Texas Legal Excellence Awards Dinner on September 14 in Dallas. The award, given by ALM Media and Texas Lawyer, recognizes a lawyer who provides the greatest success and service throughout Texas. Amy M. Stewart of the Stewart … Continue Reading
