The State Bar of Texas Jury Service Committee is seeking feedback from people summoned to jury duty about their experiences. The committee has created an online survey designed to elicit a more thorough understanding of the juror experience regardless of court or county or whether the individual ended up serving on a jury. The committee … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: This post was originally published on April 21, 2014. Editor’s note: TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance use or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) or find more information at tlaphelps.org. Even as a kid I identified with that cartoon character who walked around with a … Continue Reading
On the eve of World Mental Health Day, the State Bar of Texas released a video on Wednesday highlighting the importance of lawyers seeking help for anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and other mental health issues. “We are here to send a strong message to our legal community that it’s time that we recognize one thing: … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors will hold its quarterly meeting September 20 in Corpus Christi. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Downtown Marina (Texas Riviera Ballroom), 797 N. Shoreline Blvd. Members of the public are welcome to attend. The agenda includes a vote on the Nominations and Elections Subcommittee’s nomination … Continue Reading
The Committee on Disciplinary Rules and Referenda will meet at 10:30 a.m. September 3 at the Texas Law Center in Austin. Among other agenda items, the committee is scheduled to discuss and take possible action on proposed lawyer advertising rules. Members of the public are welcome to attend in person and can also listen to … Continue Reading
The State Bar Board of Directors Nominations and Elections Subcommittee voted today to recommend Pablo Almaguer of Edinburg and Sylvia Borunda Firth of El Paso as nominees for 2020-2021 State Bar of Texas president-elect, after interviewing six potential nominees in Austin. The Board of Directors will consider the recommendations at its next meeting, on September 20 … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: This post was originally published on May 15, 2014. 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 could not open my eyes. I could hear someone calling my name but … 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. Law school made me an alcoholic, or to be fair to law school, it was during law school that I crossed over to alcoholism. In college, … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors will meet June 12-13 in Austin. The Wednesday meeting will begin at 1 p.m. at the JW Marriott Lone Star Ballroom D, 110 E. 2ndSt. The Thursday meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at the same location. Members of the public are welcome to attend. Click here to view … 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
On May 13, the State Bar of Texas laid out almost six decades of U.S Supreme Court precedent establishing the constitutionality of its structure in response to a lawsuit filed against the bar. The State Bar’s filings explain that the bar — as an arm of the government — has a statutory obligation to regulate … Continue Reading
The latest episode of the State Bar of Texas Podcast features a preview of the 2019 State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting with Executive Director Trey Apffel and an interview with President Joe K. Longley, who is part of a class of 50-year lawyers who will be honored at the event. Listen here. Annual Meeting attendees can … Continue Reading
The Texas Access to Justice Commission with its co-sponsor, the State Bar of Texas, honored veterans throughout the state at the Champions of Justice Gala Benefiting Veterans on Tuesday in Austin. More than $455,050 was raised to help provide civil legal services to low-income Texas veterans. Proceeds are distributed by the Texas Access to Justice … Continue Reading
Texas attorneys elected Larry P. McDougal Sr. of Richmond as 2019-2020 president-elect of the State Bar of Texas. McDougal received 52 percent of the 24,252 votes cast during the month-long voting period that ended April 30. His opponent, Jeanne Cezanne “Cezy” Collins of El Paso, received 47 percent of the votes. In the Texas Young … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: State Bar President Joe K. Longley sent the following message to members on Friday. The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors held its quarterly meeting today in Georgetown. Highlights from the meeting are provided below. Proposed rules changes move forward The Committee on Disciplinary Rules and Referenda (CDRR) has recommended rule change … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors will hold its quarterly meeting Friday, April 26 in Georgetown. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at the Georgetown Sheraton Hotel, 1101 Woodlawn Ave., San Gabriel Ballroom E. Members of the public are welcome to attend. Click here to view the meeting agenda and materials.… 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
In March 2019, three Texas lawyers sued the State Bar of Texas claiming that under Janus v. AFSCME (2018), it is unconstitutional for an attorney to be required to join the State Bar of Texas in order to practice law. The plaintiffs also challenge bar programs that they claim exceed the bar’s “core regulatory functions.” … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas seeks to remind the public that in many cases it is a crime in Texas for a lawyer or someone representing a lawyer to contact a person for purposes of legal representation if the person has not first requested the call or personal visit. The contact is not illegal if … Continue Reading
Editor’s Note: The following notice was originally published in the March 2019 issue of the Texas Bar Journal. To All State Bar of Texas Members: Your annual State Bar of Texas membership dues are due on June 1 of each year. If you are an emeritus member of the State Bar, only section dues, if … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Local Bar Services Committee is now accepting local bar association submissions for the annual Stars of Texas Bars Awards and Judge Sam Williams Award. The Stars of Texas Bars Awards include eight award categories that recognize local bar associations for outstanding community involvement, commitment to increasing access to justice, dedication … 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
The State Bar of Texas is offering additional MCLE compliance time and waivers of MCLE non-compliance fees to Texas attorneys furloughed during the recent government shutdown. Attorneys with December, January, and February compliance deadlines who were furloughed during the recent government shutdown may request an extension of time of up to 90 days and a … Continue Reading
Darrell E. Jordan, 80, of Dallas, died January 30, 2019. He served as president of the State Bar of Texas from 1989 to 1990. Jordan was a partner in Diamond McCarthy in Dallas at the time of his death. “We are saddened by the loss of Darrell Jordan, whose lifetime of service to the legal … Continue Reading
