The Professional Ethics Committee for the State Bar of Texas is accepting public comments on the following proposed ethics opinions: Proposed Opinion 2023-1 (comment deadline 4/14/2023): Under Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, may a lawyer-defendant in a legal malpractice case enter into a settlement agreement in which the lawyer-defendant assigns to a non-lawyer plaintiff … 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 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
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 Professional Ethics Committee for the State Bar of Texas is accepting public comments on the following proposed ethics opinion through July 12: Proposed Opinion 21-3 (Revised): Under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, may a lawyer employed at a nonprofit agency that provides pro bono or low-cost legal services obtain client consent during … Continue Reading
The Texas Supreme Court issued an order January 31, effective immediately, amending Comment 10 to Rule 7.01 of the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct. Comment 10 relates to advertising past success and results. Read the order here.… 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
Texas lawyers approved all eight proposed amendments to Texas’ disciplinary and procedural rules in a monthlong voting process that ended March 4. The Texas Supreme Court now may adopt or reject the proposals approved by the bar’s membership. Go here for election results and visit texasbar.com/rulesvote for details on the proposed amendments. … Continue Reading
Voting ends at 5 p.m. CST today, March 4 in the 2021 State Bar of Texas rules vote. There’s still time to cast an online ballot. VOTE NOW Summary of Proposed Amendments In the video below, Austin lawyer Claude Ducloux, a member of the Committee on Disciplinary Rules and Referenda, explains how the proposed changes … Continue Reading
Voting ends at 5 p.m. CST tomorrow, March 4 in the 2021 rules vote. You still have time to cast an online ballot! VOTE NOW Summary of Proposed Amendments Want to learn more? Watch the video below from Lewis Kinard, chair of the Committee on Disciplinary Rules and Referenda. Go to texasbar.com/rulesvote for more information … Continue Reading
The Professional Ethics Committee for the State Bar of Texas is accepting public comments on two proposed ethics opinions: Proposed Opinion 21-1: Under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, when may a lawyer represent a client adverse to a former prospective client of the lawyer or another lawyer in the lawyer’s firm? (Comment deadline: March … Continue Reading
The 2021 rules vote ends March 4, and the State Bar of Texas has resources to help Texas lawyers cast an informed ballot. Free CLE Course The TexasBarCLE Online Classroom is offering the free course “Rules Vote Forum: Proposed Disciplinary Rule Amendments,” which is accredited for 1 hour of MCLE ethics credit. This course is … Continue Reading
Texas lawyers are being called upon to exercise their right of self-governance by voting on proposed amendments to the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct and Texas Rules of Disciplinary Procedure. Voting started today, February 2, and will continue until 5 p.m. CST March 4 by paper and electronic ballot. The final public forum for … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors held its quarterly meeting on January 22. Below is a synopsis of reports and updates the board received. To watch the full meeting, please go to the State Bar’s YouTube page. The agenda and meeting materials can be found here. The Committee on Disciplinary Rules and Referenda … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: The State Bar of Texas sent the following message to members on September 25. The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors held its quarterly meeting today by videoconference. Highlights of the meeting appear below. You can watch video of the meeting at youtube.com/statebaroftexas and read the agenda and meeting materials here. Referendum … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: The State Bar of Texas sent the following message to members on September 10. The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors met September 10 to follow up on items pending from the July 27 special-called board meeting. Task Force and Workgroup Rosters The board approved rosters for two groups created at the … 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 Committee on Disciplinary Rules and Referenda (CDRR) has published proposed rules changes regarding confidentiality/ethics advice and diminished capacity. These were also printed in the (September) Texas Bar Journal and the (August 31) Texas Register. A public hearing on the proposed rules will be held at 10 a.m. October 10, 2018, at the Texas Law Center in … Continue Reading
The Texas Supreme Court on Thursday issued orders adopting amendments to attorney disciplinary rules effective June 1. You can read the orders at the links below. Misc. Docket No. 18-9030: Order Adopting Amendments to Texas Disciplinary Rule of Professional Conduct 8.03 Misc. Docket No. 18-9031: Order Adopting Amendments to the Texas Rules of Disciplinary Procedure… Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas is seeking comment on proposed rule revisions. As a result of legislation passed following the Sunset Review process, changes to attorney disciplinary process are required through rule revisions proposed by the Chief Disciplinary Counsel (CDC) and adopted by the Texas Supreme Court. The primary objective of the legislative mandates is to promote earlier … Continue Reading
Read our interview with Thomas H. Watkins, who served as chair of the Supreme Court of Texas Task Force on the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct.… Continue Reading
The Supreme Court of Texas has ordered a referendum of Texas lawyers on proposed amendments to the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct. The referendum will take place between January 18 and February 17, 2011.… Continue Reading
On Friday, Nov. 5, 2010, the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors approved final recommendations to the Supreme Court of Texas regarding proposed amendments to the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct (TDRPC).… Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Board Disciplinary Client Attorney Assistance Program (DCAAP) Committee met on October 20 to hear input on proposed amendments to four disciplinary rules concerning conflicts of interest (proposed Rules 1.06, 1.07, 1.08, and 1.09).… Continue Reading