The State Bar of Texas announced the results of its statewide 2022 judicial poll. The results are available at texasbar.com/pollresults. At the direction of the Texas Supreme Court, the State Bar conducted a nonpartisan straw poll of contested Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals, and courts of appeals district races on the 2022 election ballot. … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors held its quarterly meeting on January 27. 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. State Bar of Texas Budget The board approved the State Bar of Texas fiscal year 2022-2023 proposed budget … Continue Reading
The Texas Center for Legal Ethics announced that former Chief Justice Ann Crawford McClure of the Eighth Court of Appeals in El Paso will receive the Chief Justice Jack Pope Professionalism Award. The TCLE presents the Pope Award to a judge or attorney who personifies the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in appellate law. … 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
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
The State Bar of Texas Paralegal Division has elected the following members to its officer positions and board of directors for the 2021-22 bar year:… Continue Reading
Texas attorneys elected Laura Gibson of Houston to be president-elect of the State Bar of Texas. Gibson received 50.51%—10,200—of the 20,194 votes cast during the voting period that ended April 30. Her opponent, Sara E. Dysart of San Antonio, received 49.49%, or 9,994 votes. Gibson will be sworn in as president-elect during a State Bar … Continue Reading
San Antonio lawyer Santos Vargas was selected chair-elect of the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors during the board’s quarterly meeting held April 16. Vargas, a shareholder at Davis & Santos in San Antonio, will take office in June and will serve as chair until June 2022. Vargas has served on the State Bar … Continue Reading
The Texas Young Lawyers Association is preparing to launch an online learning platform designed to educate school students about iconic women in our nation’s legal history who have promoted and protected civil rights, fought for equality, and ultimately shaped our present culture. The project—Iconic Women in Legal History—is TYLA’s signature public service project for 2020-2021. … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas has partnered with Paladin, a justice tech company, to create a statewide online portal designed to help lawyers find volunteer opportunities and assist Texans with their legal needs. Through the free statewide portal at pbtx.joinpaladin.com, volunteer lawyers and law students have a centralized location to search and sign up for pro … Continue Reading
The Texas Opportunity & Justice Incubator (TOJI) has a new director and is building on its successes as it prepares to accept its sixth cohort of attorneys. Joshua Weaver, an attorney and entrepreneur, took the helm of the State Bar of Texas program, which expands access to justice opportunities by helping Texas lawyers build sustainable … Continue Reading
The Hon. Meca Walker is the 39th chair of the Texas Bar College Board of Directors. She is the 2nd African American to serve as chair. Her term began on July 15 and will end on the same day in 2021. The Texas Bar College is an honorary society of lawyers, judges, and paralegals who … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors will hold a special public meeting at 9 a.m. on July 27 to accept comments, discuss, and consider action regarding online commentary posted by State Bar of Texas President Larry McDougal and other officers and directors. The board also will discuss the creation of a State Bar … Continue Reading
Legal Aid of Northwest Texas’s 20th annual Women’s Advocacy Awards event will continue virtually on June 24 with honorees Chief Justice Nathan Hecht and Amy Yeager of Children’s Health. The online event runs 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. and is free. Chief Hecht, who is accepting the Champion of Justice Award on behalf of the Supreme … Continue Reading
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas will host its 20th Annual Women’s Advocacy Awards in two online events featuring conversations with four Texas legal all stars. On June 11, former State Bar of Texas President Harriet Miers, Locke Lord LLP partner and former counsel to President George W. Bush, and Shonn Evans … Continue Reading
Texas attorneys elected Sylvia Borunda Firth of El Paso to be president-elect of the State Bar of Texas. Borunda Firth received 49.31 percent—9,515—of the 19,298 votes cast during the voting period that ended May 29. Her opponent, Pablo Almaguer of Edinburg, received 49.11 percent or 9,478 votes. Write-in candidates accounted for 1.58 percent of the … Continue Reading
G. Allan Van Fleet, who served on the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors from 2005 to 2008, will be awarded a 2020 Pro Bono Publico Award by the American Bar Association at its upcoming virtual ABA Annual Meeting. The Pro Bono Publico Awards are the top honors given by the ABA Standing Committee on … Continue Reading
Editor’s Note: The State Bar of Texas is providing this collection of important links, blog posts, and media stories to keep its members and the public informed of the latest news and resources related to the novel coronavirus outbreak and its impact on the legal community. Important links State Bar of Texas Coronavirus Legal Resources … Continue Reading
Editor’s Note: The State Bar of Texas is providing this collection of important links, blog posts, and media stories to keep its members and the public informed of the latest news and resources related to the novel coronavirus outbreak and its impact on the legal community. Important links Frequently Asked Questions — Coronavirus safety measures … Continue Reading
Do you know of a journalist deserving of recognition for excellence in reporting on legal issues? The State Bar of Texas Public Affairs Committee is accepting entries for the 2020 Texas Gavel Awards to recognize journalistic excellence that helps foster public understanding of the legal system, including investigative reporting that leads to improvements in the … Continue Reading
Kelsey Erickson, general counsel to Sen. Kirk Watson, and Katy Aldredge, capitol director for Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, are this year’s recipients of the James Madison Award presented by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. Erickson and Aldredge were chosen for their efforts to create and pass legislation that makes important repairs to Texas’ open … Continue Reading
Aubrey Eyrolles, a student at University of North Texas Dallas College of Law, has been chosen the winner of the 2019 Harriet E. Miers Writing Competition Award offered by the State Bar of Texas Women and the Law Section. The award, named for the first female president of the State Bar of Texas, includes $500 … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors voted unanimously Friday to consent to the Commission for Lawyer Discipline’s selection of Seana Willing as the new chief disciplinary counsel. Willing served the State Commission on Judicial Conduct for 18 years —14 of those as executive director of the commission. For the past two years, Willing … Continue Reading
To keep up on the latest State Bar of Texas news as well as top Texas legal news, sign up for the State Bar of Texas’ Daily News Briefing. The Daily News Briefing is a compilation of State Bar of Texas news and legal news stories culled from media across the state. The briefing is … Continue Reading
