A crowd of about 175 gathered Thursday at the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas’ annual state conference and awards luncheon to honor legislators, advocates and award-winning journalists who push for transparency in government. Former Sen. Don Adams received the James Madison Award for his legacy; writing and passing the first Texas Open Records Act … Continue Reading
The Dallas Hispanic Bar Association will hold its 10th annual fundraiser and award gala Saturday at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. The evening’s theme, “Noche de Luz,” or night of light is meant to be a reflection of the association’s 46-year commitment to lighting a path toward diversity initiatives, organizers said in a … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas’ Litigation Section will induct U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson as a Texas Legal Legend on Friday. The ceremony will be held at noon at the Texas Tech University School of Law. When Judge Robinson was awarded her law degree from the University of Texas in 1950, she was one … Continue Reading
For the fifth consecutive year, members of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association will celebrate the Fourth of July by gathering at dozens of courthouses across the state to recite the Declaration of Independence. An annual TCDLA tradition that started in 2010 at the Harris County Courthouse, this year’s event on Thursday, July 2, is … Continue Reading
Thousands of actors, producers, and filmmakers assembled for this year’s South by Southwest Film Conference & Festival to attend screenings, keynotes, and workshops. At the Austin Convention Center, attorney Dan Satorius was on hand to offer advice to independent filmmakers hoping to raise money in support of their projects. During his panel “Other People’s Money: … Continue Reading
Music streaming platforms and the legal issues that come with them were the focus of two CLE panels during SXSW 2015. Leading attorneys from across the nation took the stage to address both fellow lawyers and industry professionals about the current situations. During “Unhappy Together,” panelists Bob Donnelly, Steve Gordon, and Henry Gradstein delved into … Continue Reading
During the SXSW panel “Litigation: The Cases We Need to Know,” D’Lesli Davis, a partner in the Dallas office of Norton Rose Fulbright, and Stan Soocher, associate professor of music and entertainment industry studies at the University of Colorado Denver, offered an overview of some legal situations currently impacting entertainment law. In their allotted hour, … Continue Reading
On Saturday, March 28, the Austin Young Lawyers Association will host its annual Women’s Resource Fair, a free one-day clinic that brings together professionals from the legal, medical, and social services communities to serve individuals in one location. Since its launch in 2008, the annual resource fair has supported nearly 2,500 women in the Austin … Continue Reading
“Drones are here to stay, and to me that’s a very good thing.” Presenting at SXSW Interactive—where just days before the Austin Police Department had banned all drones from flying in the skies above the festival—Lisa Ellman spoke enthusiastically about the benefits that drones bring and how industry and government can satisfy those who are … Continue Reading
Two films with vastly different themes highlighted legal matters during the South by Southwest Film tract this year. In A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story,audiences were introduced to Lizzie, a 25-year-old Texan with a rare syndrome that prevents her from gaining weight. Lizzie’s appearance made her a victim of bullying throughout school and the … Continue Reading
Can an app help the vulnerable and powerless gain access to justice? During this weekend’s Tech for Justice Hackathon+, attorneys, law students, programmers, and concerned stakeholders will gather in Austin to develop technology that could serve those in need of legal services. On Feb. 21-22, Hackathon+ participants will focus on two problem sets—one addressing co-parenting … Continue Reading
At the invitation of Rep. Brooks Landgraf, Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht delivered his 2015 State of the Judiciary on Feb. 18. Legislators, fellow judges, and citizens packed the House of Representatives to hear the address, which touched on judicial funding, truancy issues, and e-filing, among other topics. Access to justice was … Continue Reading
The San Antonio LGBT Bar Association will hold its inaugural meeting with speakers, networking, and refreshments on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Radius Center at 106 Auditorium Cir. The newly created group was established to promote education on issues relating to LGBT law; study and report on laws, decisions, and governmental regulations as they might … Continue Reading
Friday was a special homecoming celebration at the annual Native American Law Conference as members welcomed back leaders who founded the Native American Law Section of the State Bar of Texas almost 21 years ago. The conference took place at the Texas Law Center in Austin on Jan. 30. Above, from top: Original founders and … Continue Reading
In conjunction with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, elementary school students from Houston and Dallas competed in Gardere’s annual MLK Jr. Oratory Competition on Jan. 16. Now in its 23rd year in Dallas and 19th in Houston, the event features students who speak for three to five minutes on a topic related to the impact … Continue Reading
What does a Texas lawyer want for the holidays? Office accessories? Travel gear? A comfy sweatshirt? Log on to Pinterest and show us! We’re looking for law-related gift lists—things you want, need, or would like to share with others—for our State Bar of Texas Holiday Wish List Pinterest Challenge. Simply create a Pinterest board with … Continue Reading
There are more than 6,500 youth in Texas waiting to be adopted. On Nov. 6, 2014, 44 children—with ages ranging from one to 17 years—were welcomed into “forever families” during Austin Adoption Day at the Gardner Betts Juvenile Justice Center. To celebrate the occasion, attendees were treated to a day of games, giveaways, and performances … Continue Reading
Continuing to build on the Interprofessional Drug Education Alliance Program established in 1992, attorneys from the Houston Bar Association are teaming up with area medical professionals to educate youth on the consequences of drug and alcohol use. On October 16, lawyers and physicians will provide information on the realities of drug and alcohol use—including the … Continue Reading
Education and journalism leaders will discuss findings from the most recent “Future of the First Amendment” survey during a streamed session on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 2 p.m. Panelists will include Carol Lange, director for the Journalism Education Association; Alan Weintraut, a Dow Jones Newspaper Fund Journalism Teacher of the Year; and Frank LoMonte, executive … Continue Reading
Dozens of high school students gathered at the Texas Capitol on Wednesday, Sept. 17, filling seats in the chambers of the Texas House of Representatives in recognition of Constitution Day. The Texas Chapters of the American Board of Trial Advocates invited the 11th- and 12th-grade students, who represented public and private schools across the state, … Continue Reading
Journalists and legal professionals converged on Friday, Sept. 12, at the Hilton in downtown Austin to discuss public access to courts, social media use in open government, and new laws and best practices involving the Texas Public Information Act, as part of the 2014 Bernard and Audre Rapoport State Conference.… Continue Reading
The Mexican-American Bar Association of Texas Foundation will meet on Wednesday, Aug. 20, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Houston for its annual scholarship luncheon, which provides financial support to six law students who best exemplify leadership, commitment, justice, and equality. Each Houston-based law school selects two scholarship recipients. “It is important that we encourage a … Continue Reading
Over the years, the Edwards County Courthouse in Rocksprings, Texas, has endured some tough times. In 1897, a fire gutted the building; in 1927, a deadly tornado struck town, causing additional structural damage and need for repair. But 2010 brought a turn of luck. That year, the courthouse, first constructed in 1891, was selected to … Continue Reading
