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Articles by Will Korn
Professional Ethics Committee seeks public comments on proposed ethics opinions
The Professional Ethics Committee for the State Bar of Texas is accepting public comments on the following proposed ethics opinions: Does a lawyer violate the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct regarding conflicts of interest by taking a job as a part-time prosecutor in a district attorney’s office while also representing a private client who is being prosecuted by other lawyers in the same district attorney’s office?
State Bar of Texas
Texas Bar Journal • October 2026 The intersection of local bar associations and innovative leadership.
San Antonio attorney Steve Chiscano selected chair-elect of State Bar of Texas Board of Directors
The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors on Friday voted to select Steve Chiscano as chair-elect. Chiscano, a shareholder in Chiscano Hossa & Calve in San Antonio, will take office in June and serve as chair until June 2027. Chiscano was elected in 2024 to serve as a director on the State Bar Board of Directors representing District 10, Place 1 (Bexar County). Read the news release here.
State Bar of Texas
Texas Bar Journal • October 2025 The intersection of local bar associations and innovative leadership. Written by Will Korn, Patricia Busa McConnico, and Eric Quitugua Above: Keynote speaker Vicki Clark kicks off the 2025 Local Bar Leaders Conference at the opening luncheon at the Westin Galleria in Houston on July 24. Photo by Eric Quitugua.
State Bar of Texas
Texas Bar Journal • September 2026 By Rebecca Johnson, Will Korn, Patricia Busa McConnico, and Eric Quitugua Clockwise from left, Supreme Court of Texas Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock at the Bench Bar Breakfast and guests at the President’s Party. Photos by Marc Swendner.
Sharon Sandle receives 2025 Pat Nester Innovation in Professional Development Award
Sharon Sandle, director of the Law Practice Resources Division of the State Bar of Texas, is the recipient of the 2025 Pat Nester Innovation in Professional Development Award. This award was established by the State Bar of Texas CLE Committee in 2017 and recognizes an individual whose innovative contributions have substantially advanced continuing legal education in Texas.
Texas Young Lawyers Association receives $45,000 grant from Texas Bar Foundation
The Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA) received a $45,000 grant from the Texas Bar Foundation to create a website aimed at educating prospective law students on the law school process from start to finish, according to a press release.
Nathan L. Hecht hears final oral arguments, ends 36-year tenure on Supreme Court of Texas
Ahead of his retirement in December 2024, Supreme Court of Texas Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht heard the final three oral arguments of his 36-year tenure on the state’s highest bench, on December 5 in the Supreme Court of Texas courtroom. On his final day in service, Hecht and the court heard the cases Leibman v. Waldroup, Kensington Title-Nev., LLC v. Texas Department of State Health Services, and Seward v. Santander.
State Bar of Texas
State Bar Director Spotlight • October 2024 Hometown:: San Antonio Position: Partner in the Morales Firm in San Antonio Board Member: District 10, Place 2 Since 2022 Interview By Will Korn Photo courtesy of Lawrence Morales II MY ATTORNEY DAD WILL TELL YOU I WAS DESTINED TO BE AN ATTORNEY FROM BIRTH, BUT I WASN’T SO SURE. Indeed, after my major league baseball dream fizzled out, I was convinced I was headed for a career in finance.
State Bar of Texas
State Bar Director Spotlight • September 2024 Hometown: Casper, Wyoming Position: Partner in the Eggleston Law Firm in Spicewood Board Member: District 15 since 2022 Interview By Will Korn Photo courtesy of Matthew J. Hill MY FAMILY RELOCATED OFTEN IN MY YOUTH DUE TO MY FATHER’SOIL AND GAS JOB. So, while I was born in Wyoming, I did most of my growing up in Midland. I always knew I did not want to move quite as much as an adult, but I never knew what I wanted to be.
State Bar of Texas
Texas Bar Journal • July/August 2024 Texas’ newest lawyers join the profession. Written by Will Korn ABOVE: Kathryn Strickland (center), the high scorer on the February 2024 Texas Bar Examination and a graduate of Harvard Law School, with (from left) Texas Board of Law Examiners Director of Admissions Michael Sullivan, Supreme Court of Texas Justice Brett Busby, Supreme Court of Texas Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht, and Texas Board of Law Examiners Board Member Carlos Soltero.
State Bar of Texas
State Bar Director Spotlight • July/August 2024 Hometown: Austin Position: Senior Associate of Turner Mcdowell Rowan in Dallas Board Member: District 6, Place 3 since 2023 Interview By Will Korn Photo courtesy of Britney E. Harrison SURPRISINGLY, BEING A LAWYER WAS MY SECOND CAREER CHOICE. Since the age of 8, I wanted to be Clarice Starling from Silence of the Lambs and work for the FBI.
State Bar of Texas
State Bar Director Spotlight • June 2024 Hometown: Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Position: Shareholder in Quadros, Migl & Crosby in Houston Board Member: District 4, Place 6 Since 2023 Interview By Will Korn Photo Courtesy of Shannon A.S. Quadros I NEVER REALLY SET OUT TO BE A LAWYER. GROWING UP, I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE IN THE SCIENCES. I went to school for and became an electrical engineer working on semiconductors. Life took its twists and turns, and I ended up in real estate development.
Champions of Justice Gala Benefiting Veterans raises $565,850
The Texas Access to Justice Commission, along with its co-sponsor, the State Bar of Texas, raised $565,850 to help provide civil legal services to low-income Texas veterans during the Champions of Justice Gala Benefiting Veterans on April 25 at the AT&T Hotel & Conference Center in Austin. Proceeds from the gala will be distributed by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation. Supreme Court of Texas Justice Brett Busby, who serves as liaison to the TAJC, acted as master of ceremonies for the evening.
SMU Law team wins American Bar Association’s 2024 National Appellate Advocacy Competition
The SMU Dedman School of Law team of Matthew Mussalli (3L), Jordon B.V. Smith (3L), and Johanna Pang (2L) won the American Bar Association’s 2024 National Appellate Advocacy Competition held April 7 in Philadelphia. The team, coached by SMU Adjunct Professor Lance Caughfield and Haleigh Jones, a 2015 graduate of SMU Law and former student of Caughfield’s, captured the regional title out of a field of 31 teams in February in Brooklyn, New York, to advance to the championship round.
Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee announces Pro Bono Excellence award winners
The State Bar of Texas Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee announced its 2024 Pro Bono Excellence award winners. Retired Judge Lora J. Livingston, of Austin, received the Judge Merrill Hartman Pro Bono Judge Award; Nathaniel Peter Holzer, of Corpus Christi, received the Frank J. Scurlock Award; Lauren Joyner, of Edinburg, received the J.
Child Protection Law Section presents Tara Grigg Green with Rutland Advocacy in Excellence Award
The Child Protection Law Section of the State Bar of Texas presented Tara Grigg Green with its Rutland Advocacy in Excellence Award, during a luncheon at the section’s 6th Annual Advanced Child Protection Law Course in April in Dallas. One of the section’s most prestigious awards, the Rutland Advocacy in Excellence Award honors a lawyer who demonstrates distinguished legal service in the area of child protection law.
State Bar of Texas
State Bar Director Spotlight • April 2024 Hometown: Muleshoe Position: Principal in Smith and Lee Lawyers in Rockwall Board Member: District 1 Since 2021 Interview By Will Korn Photo Courtesy of G. David Smith MY INITIAL PASSION WAS TO BECOME A DISC JOCKEY GOING INTO COLLEGE. I just could not lose my West Texas twang, so that made the radio biz a not-so-likely profession. While on the debate team at Odessa College, our coach introduced me to some lawyers in town.
Texas Medical-Legal Partnership Coalition conference scheduled for April 12
The Texas Medical-Legal Partnership Coalition will hold its MLP conference and inaugural member meeting on April 12 on the campus of South Texas College of Law Houston, or STCL. “This will be a groundbreaking event for professionals at the intersection of healthcare and law,” said Vinh Ho, senior director for legal services of the STCL Houston Randall O. Sorrels Legal Clinics, in a press release.
State Bar of Texas Appellate Section accepting Texas Appellate Hall of Fame nominations
The Appellate Section of the State Bar of Texas is now accepting nominations for this year’s Texas Appellate Hall of Fame class. The Hall of Fame posthumously honors advocates and judges who made a lasting mark on appellate practice in the state of Texas. The section will honor this year’s Hall of Fame inductees at a presentation and ceremony during the State Bar’s Advanced Civil Appellate Practice course scheduled for September 5-6, 2024.
Texas Bar Foundation recognizes Craig T. Enoch
The Texas Bar Foundation honored retired Supreme Court of Texas Justice Craig T. Enoch with the 2024 Gregory S. Coleman Outstanding Appellate Lawyer Award, according to a press release. The award, established in 2011, commemorates the late attorney Gregory S. Coleman and celebrates the ideals and standards that Coleman demonstrated in his appellate practice and personal life.
Houston Bar Foundation receives $500,000 grant from CenterPoint Energy
The Houston Bar Foundation, or HBF, has received a $500,000 grant from CenterPoint Energy to provide pro se litigant assistance to thousands of Harris County residents, according to a press release. “CenterPoint Energy takes its responsibility to be a good corporate citizen seriously,” CenterPoint Energy Executive Vice President and General Counsel Monica Karuturi said in a press release.
Bill Mateja to serve as Dallas Bar Association president
Bill Mateja, a partner in Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton in Dallas, was inaugurated as the 115th president of the Dallas Bar Association, or DBA, on January 20, according to a press release. Mateja, whose practice focuses on white-collar defense and corporate investigations, has been on the DBA Board of Directors for many years and has also served on a variety of DBA committees and sections. He is a past president of the Texas Young Lawyers Association.
Bill Mateja to serve as Dallas Bar Association president
Bill Mateja, a partner in Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton in Dallas, was inaugurated as the 115th president of the Dallas Bar Association, or DBA, on January 20, according to a press release. Mateja, whose practice focuses on white-collar defense and corporate investigations, has been on the DBA Board of Directors for many years and has also served on a variety of DBA committees and sections. He is a past president of the Texas Young Lawyers Association.
Former State Bar of Texas President Richard Pena named National Conference of Bar Presidents 2024 Fellow
Austin attorney and former State Bar of Texas President Richard Pena has been named the National Conference of Bar Presidents 2024 Fellow, according to a press release. Pena, who served as State Bar of Texas president from 1998 to 1999, is the second Texas-based attorney to receive the award. The late James B. Sales, who served as State Bar of Texas president from 1988 to 1989 and who passed away in February 2023, was named the NCBP Fellow in 2007.
Nominations sought for pro bono awards
The State Bar of Texas Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee and the State Bar of Texas Legal Services to the Poor in Criminal Matters Committee are seeking nominations for their annual awards. Award recipients are deserving individuals, groups, or entities that perform exceptional work in the field of legal services to the poor. The Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee honors recipients with its Pro Bono Excellence Awards, including the Frank J.
A letter from the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office
Below is a letter from the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office addressed to all licensed Texas attorneys and specifically defense attorneys who handled a criminal case filed by the Dallas Police Department in Dallas County between the years 2016-2021. Dear colleagues: In March 2023, this office was notified by the Dallas Police Department (DPD) of a review that DPD’s Body Worn Camera Team conducted at the end of 2022 regarding uncategorized video files in their Axon video system.
State Bar of Texas
Texas Bar Journal • December 2023 The 2023 Texas Capitol ornament salutes the era of Austin’s electric trolley car. Written by Will Korn Prior to the early 1890s, the original trolley in Austin charged a nickel per passenger and was pulled by a team of two or three mules. By 1893, electricity in Austin became more reliable with the completion of a hydroelectric powerhouse on the banks of the Colorado River.
Committee seeks public comments on proposed ethics opinions
The Professional Ethics Committee for the State Bar of Texas is accepting public comments on the following proposed ethics opinions: Proposed Opinion 2023-5 (comment deadline (1/26/24): Through an employment agreement between a law firm and its lawyers: May the law firm impose a minimum departure notice period for lawyers who wish to depart the law firm? May the law firm prohibit a departing lawyer from accessing and copying client information and files?
Baylor Law to launch family law clinic to empower self-represented litigants
Baylor Law School announced it will open a new family law clinic beginning in fall 2024. The clinic aims to provide vital support to pro se litigants in navigating the complexities of family law cases, focusing on divorce and matters affecting parent-child relationships, according to a press release.
Texas Advocacy Project receives $20,000 grant from Texas Bar Foundation to build capacity of free legal services
The Texas Advocacy Project, or TAP, announced it has received a $20,000 grant from the Texas Bar Foundation, or TBF, according to a press release. The grant, which will be distributed over a 12-month period, will be used to enhance TAP’s capacity to connect with the legal community and expand pro bono legal assistance to survivors of violence.
Texas Access to Justice Commission recognizes outstanding pro bono contributions
During the New Lawyer Induction Ceremony at Bass Concert Hall on October 30, Supreme Court of Texas Justice and Texas Access to Justice Commission liaison Brett Busby honored the contributions of some of Texas’ most ardent pro bono advocates. Justin Atkinson, of the University of Texas School of Law, and Shayla Hoang Nguyen, of Texas A&M School of Law, both received the 2023 Law Student Pro Bono Award in recognition of their exceptional commitment to pro bono work, according to a press release.
Houston attorney David Nelson reflects on his service and the meaning of Veterans Day
Houston attorney David Nelson always knew he had a special friend in Lee Roy Herron. When the two met in the seventh grade in Lubbock, they became entwined in a fateful, yet inspiring tale of just how powerful a friendship can become. While juniors at Texas Tech University, Herron convinced Nelson to join the Marine Corps Officer Training program in 1965. Two years later, Nelson transferred to the Marine Corps Judge Advocate program, where he started his law career.
Free legal aid available for Texas veterans during Texas Veterans Legal Aid Week
Texas veterans are invited to participate in Texas Veterans Legal Aid Week, a statewide effort in honor of Veterans Day coordinated by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, and legal aid programs across the state. During the week of November 4-11, legal aid programs, local bar associations, law schools, and pro bono private lawyers will provide civil legal services for qualified Texas veterans in various locations throughout the state.
South Texas College of Law Houston’s Catherine Greene Burnett to receive 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of American Law Schools Pro Bono and Access to Justice Section Original
South Texas College of Law Houston Vice President and Associate Dean for Experiential Education Catherine Greene Burnett will receive the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award, given by the Association of American Law Schools Section on Pro Bono and Access to Justice, on January 4, 2024, in Washington, D.C. during the association’s 2024 Annual Meeting. Burnett created STCL’s first client service clinic in August 1990, offering free legal services to the greater Houston community.
The Dallas Bar Association honors WFAA-TV with the 2023 Grand Prize Stephen Philbin Award
The Dallas Bar Association, or DBA, announced the Dallas-based WFAA-TV team of Tanya Eiserer, Rick Rysso, and Mark Smith as the 2023 Stephen Philbin Award grand prize winner during the DBA’s Fellows Luncheon on October 25. The team’s entry, titled “Broken Trust,” discovered that the small town of Onalaska, Texas, was the epicenter of a practice that allowed foreign nationals to transfer ownership of their planes to U.S. trust companies, according to a press release.
The Dallas Bar Association honors WFAA-TV with the 2023 Grand Prize Stephen Philbin Award
The Dallas Bar Association, or DBA, announced the Dallas-based WFAA-TV team of Tanya Eiserer, Rick Rysso, and Mark Smith as the 2023 Stephen Philbin Award grand prize winner during the DBA’s Fellows Luncheon on October 25. The team’s entry, titled “Broken Trust,” discovered that the small town of Onalaska, Texas, was the epicenter of a practice that allowed foreign nationals to transfer ownership of their planes to U.S. trust companies, according to a press release.
Texas Bar Foundation awards $807,673 in grants during fall 2023 grant cycle
The Texas Bar Foundation, or TBF, awarded $807,673 in grants to 51 nonprofit organizations during the fall 2023 grant cycle, according to a press release. “The lives of Texans in need of assistance will be improved thanks to the generosity of the Texas Bar Foundation fellows,” TBF Board of Trustees Chair Geffrey W. Anderson said in a press release.
Texas senators and representatives honored for contributions to access to justice
The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, and the Texas Access to Justice Commission honored Texas senators and representatives with the Legislative Hero Award for their contributions to improving access to justice for Texans during the 88th legislative session at a luncheon on October 31.
State Bar of Texas
Houston attorney David Adler on his battle against the unforgiving elements. By Will Korn David Adler works on a fire at the Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary in Silsbee. Photo courtesy of David Adler. The grind of becoming a successful criminal defense attorney might be more than enough for most practitioners to handle. But not David Adler.
Supreme Court of Texas Director of Public Affairs Amy Starnes receives Anne Charles Excellence Award at 2023 NABE COMM Conference
Amy Starnes, director of public affairs for the Supreme Court of Texas, received the Anne Charles Excellence Award during the 2023 National Association of Bar Professionals, or NABE, Communication Workshop held October 3-6 in Park City, Utah.
State Bar of Texas, Dallas Bar Association receive Luminary Awards at 2023 NABE COMM Conference
The State Bar of Texas and the Dallas Bar Association received Luminary Awards during the 2023 National Association of Bar Professionals, or NABE, Communication Workshop held October 3-6 in Park City, Utah. Submissions for the annually presented Luminary Awards are judged by a panel of NABE Communication members and categorized by both submission type and the size of the submitting bar.
Professional Ethics Committee seeks public comments on proposed ethics opinion
The Professional Ethics Committee for the State Bar of Texas is accepting public comments on the following proposed ethics opinion: Proposed Opinion 2023-4 (comment deadline 12/18/2023): Do the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct permit a lawyer to offer legal services under a subscription service fee model in which the client pays a monthly fee for legal services that the client may or may not utilize?
Texas Access to Justice Commission names April Faith-Slaker as new executive director
The Texas Access to Justice Commission, or TAJC, announced April Faith-Slaker as its new executive director and director of the Legal Access Department of the State Bar of Texas. She will take office in late October 2023.
Deborah Hankinson reappointed as chair of Texas Access to Justice Foundation
The Supreme Court of Texas reappointed former Justice Deborah Hankinson to a new three-year term as chair of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF. “It’s a profound privilege to continue my service as the board chair for the Foundation, where I will continue to guide the organization in its mission of equal justice for all,” Hankinson said in a press release. Hankinson is the first woman to serve as TAJF chair and is the foundation’s fifth chair in its history.
Deborah Hankinson reappointed as chair of Texas Access to Justice Foundation
The Supreme Court of Texas reappointed former Justice Deborah Hankinson to a new three-year term as chair of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF. “It’s a profound privilege to continue my service as the board chair for the Foundation, where I will continue to guide the organization in its mission of equal justice for all,” Hankinson said in a press release. Hankinson is the first woman to serve as TAJF chair and is the foundation’s fifth chair in its history.
Fort Worth attorney Bobbie Edmonds publishes children’s book celebrating the life and career of Judge L. Clifford Davis
Fort Worth attorney Bobbie Edmonds considers 98-year-old retired Judge L. Clifford Davis a walking history book. As a new attorney in the early 1980s, she admired him from afar while he served on the bench in Tarrant County. She was so inspired by his career and wide-reaching works within his community, that she committed herself to writing and publishing a children’s book celebrating his life as a positive example for youth to follow.
Dallas Bar Association celebrates 150th anniversary
The Dallas Bar Association, or DBA, is celebrating its 150th anniversary, marking a century and a half of dedication to the legal profession, justice, and the Dallas community. Established in 1873, the DBA has been a cornerstone of legal excellence, promoting the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and legal expertise.
Dallas Bar Association celebrates 150th anniversary
The Dallas Bar Association, or DBA, is celebrating its 150th anniversary, marking a century and a half of dedication to the legal profession, justice, and the Dallas community. Established in 1873, the DBA has been a cornerstone of legal excellence, promoting the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and legal expertise.
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