The way athletes conduct themselves has the potential to majorly impact them, their team, and their sport as a whole. With such high stakes and the added influence of social media, personal conduct policies are in place to help maintain the integrity of professional sports leagues. Rocky Dhir talks to Kelli Masters, Daniel Hare, and Brian Michael Cooper about how these policies are created and the discipline processes that provide accountability and continued quality within a sports league. 

Kelli Masters is an attorney, an NFL sports agent and Founder and President of KMM Sports, a full-service sports management company with offices in New York, Los Angeles and her hometown of Oklahoma City.

Daniel Hare is the founder and president of Varsity Search, a legal recruiting company dedicated to building great teams by bringing together lawyers and law firms.

Brian Michael Cooper is an accomplished sports executive, currently holding the positions of President & Chief Operating Officer at the American Flag Football League.

Rocky Dhir chats with Bench Bar Breakfast speakers Justice Debra Lehrmann and Timothy Berg about the mission and efforts of the Uniform Law Commission. They explain what the ULC does, the processes of projects undertaken by the commission, and how their acts provide consistency while still promoting the autonomy of the states. 

Justice Debra Lehrmann is the Senior Justice on the Supreme Court of Texas.

Timothy Berg is General Counsel at Fennemore Craig, P.C.

Harnessing the power of technology with competence and confidence is now a top consideration for lawyers as they advocate for their clients. How should this look in your legal practice? Rocky Dhir talks with judges Amy Clark Meachum, Jessica Mangrum, and Martin Hoffman about the latest tech-based factors for effective advocacy in Texas courts. They discuss virtual and in-person platforms and share tips for lawyers on how to keep up with current courtroom technologies. 

Amy Clark Meachum is a judge of the Texas 201st District Court.

Jessica Mangrum is a seasoned judge presiding over the Texas 200th District Court. 

Martin Hoffman is an esteemed judge serving on the Texas 68th District Court in Dallas County.

As a group, first generation law students and lawyers tend to encounter common issues. Saumya Kuriakose, Nadda Rungruangphol, and Alysia Huskey give highlights from their panel focused on the experiences of first generation lawyers. They each share what led them into the law, discuss the unique challenges they faced, and offer insights on how law schools and firms can support first gen attorneys. 

Saumya Kuriakose is an Attorney at The Pettit Law Firm in Dallas, Texas.

Nadda Rungruangphol is a Staff Attorney at the Texas State Securities Board in Austin, Texas.

Alysia Huskey is a licensed attorney with The State Bar of Texas and works as an Assistant District Attorney in Kaufman County, Texas.

AI has been helping lawyers for many years, but new tools powered by ChatGPT have even more exciting possibilities for the future of legal practice. Korin Munsterman discusses recent developments in legal AI tools and how they are already helping lawyers improve and streamline their practices. Korin also outlines what attorneys need to know about current ethics and privacy concerns surrounding generative AI. 

Korin Munsterman is a Professor of Practice and the director of the Legal Education Technology program at UNT Dallas College of Law.

Mentioned in this Episode:

CoCounsel - Casetext

Spellbook

LegalSifter

Diversity, equity, and inclusion should be central to your law firm’s mission, but how do you go about building a welcoming workplace? John G. Browning gives tips from his session at the State Bar of Texas’ Annual Meeting on effective DEI solutions for law firms. He discusses historical challenges surrounding this issue and the education, training, and resources available to help your firm become a welcoming place for all. 

John G. Browning is a partner at Spencer Fane and a former Justice on Texas’ Fifth District Court of Appeals in Dallas.

Mentioned in this Episode:

National Association for Law Placement

Tune in for highlights from the State Bar of Texas’ Annual Meeting! During the conference, Laurence Colletti talked with presenter Dyane O’Leary about her session on how a modern mindset helps lawyers stay current with best practices and evolving legal technology. Dyane shares tips for maximizing efficiency through tech-powered practice management and gives insights on where to start if you’re looking to expand your knowledge of modern legal trends. 

Dyane O’Leary is an Associate Professor of Legal Writing and the Director of Legal Innovation & Technology Concentration at Suffolk University Law School.

Rocky Dhir welcomes Laura Gibson and Trey Apffel to hear all about what to expect at the June 22 & 23 State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2023. They talk through the “CLE on steroids” programs, making the most of your conference experience, and later highlight each of the scheduled keynote speakers. What can lawyers learn from a filmmaker? Tune in for insights on Daytripper creator Chet Garner’s session centered around his exploration of the great state of Texas. Rocky, Laura and Trey also discuss the drama surrounding controversial speaker Attorney General William Barr. 

Register now! Online registration closes Sunday, June 18, 2023. 

Laura Gibson was the 2022/23 President of the State Bar of Texas and is a member of Dentons’ Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice and the Managing Partner of the Houston office.

E.A. “Trey” Apffel III became executive director of the State Bar of Texas in December 2017.

Ever since cryptocurrency made its debut, many have repeatedly questioned its validity. Is it legal tender? A scam? Well, in today’s digital ether, both exist en masse, and lawyers need to understand how to recognize the real thing and how it fits into our current legal framework. Rocky Dhir welcomes Nelson Ebaugh to chat about his article in the Texas Bar Journal, Texas Cryptocurrency Jurisprudence.

Nelson Ebaugh is an attorney in Houston. He has an LL.M. in securities and financial regulation and is certified in criminal appellate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

On March 10, Rocky Dhir welcomed president-elect candidates Jerry Alexander and Steve Benesh to give Texas attorneys the opportunity to learn about their campaigns and particular goals for the presidency. They discussed their career accomplishments and past service to the legal community, touched on the importance of maintaining the self-regulation of the State Bar, shared ideas for streamlining the attorney grievance process, and much more. Rocky also asked the candidates questions submitted both before and during the forum. 

Learn more about the candidates.