Pandemic-era legal proceedings taught Texas lawyers and judges that alternative methods can be extremely effective in a variety of court processes. And now that we have entered into the post-pandemic era, these tech-fueled advancements are still front and center in Texas courts. Judge Roy Ferguson, Megan LaVoie, Michelle Casady, and Jennifer Doan discuss their session on what legal professionals need to know to incorporate the latest options for court proceedings into their practice. 

Roy Ferguson is a judge of the Texas 394th District Court, presiding over the largest judicial district in the state of Texas. 

Megan LaVoie serves as the Administrative Director for the Texas Office of Court Administration and Executive Director of the Texas Judicial Council. 

Michelle Casady is a reporter at The Texas Lawbook.

Jennifer Haltom Doan is a founding partner with Haltom & Doan, a boutique trial and appellate firm located in Texarkana, TX-AR.

Culture can make or break your law firm, and it is absolutely essential to nurture a positive, supportive environment to truly have a successful firm. Senior law firm leaders Holly Draper, Hannah Hembree Bell, Brian Hall, and John Meredith discuss their session from the annual meeting focused on ways to improve your law firm culture. They share experiences from their firms and emphasize the importance of developing vision and values, being flexible enough to recognize changing needs, and striving to live out and support your cultural vision at all levels of your organization. 

Holly Draper is CEO and managing partner at The Draper Law Firm and host of the Texas Family Law Insiders podcast. 

Hannah Bell is the founding attorney of Hembree Bell Law Firm, where she specializes in family law, divorce, and estate planning.

Brian A. Hall is a member of Traverse Legal, PLC and the managing partner of its Austin, Texas office.  

John Meredith is the Chief Operating Officer for Chamberlain Hrdlicka law firms with offices in Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia and San Antonio

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.