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.

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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.

How do institutions of higher education handle allegations of student-on-student sexual misconduct? Sean Flammer joins Rocky Dhir to talk through this legal process as outlined in his article in the March edition of the Texas Bar Journal. Sean explains how new Title IX regulations beginning in August 2020 have affected cross-examination requirements in misconduct hearings and what concerns around due process that have arisen in the wake of these changes. Sean offers insights on how the current system works and whether it effectively balances the needs and rights of complainants and respondents.

Sean Flammer specializes in Title IX, student affairs disputes, employment issues, constitutional litigation, and general litigation.

The legal community is, at times, either uninformed or ill-equipped for dealing with the unique needs of LGBTQ+ clientele. Rocky Dhir welcomes Liz Brenner to discuss her article in the February 2023 edition of the Texas Bar Journal and the evolving legal issues faced by those in the LGBTQ+ community. Liz explains the impacts of the 2015 Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which required states to extend equal access to marriage to same-sex couples, and also dives into the specifics of estate planning and probate law for these couples and their families.

Elizabeth Brenner is an attorney with Burns Anderson Jury & Brenner in Austin, where she practices probate and trust litigation, probate administration, and guardianship law.

Each December, the Texas Bar Journal features the year’s developments in the profession through a series of articleswritten by Texas legal experts. Rocky Dhir talks with three of 2022’s authors to learn more about new case law and trends in their areas of the law. Emily Black shares insights from antitrust and business litigation, Shawn Tuma gives an update on rapidly-evolving requirements in cybersecurity and data privacy, and Roland Love gives an overview of new laws and court-issued opinions related to real estate law.

Emily Westridge Black is a partner in the Austin office of Shearman & Sterling, where she specializes in complex commercial litigation and white-collar defense.

Shawn Tuma is a partner at Spencer Fane LLP in Cyber Risk Management, Cyber Incident Response, and Cyber Security, Hacking and Data Breach Litigation.

Roland Love is vice president of business alliances & field operations at Independence Title in Dallas, TX.

Even though bankruptcy touches so many areas of the law, many attorneys outside bankruptcy practice lack an adequate understanding of how it all works. Rocky Dhir brings on experts Catherine Curtis and Robert Vanhemelrijck to get an overview of what all lawyers should know about this area of legal practice. They discuss different types of bankruptcy, outline filing and court processes, and share pro tips for things to look out for when working with clients in bankruptcy proceedings.

Catherine Curtis is an Associate Attorney at Wick Phillips, where she represents clients in a broad range of insolvency and bankruptcy matters.

J. Robert Vanhemelrijck is the founding and managing partner of Vanhemelrijck Law Offices, LP in San Antonio, Texas.

On an October morning in 2017, Lisa Torry Smith was walking her son to school when they were struck by a car while in a crosswalk. Lisa died at the scene, her son was badly injured, and the driver was only ticketed for the incident. Lisa’s family fought for change after this tragic event, seeking real consequences for negligent driving and greater driver awareness and care across the state. Brian Middleton, now District Attorney in Fort Bend County, Texas, drafted the Lisa Torry Smith Act, which was passed into law in June of 2021. Tune in with State Bar of Texas podcast host Rocky Dhir as he talks with Brian about the implications of this new law and its aim to create accountability for driver negligence in crosswalks.

Read Brian Middleton’s article in the Texas Bar Journal: The New Stop and Yield Law: The Death of Lisa Torry Smith