State Bar of Texas

Last week I received my 20 Year Service Award at the State Bar of Texas. (Really has been over 21 years, but who is counting!) ;) Time flies when you are having fun.

Today, we continue to honor Hispanic Heritage Month with advice geared towards future lawyers of diverse backgrounds! ?? ? In this video, Jenée Durán, Texas Young Lawyers Association district 14 director, tells future diverse law students to ask a lot of questions when coming into the legal profession and to build a network. ? “It helps you with getting jobs, with finding resources to publish your law review articles. It opens up a whole new world.” ? #HispanicHeritageMonth #TXLawyers #UncommonLeaders

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As Hispanic Heritage Month continues, we reached out to Hispanic lawyers to share how their background shaped the way they view and practice law, or what advice they would give to lawyers of diverse backgrounds to succeed in the practice of law. ? In this video, attorney and member of the State Bar of Texas Outreach and Engagement Committee, Raymond J. Baeza, shares how having bilingual skills and a Mexican-American background allows him to have a unique perspective and to advocate effectively for diverse clients. ? “In legal practice, bilingual skills are more than just a tool, they are a bridge to justice.” ? #HispanicHeritageMonth #TXLawyersAs Hispanic Heritage Month continues, we reached out to Hispanic lawyers to share how their background shaped the way they view and practice law, or what advice they would give to lawyers of diverse backgrounds to succeed in the practice of law. ? In this video, attorney and member of the State Bar of Texas Outreach and Engagement Committee, Raymond J. Baeza, shares how having bilingual skills and a Mexican-American background allows him to have a unique perspective and to advocate effectively for diverse clients. ? “In legal practice, bilingual skills are more than just a tool, they are a bridge to justice.” ? #HispanicHeritageMonth #TXLawyers

?? “Some people refer to collaborative law as the ‘touchy feely’ type of divorce dispute resolution, but perhaps instead it should be referred to as the process most focused on minimizing the damage caused by litigation.” In the October issue of the Texas Bar Journal, family lawyer Cindi Barela Graham explains how collaborative law can minimize damage to divorcing families. Read “Collaborative Law” here: https://lnkd.in/gX3_djbC

“Handling pro bono work has significantly benefited my legal career in several ways. As a second-year associate, I drafted briefs to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, served as second chair during oral arguments, and independently managed a resentencing hearing.” In the Pro Bono Spotlight column for the October issue of the Texas Bar Journal, Houston-based attorney Amy Farish discusses how pro bono work has benefited her legal career, how she had the honor of helping a woman from El Salvador, and more. Read the Pro Bono Spotlight column here: https://lnkd.in/dZWQQTrp #probono #a2j #lawyer

Congratulations to David Espinosa on earning the quarterly Staff Excellence Award! ?? ???? Here are some words about David from Executive Director Trey Apffel: David began working at the State Bar in June 2023 as the graphic designer for the Texas Bar Journal. In that short period, he has proven himself to be an invaluable member of the TBJ team and the Communications Division, demonstrating a strong work ethic, a positive demeanor, a can-do attitude, and an excellent knowledge of design. David is very mindful of deadlines and quick to design pages, upload files, and communicate with stakeholders. He takes the initiative and time to explain the reasoning behind a design idea or the reasoning why something works or doesn’t. This has proven beneficial to team members and other departments when troubleshooting printing problems. David quickly developed new systems and processes that have streamlined our work. He easily adapted to the existing software used to design the TBJ (QuarkXPress), but we quickly realized that with his expertise in Adobe InDesign, David would be the perfect person to lead us in the switch over to the industry standard software, something we had been wanting to do for years. He did the legwork and led the TBJ staff through detailed InDesign training. As a result, we used InDesign to lay out the September 2024 issue and have not turned back. David’s commitment to his craft, his energy, and his devotion to the State Bar are to be commended. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the bar, David! #staffexcellence

“Family lawyers should start to wade into the AI pond because AI, as co-intelligence, is reshaping the traditional roles of legal professionals. AI will serve as a co-worker, co-creator, and coach within family law.” In the October issue of the Texas Bar Journal, Patrick A. Wright, senior partner and co-founder of the Wright Firm, explains why family lawyers should start using AI in their law practices and gives examples on how it can be used. Read “Embracing AI” here: tinyurl.com/tbjembracingai #FamilyLawyers #AI #FamilyLaw

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Congratulations to everybody who passed the July Texas Bar Exam! We hope to see you all at the New Lawyers Induction Ceremony on October 28! #BarExam #NewTXLawyer The passlist can be viewed here: https://lnkd.in/gbD5zkaN