2026

The 2026 Andrea Pair Bryant Luncheon, presented by the Austin Black Lawyers Association Foundation, honored Travis County District Clerk Velva Price and Kathy Holt Richardson. 

In 2026, law firms across the country continue to face unprecedented challenges in recruiting and retaining legal talent. From intensified competition to shifting attorney expectations to the lingering aftershocks of the Great Resignation, the legal labor market remains turbulent. Amid all this complexity, one piece of advice stands out above all others: Be patient.

We sit down for a Q&A with AYLA member Max Massey.

This year’s AYLA Day of Service on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was a powerful reminder that service is at the heart of leadership. AYLA volunteers showed up in a big way across the Austin community, serving with organizations like BIG, Inside Books Project, Generation Serve, and the Central Texas Food Bank.

International Women’s Day, observed annually on March 8, serves as a global recognition of women’s achievements and an ongoing call to advance gender equality. Historically, female attorneys, scholars, and activists have advanced legal arguments, challenged discriminatory frameworks, and helped redefine the contours of civil rights. In courtrooms, classrooms, legislatures, and community organizations, women have been instrumental in championing reforms related to workplace equity, education, family law, voting rights, and protection from violence and discrimination.

There is no prescribed method of practicing law. Attorneys can do so in large regional, national, and international firms. They can also do so as part of governmental bodies, as corporate counsel, or in small-to-midsized firms. That being said, statistics show that a significant percentage of lawyers operate (like I do) as solo practitioners in private practice.

The Austin Bar is proud to announce that our award for service in the public sector has been renamed to honor William “Bill” Whitehurst, Jr.

See the results of the 2026 Judicial Preference Poll.

Funds raised through this year’s Gala will go toward funding the Austin Bar Foundation’s various charitable programs and projects. We want to highlight several individuals who graciously allowed us to interview them to see how the work of the Austin Bar Foundation has impacted their lives.

Bob Weir (the Grateful Dead’s last remaining full-time singer) recently passed away. It affected me deeply because the Dead have been part of my life since I was a child. In grade school, my father took my brother and me to meet Jerry Garcia in his hotel room after a show. That night, Jerry gave us a private tour of the Dead’s tour bus and lifetime backstage passes (that my brother and I promptly lost). As I grew older, I enjoyed attending shows by myself or with friends, especially the pre-show gatherings in the venue’s parking lot.