On behalf of the Austin Bar Association’s DEI Committee, I am excited to invite members of the Austin legal community to our annual Equity Summit. This year’s CLE program will be held on Thursday, May 23, 2024, from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Austin Community College Rio Grande Campus, 1212 Rio Grande St, Austin, TX 78701. The theme for …
By Eleanor Klibanoff, The Texas Tribune Republished with permission from The Texas Tribune. Michael Simington wasn’t one to see a doctor. But when the 67-year-old retired welder started having trouble urinating, he knew something was wrong. He saw Dr. Ruben Garcia, a urologist in Corsicana in October 2019. A biopsy showed he had prostate cancer. But Garcia didn’t share those …
It is with immense gratitude that I write to announce that I will retire from service as associate judge for the District Courts of Travis County on May 31, 2024. I have enjoyed my service on the bench as an associate judge in Travis County and, before that, as the first associate judge for the Child Protection Court of Central …
At the American Bar Association’s 39th National Institute on White Collar Crime, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced the formation of a Department of Justice (DOJ)-run rewards program for whistleblowers. “The premise is simple,” Monaco said during her remarks in San Francisco on March 7, 2024. “If an individual helps DOJ discover significant corporate or financial misconduct—otherwise unknown to …
The following are summaries of selected civil opinions issued by the Third Court of Appeals in March 2024. The summaries are overviews of particular aspects of the opinions; please review the entire opinions. Subsequent histories are current as of April 9, 2024. GOVERNMENTAL IMMUNITY: Court holds agency is immune from takings claim. Texas State Library & Archives Comm’n v. Westmoreland, …
The Austin Bar Association has announced the 2024 winners of the Joseph C. Parker Jr. Diversity Award, the Regina Rogoff Award, the Professionalism Award, and the Larry F. York Mentoring Award. The winner of the Joseph C. Parker Jr. Diversity Award is Manuel Escobar, partner at McGinnis Lochridge. The winner of the Professionalism Award is V. Blayre Pena. The winner …
“These are extraordinary times. As lawyers and as guardians of the third branch of government, we have a unique duty to lead our nation in the protection of judges, the rule of law and American democracy. The time has come to rededicate ourselves to our obligations.” This is the recent charge from American Bar Association (ABA) President Mary Smith, calling …
Congratulations to Matthew “Maff” Caponi, associate at the Kaplan Law Firm, who negotiated a $55,000 settlement for his client, Eli Winkelman, in a federal lawsuit against the City of Austin. Winkelman alleged Austin police used excessive force against her when, during the protest marches of May 2020, she attempted to film police arresting another protester. Congratulations to Frank O. Carroll …
In the month of March, not only do we get to witness the blooming of breathtaking wildflowers that are so unique to Texas, but we also have the opportunity to reflect on the Sixth Amendment right to counsel and the way it impacts different communities, especially those who are not citizens of the United States. I mention this because March …
The AYLA board of directors has recognized members of our community for three prestigious awards. These local winners will be submitted to the Texas Young Lawyers Association as nominees for the corresponding statewide awards. The Mentor Award recognizes an attorney who has consistently demonstrated a commitment to mentoring young lawyers in the legal community. This year’s winner is Sam Denton. The …