State Bar Names Austin Lawyer Best Overall Newsletter

The Austin Bar Association is proud to announce that Austin Lawyer has been named the Best Overall Newsletter for Division III by the State Bar of Texas! Additionally, the “Decriminalizing Mental Health in Travis County” series was named Best Series of Articles – General Interest for Division III. This seven-part series was published between July 2023 and February 2024 and …

Congratulations to the Bench Bar Award Winners!

(L-R): Austin Bar President Justice Chari Kelly, Regina Rogoff Award winnerRaymond Winter, Larry F. York Mentoring Award winner Judge Jan Soifer,Professionalism Award winner V. Blayre Pena, and Joseph C. Parker, Jr. Diversity Award winner Manuel Escobar. (L-R): AYLA President Sarah Harp, Mentor Award winner Sam Denton, Outstanding Young Lawyer Award winner Nora Picasso Uvalle, and Austin Bar President Justice Chari …

Ask Not What AYLA Does, Ask What AYLA Does Not Do

One of the questions I am most often asked when talking to and about the legal community is, “What does AYLA do?” It was the first question my distant cousin asked when I shared the news that I would be president of the organization and it is always the top question prospective members have—and rightfully so, when learning about AYLA. …

AYLA Hosts “Trust & Estate Law Basics” CLE

On Tuesday, April 9, 2024, AYLA held a CLE on “Trust & Estate Law Basics,” presented by Melissa Pina, VP, Trust & Estates Officer, Cadence Bank.  The CLE provided attendees with an overview of considerations of which every attorney should have a basic understanding in serving clients. These included the importance of having a will; potential information needed when building …

Texas Supreme Court Update June 2024

The following are summaries of selected opinions issued by the Texas Supreme Court in May 2024. These summaries are prepared by court staff as a courtesy and are not a substitute for the actual opinions. The summaries are overviews of particular aspects of the opinions; please review the entire opinions. JURISDICTION – Timely service requirement is jurisdictional prerequisite for suits …

District & County Court Update June 2024

Editor’s Note: A monthly update on jury trials in Travis County will be circulated in Bar Code and posted in the Austin Bar app. Lucy’s Kitchen #2 LLC v. Taylor Plaza, LLC Cause No.: D-1-GN-19-006920 Judge: Hon. Jessica Mangrum, 200th Civil District Court Trial Date(s): April 1 – 3, 2024 Attorneys: Plaintiff:  Russell Frost, Law Office of Russell Frost, PLLC …

Bending the Rules: Utah’s Experiment with Non-Lawyer Entities Providing Legal Services

At a January 2024 meeting of the Texas Access to Justice Commission, the commission voted against a recommendation to create a pilot program that would have allowed non-attorney ownership of entities licensed to provide limited legal services tolow-income Texans. The topic of nonlawyer ownership in legal entities has been a topic of growing interest in recent years. Currently, Texas Disciplinary …

Local Lawyers Honored at 2024 ABLAF Andrea Pair Bryant Legacy Luncheon

Judge Clifford Brown, Sylvia Faye Hardman-Dingle, and Dexter Gilford were the honorees at the 2024 Austin Black Lawyers Association Foundation (ABLAF) Andrea Pair Bryant Legacy Luncheon. The trio was honored for their significant contributions to the African American legal community. Judge Eric Shepperd emceed the event,  which was held at Chateau Bellevue. ABLAF President Ayeola Williams and ABLA President Johnathan …