The Austin Bar Association cosponsored the 23rd annual Austin Adoption Day, where children were officially adopted into their forever families. The event took place at the Travis County Civil and Family Courts Facility on Nov. 14. The adoption cases were heard by many of Travis County’s district judges. There were 4,100 adoptions in Texas in 2023. Of those, 136 were …
The Austin Bar Foundation and its Veterans’ Legal Assistance Program (VLAP) sincerely thanks attorney volunteer Stephanie Long for a generous contribution of $1,200 to VLAP! This was no ordinary donation, however. Stephanie recently got married and, instead of asking for gifts, she and her husband asked for donations to their favorite causes. Stephanie very generously chose VLAP. Thank you very …
If you are interested in running for a position as a director or officer of the Austin Bar Association, please fill out this form by Jan. 31. All candidates must be current attorneys and Austin Bar members in good standing. Officer positions are one-year terms; director positions are for two years. Nominees for the office of president-elect must have served …
Texas has paid nearly $100 million to 95 men and women who were wrongfully convicted since 2009, according to a study conducted by criminal defense firm Michael & Associates in Austin.1 Records from the Texas State Comptroller’s Office also indicate the state pays a monthly annuity to each exoneree, totaling almost $500,000 per month. The compensation is the result of …
Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas is proud to announce the winners and honorees of its 2023 calendar-year awards and distinctions. Abigail Griffith, an associate at Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg, received the Susan P. Burton Award, which is given annually to a volunteer attorney who has been licensed for five years or less and who has provided exemplary pro …
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Austin Bar Association membership or the Austin Bar Association board of directors. Consider the following three scenes: SCENE ONE Egypt, Giza Valley, Akehnaton’s apartment. 2500 BC. [A knock on the door, it’s Djoser, the chief stone architect of Pharoah Khafre’s …
Thank you to everyone who donated and/or came out to support equal access to justice in Central Texas and lawyer well-being on Saturday, Oct. 26! We had two big events that day: One was the Pro Bono Fall Festival, held in conjunction with the Mother Attorney Mentors of Austin (MAMAs) to raise funds for Volunteer Legal Services (VLS) of Central …
This is what I know: Depression lies. Depression will tell you that you aren’t successful, that you don’t deserve what you have. That you aren’t a good partner, parent, child, or friend. Depression holds you hostage. It isolates you and warps your reality. It distances you from those who love you and whispers words of shame, doubt, and derision. It …
Judge Julie Kocurek of the 390th District Court has been named the 2024 recipient of the William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence. The award is given by the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) and is one of the country’s highest judicial honors. The recipient is decided by the Governance and Nominations Committee of NCSC’s board of directors, which …
Hi, I’m Carly, and by the grace of a Power much smarter than me, I have been in a 12-step recovery program since April 30, 2011. I have never publicly disclosed my sobriety despite it being a part of my life about which I am most proud, most protective, and for which I am most profoundly grateful. Yet, I have …