December 2023/January 2024 Briefs

Congratulations to Austin Bar member and former Austin Mayor Steve Adler, who has joined Fritz Byrne PLLC as partner. Adler will handle eminent-domain cases for the firm while also maintaining his teaching positions at St. Edward’s University, UT’s Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, and Huston-Tillotson University. Congratulations to Austin Bar member Rep. Lulu Flores, who won the Texas …

2024 Austin Bar Foundation Gala Award Winners Announced

The Austin Bar Association and Austin Bar Foundation are proud to announce the winners of the 2024 Distinguished Lawyer and David H. Walter Community Excellence awards! Edna Ramón Butts, Marcy Hogan Greer, and Randy Howry have won Distinguished Lawyer awards, and Jeff Edwards has won the David H. Walter Community Excellence Award. The Distinguished Lawyer Award  recognizes the dedication and …

UT Study Finds Hospital Systems Can Artificially Inflate Prices

Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin found that a hospital system with a single IT platform can easily collude with rival hospital systems to keep prices above competitive levels. In the study, McCombs School of Business Associate Professor Hüseyin Tanriverdi found that a hospital system with a single IT platform: A hospital system with a single IT platform …

Study Recommends New Standards for Public Defender Felony Caseloads

Is 14 hours enough for a public defender (PD) to handle a felony case? “No,” is the conclusion of a new study sponsored by the Rand Corporation. In 1973, the National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals determined that a PD can handle a yearly maximum of 150 felony cases, 400 misdemeanors, 200 mental health cases, 200 juvenile …

Austin Police to Begin Releasing Monthly Data Reports

The Austin Police Department (APD) will soon start releasing a monthly report that includes number of arrests, instances of use of force, officer staffing, and overtime use. Currently known only as the APD Open Policing Data Release, the monthly release was requested by Austin City Councilmember Chito Vela, and was approved on Sept. 14. “What we’re doing today is bringing …

Learn the Crucial Aspects of Workplace Investigations

In the complex labor and employment law world, the importance of workplace investigations cannot be overstated. Understanding why workplace investigations matter is fundamental for attorneys specializing in this field. These investigations have legal implications and impact the financial well-being of both employers and employees. Title VII and Financial Implications First and foremost, workplace investigations are pivotal because of Title VII …

American Bar Association Names Richard Pena Among Influential Hispanic Activists and Legal Trailblazers

Former Austin Bar and State Bar of Texas President Richard Pena has been named one of the most influential Hispanics in law by the American Bar Association (ABA). In celebration of Hispanic/Latino/a/x Heritage Month in September, the ABA Center for Diversity and Inclusion released a list honoring 21 Hispanic activists and trailblazers in the legal profession across the nation. Included …

Applications Are Open for the 2024 AYLA/Austin Bar Leadership Academy!

The AYLA/Austin Bar Leadership Academy assists Austin-area lawyers in making a difference in our community and in service to the Bar. A class of lawyers from the Austin Bar and AYLA will be selected from applications submitted by lawyers of all areas of practice, firm size, and levels of experience. The Leadership Academy will begin with a retreat on Jan. …

Introducing Jillian Garza, the Austin Bar’s New Intern

The Austin Bar is happy to introduce our new intern, Jillian Garza! Garza is currently an undergraduate student at The University of Texas at Austin and is on track to graduate in 2025. She is attending UT on a full scholarship and is pursuing a B.S. in political communication with a minor in communication and social change. Garza says she …