State Bar of Texas

Congratulations to all the recipients of the 2024 Deborah G. Hankinson Awards on behalf of the Texas Access to Justice Commission. Recipients: Division I – Jefferson County Bar Association Division III – Dallas Bar Association The awards recognize local bar associations for their commitment to access to justice in their communities. #LBLC2024

From the moment registration opened all the way until the last breakout session, thank you to all the local bar associations for partaking in the 2024 Local Bar Leaders Conference! We had a fantastic time seeing bar leaders network, gaining insight from the Texas Access to Justice Commission, TYLA, and TLAP, and participating in the keynotes from Elizabeth Derricco and Alex Shahrestani. We can’t wait for next year’s conference on July 24-25 at the Westin Galleria in Houston, and we hope you are too! #LBLC24

One of the last breakout sessions of the 2024 Local Bar Leaders Conference focused on online tools for expanding pro bono legal services. Mary C. Rios of Free Legal Answers, Texas Legal Services Center, and Brittany Krohn of Houston Volunteer Lawyers discussed legal technologies and tools that can help connect attorneys to a range of pro bono opportunities while getting help to those who need it. #LBLC24 #a2j

During day two of the 2024 Local Bar Leaders Conference, Betty Balli Torres and April Faith-Slaker, executive directors of the TEXAS ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOUNDATION and Texas Access to Justice Commission, respectively, presented “Access to Justice in Texas” to bar leaders. This breakout session focused on legal needs in Texas and what bar associations can do to help low-income families with their civil justice problems. #LBLC24 #a2j

🌟 We had the pleasure of being joined by Alex Shahrestani, the managing partner for Promise Legal, as our speaker for the 2024 Local Bar Leaders Conference Friday keynote luncheon. Shahrestani shared how AI is transforming the legal tech market and why local bar associations must understand its potential benefits and risks. #LBLC24

State Bar of Texas Archives Director Trina Purcell hosted a discussion among local bar leaders on document preservation and records management for small organizations. She discussed records management, preservation of documents and photographs, what to keep and what not to keep, and how to organize your material. #LBLC24

The Texas Access to Justice Commission is hosting multiple breakout sessions during day two of the 2024 Local Bar Leaders Conference. For the first breakout session of the day, bar leaders attended “Help a Vet, Save a Life” with TAJC Veterans Committee Co-Chairs General Alfred A. Valenzuela and Terry O. Tottenham and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid Executive Director Robert Doggett. This session addressed how local bars can work closely with Texas legal aid providers to increase providing pro bono civil legal services to veterans. #LBLC24 #a2j

On Friday morning of the 2024 Local Bar Leaders Conference, State Bar of Texas President Steve Benesh spoke to bar leaders about his goals for the 2024-2025 year, which include expanding the opportunities for docket assistance to attorneys who must step back from their law practices, continuing the work of identifying and establishing the role of the State Bar in connection with the use of artificial intelligence by Texas attorneys, and more. Texas Young Lawyers Association President Hisham Masri shared why it’s essential for TYLA to help local bar associations and for local bar associations to help young lawyers. #LBLC2024

Following the opening luncheon of the 2024 Local Bar Leaders Conference, attendees had the choice of multiple breakouts to attend, one of which was “The State Bar of Texas Cessation of Practice Program,” with Succession Planning Program Administrator Dean Schaffer. This breakout session asked, “Who are the stakeholders when lawyers fall from practice or unexpectedly die?” Bar leaders learned about the interplay between local bars and the State Bar in the new Cessation of Practice Program. #LBLC24

Elizabeth Derrico, principal consultant of Elizabeth Derrico & Associates, kicked off the 2024 Local Bar Leaders Conference with a fantastic presentation on “Leadership Lessons from the Rearview Mirror: the Good, the Bad, and the Inspiring.” Derrico shared her observations about having a rewarding leadership experience after nearly 40 years of working with bar leaders from small and large bar organizations. She also shared tips for seizing opportunities and rising to the challenges as bar leaders shepherd their bar association through possibility. #LBLC2024