Editor’s note: TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) or find more information at tlaphelps.org. My name is _____________. I am almost 60 years old, eight years clean in NA, and this is my first time in recovery. I thought I was okay despite a lifetime of using drugs, inner desperation, and outer chaos. I did not think I was…

The State Bar announced the winners of the annual Law Day editorial, photography, and poster contests this month. Law Day is celebrated annually across the country on May 1 to honor the rule of law and underscore how the legal process contributes to the freedoms that all Americans share. The State Bar of Texas and the Texas Young Lawyers Association celebrate the importance of law and its impact on our nation and local communities by…

MidSouth Bank has partnered with the Texas Access to Justice Foundation’s Prime Partner Bank program. As part of the program, MidSouth Bank will voluntarily pay higher interest rates for Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts, or IOLTA. “Many Texans face serious legal issues, such as escaping situations of domestic violence or avoiding foreclosure, and simply do not have the resources to hire an attorney,” said Richard L. Tate, chair of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation…

Thank you to the 29 writers who submitted entries to the Texas Bar Journal Short Story Contest this year. Author names were removed from entries before being submitted to judges in order to keep the contest fair and impartial. Two panels of judges faced the challenging task of selecting the winners, and for each round the same evaluation form was used for consistency. Ten entries advanced to the final round, which was judged by Pamela…

In March 2019, three Texas lawyers sued the State Bar of Texas claiming that under Janus v. AFSCME (2018), it is unconstitutional for an attorney to be required to join the State Bar of Texas in order to practice law. The plaintiffs also challenge bar programs that they claim exceed the bar’s “core regulatory functions.” The State Bar of Texas will vigorously defend its existing statutory structure, which was established by the Texas Legislature in…

The Texas Bar Career Center provides tips for new lawyers and those attorneys seeking a new career on its webpage, texasbar.com/careercenter. In addition to being a resource for jobs, the career center also features helpful tips and offers users the option to upload anonymous résumés to be found by recruiters and employers. Job seekers can also set alerts so that they will be notified when jobs they are interested in have been posted.…

Four attorneys were honored for their exceptional contributions in 2018 to the State Bar of Texas’ continuing legal education efforts. TexasBarCLE gave Standing Ovation Awards to Joe R. Anderson, of Burns Anderson Jury & Brenner in Austin; John C. Grace, of the Lubbock City Attorney’s Office; Mark T. Murray, of Stevenson & Murray in Houston; and Kristal C. Thompson, of Langley & Banack in San Antonio.…