| Committee Listing and Chairs | |
• HBA Committees
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Administration of Justice Committee
This committee reviews the operation of the courts in Harris County, creates opportunities for communication between attorneys and the judiciary, and works to facilitate the administration of justice through organizing and implementing Bench/Bar Conferences annually. Click here to download the HBA 2011-2012 Committee Directory.
Co-Chair: Ms. Daniella Landers
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Co-Chair: Mr. Gordon Dees
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Adopt-a-School Committee
This committee maintains a partnership with B.C. Elmore Middle School to improve the quality of education for students and faculty in this North Forest ISD school. The committee implements programs, seeks donations and recruits volunteers for projects at this "adopted" school.
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Co-Chair: Mr. Brent Benoit |
Co-Chair: Ms. Chandria Jackson
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AIDS Outreach Committee
This committee works to provide free legal services to persons with HIV/AIDS.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Elaine McAnelly |
Co-Chair: Ms. Claudine James |
Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee
This committee assists and supports the operation and maintenance of the Dispute Resolution Center, Inc., and related programs. The committee makes recommendations to the HBA Board of Directors on the operation and administration of these programs.
Chair: Ms. Daniella Landers
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP
1001 Fannin, Suite 3700
Houston, TX 77002
713-470-6100
daniella.landers@sutherland.com
Audit, Finance & Harvest Party Committee
This committee oversees the annual financial audit of the Houston Bar Association, is responsible for assisting in the preparation of a
proposed yearly budget for the HBA, and overseas the annual fundraising efforts of the Harvest Party, which benefits the programs of the Houston Bar Foundation.
Chair: Mr. David Chaumette
De la Rosa & Chaumette
1330 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 2250
Houston, TX 77056
713-395-0991
dchaumette@delchaum.com
Campaign for the Homeless Committee
This committee coordinates an annual fall coat drive and spring children’s clothing/diaper drive.
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Co-Chair: Mr. Warren W. Harris Co-Chair: Ms. Susan Sanchez |
Communities In Schools Committee
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Co-Chair:
Hon. David Fraga |
Co-Chair: Ms. Amy Tabor |
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Co-Chair:
Mr. John R. Jones |
Co-Chair: Mr. Lloyd van Oostenrijk |
Continuing Legal Education Committee
This committee plans and executes continuing legal education seminars, institutes and special programs.
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Chair: Mr. Michael Essmyer |
Chair: Mr. Micah Heilbrun |
County Law Library Committee
This committee reviews the facilities of and the books in the Harris County Law Library and makes recommendations to the HBA Board of Directors on how the Bar can serve the library.
Chair: Hon. Michael Massengale
1st Court of Appeals
1307 San Jacinto, 10th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
713-655-2700
Elder Law Committee
Committee members volunteer to visit senior citizen sites bi-monthly to provide legal advice to qualified senior citizens. Additionally, if needed, the committee members assist in securing legal representation for the senior by an HVLP volunteer attorney. The committee also supervises the publication and distribution of the Elder Law Handbooks and an coordinates annual Will-a-thon.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Joy Eckelkamp-Torres |
Co-Chair: Ms. Bryn Poland |
Fee Dispute Committee
This committee arbitrates disputes between attorneys and clients involving legal fees.
Co-Chair: Mr. Tom Farrell
McGuireWoods LLP
600 Travis, Suite 7500
Houston, TX 77002
713-571-9191
tfarrell@mcguirewoods.com
Co-Chair: Ms. Seema Puri
Zions Management Services Company
7207 Pouter Dr.
Houston, TX 77083
713-232-6699
seema.puri@zionsbancorp.com
John J. Eikenburg Law Week Fun Run Committee
This committee organizes an annual John J. Eikenburg Law Week fun run for HBA members and the community that benefits the
Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation, Inc.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Sherry Bankhead |
Co-Chair: Mr. Simon Mayer
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Gender Fairness Committee
This committee examines issues related to gender fairness in the legal profession and develops programs that provide a forum for discussion of issues related to gender fairness, including training and support for attorneys. The committee promotes awareness of these issues within the profession and encourages law firms and corporate legal departments to set policies that promote gender fairness.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Laura Gibson |
Co-Chair: Ms. Alison Sulentic
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Golf Tournament Committee
This committee plans and conducts an annual golf tournament for HBA members. Proceeds from the event benefit the Houston Bar Foundation.
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Habitat for Humanity Committee
This committee oversees the HBA’s participation in fundraising efforts and organizing volunteer efforts for the building of the fourteenth Habitat for Humanity House.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Avery Carson |
Co-Chair: Mr. Richard Sitton
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Harris County Bench Bar Pro Bono Awards Committee
This committee will review entries and select the award winners.
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Co-Chair: Hon. Joseph J. (Tad) Halbach |
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H.A.Y. Center Committee
This committee will maintain a partnership with the H.A.Y. Center to assist the clients with the sealing of records and educational programs. The committee will organize a day long education seminar for H.A.Y. Center staff and organize and oversee the stocking of the "ready room" for H.A.Y. Center clients.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Ellyn Josef Co-Chair: Mr. Greg Ulmer |
Co-Chair: Ms. Lynn Kamin
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Historical Committee
This committee is responsible for researching and preserving the history of the association and its members.
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Co-Chair: Mr. Todd Frankfort |
Co-Chair: Mr. Lionel Schooler
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The Houston Lawyer Committee
The person appointed editor of The Houston Lawyer magazine chairs this committee. The committee is responsible for the editing and publishing of the magazine in cooperation with the HBA staff and sets editorial policies and procedures as approved by the HBA Board of Directors.
Chair: Ms. Tamara Stiner Toomer
832-266-2358
tdstiner@hotmail.com
Houston Lawyer Referral Service Committee
This committee serves as the Houston Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service Board, and provides services to and support of the Lawyer Referral Service as needed and approved by the HBA Board of Directors.
Chair: Mr. M. Carter Crow
Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.
1301 McKinney
Houston, TX 77010
713-651-5151
mcrow@fulbright.com
Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program Committee
This committee oversees the operation of the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program, which provides pro bono legal services to Houston citizens who meet HVLP’s established financial guidelines.
Chair: Mr. Alistair Dawson
Beck Redden & Secrest, L.L.P.
1221 McKinney Street, Suite 4500
Houston, TX 77010
713-951-3700
adawson@brsfirm.com
IDEA Committee
The committee coordinates the Interprofessional Drug Education Alliance (IDEA), a cooperative effort between the HBA and the Harris County Medical Society. Through IDEA, physician/lawyer teams volunteer to educate fifth graders about the medical and legal consequences of drug abuse.
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Co-Chair: Mr. Carlos R. Garcia |
Co-Chair: Ms. Debbie Ziegler |
Judicial Polls Committee
This committee develops and distributes, in election years, a judicial candidate qualification and judicial preference poll, and in
non-election years, a judicial evaluation poll to HBA members. The committee also is responsible for disseminating the results of these polls to members and the public.
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Co-Chair: Mr. Bruce Hurley |
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Juvenile Consequences Partnership
This program is a partnership of the Houston Bar Association, the Harris County Probation Department, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and the Houston Police Department. The program provides education about juvenile justice system to youth on probation and their parents. The program is held once a month, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. in the Harris County Juvenile Center Training Room. Each partner organization speaks for 30 minutes on their role in the juvenile justice system. The goal of the program is to keep youth out of the system through an increased understanding of the juvenile justice system and its consequences.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Ruth Mescall |
Co-Chair: Ms. Miriam J. Riskind
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Law and the Media Committee
This committee plans and executes the yearly Law and the Media seminar, as well as a media-training program, when requested, for the HBA Board of Directors.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Margaret Downing Co-Chair: Mr. Scott A. Durfee |
Law Week Committee
This committee plans and implements a comprehensive program of activities in commemoration of Law Day, May 1, a national holiday set aside to recognize the importance of law in our society.
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Co-Chair: Mr. Benny Agosto Co-Chair: Ms. Marie Jamison
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Lawyers Against Waste
This committee works with the City of Houston and Keep Houston Beautiful
to organize an annual trash clean-up project which commemorates Law Day
and Earth Day.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Jennifer Hasley Co-Chair: Ms. Amy Dinn |
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Lawyers for Literacy Committee
Committee members assist in recruiting volunteer attorneys to act as tutors for READ Commission projects and B.C. Elmore Middle School. The committee coordinates the HBA's participation in the READ Commission's Spelling Bee, and conducts an annual book drive for “gently-used” books.
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Co-Chair: Mr. John Spiller Co-Chair: Ms. Alison Gates |
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LegalLine Committee
This committee oversees the operation of the HBA's monthly call-in program that provides free legal help for Houston citizens. The committee is responsible for recruiting panels of volunteer attorneys to answer questions from callers between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Keri Brown Co-Chair: Ms. Sara Longtain |
Co-Chair: Mr. Mitch A. Reid Co-Chair: Mr. David M. Silbert Co-Chair: Mr. Mingda Zhao |
Membership, Member Benefits and Pictorial Roster Committee
This committee works to increase the membership of the HBA and makes recommendations to the HBA Board of Directors on the timing and nature of membership drives. The committee conducts at least one membership drive each year and actively solicits members for the organization. The committee also monitors the current membership benefits package, makes additional member benefit recommendations to the HBA Board of Directors and oversees the publication of the annual Pictorial Roster of HBA members.
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Chair: Mr. Alistair Dawson |
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Minority Opportunities in the Legal Profession Committee
This committee will encourage and promote equal opportunities for, as well as active involvement and participation by, minority lawyers in the legal profession and in the Houston Bar Association by, inter alia, developing and sponsoring educational programs, as well as service and support projects, to attain the objectives of the committee as stated above.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Cisselon Hurd |
Co-Chair: Ms. Sandra L. Phillips
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Professionalism Committee
This committee works to promote professionalism within the legal community and to encourage public awareness of the HBA's commitment to its mandate on professionalism. The committee also coordinates the HBA Mentor Program and Professionalism Day which is held annually in conjunction with the three local law schools.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Erin Lunceford Co-Chair: Mr. Jim Winton |
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Senior Lawyers Committee
This committee is responsible for maintaining a list of members of the association who are 55 years of age or older. Quarterly meetings will be held by this committee to provide networking, mentoring and CLE activities.
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Co-Chair: Mr. Dan Leightman |
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Speakers Bureau Committee
This committee is responsible for maintaining a list of members of the association who are willing to speak before schools, service clubs and other civic organizations. The HBA office serves as a contact point for citizens and organizations to request such speakers. This committee also is responsible for recruiting lawyers to "teach" at two sessions of the People's Law School, an effort that the HBA co-sponsors annually with the University of Houston, Channel 13 and The Houston Chronicle.
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Co-Chair: Mr. Carter Crow |
Co-Chair: Hon. Maria T. Jackson
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Special Olympics Committee
This committee coordinates and recruits volunteers in support of Texas Special Olympics sports activities.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Alicia Freed |
Co-Chair: Mr. Ken Krock |