Please join us for the HBF Annual Luncheon on Thursday, March 7 at Marriott Marquis Houston. We look forward to thanking 2023 HBF Chair Monica Karuturi and the Board of Directors for their dedication and welcoming 2024 HBF Chair Linda Hester and board members.

The luncheon is also an opportunity to recognize the generosity of our outstanding Fellows, board members, and volunteers, and celebrate the winners of the Harris County Bench Bar Pro Bono Awards. Award winners will be announced soon.

Supreme Court of Texas Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht, recipient of the 2024 James B. Sales Pro Bono Leadership Award, will give the keynote address.

This year’s event will include a pre-event reception at 11:00 a.m. to honor our HBF Fellows and award winners. Enjoy mocktails and hors d’oeurves before the program gets promptly underway at 11:30 a.m. Purchase tickets before prices increase on February 23, 2024. We look forward to seeing you there!

Purchase Tickets to the HBF Annual Luncheon

If you're interested in becoming a Fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation or wish to nominate someone, please contact one of the Nominating Committee co-chairs: Lauren Brogdon, Bryce Callahan, or Sara Keith or contact Ron Riojas, Membership & Technology Services Director, at ronr@hba.org.

Are you a Fellow who has completed your pledge and would like to take your fellowship to a new level? Thank you! If you would like to take your fellowship to a new level or participate in our annual sustaining campaign that ends on February 29, 2024, please contact Ron Riojas, Membership & Technology Services Director, at ronr@hba.org.

Click Here to Learn More About the HBF Fellows Program

View our Current Fellows List

One of HBA President Diana Gomez’s key initiatives this year is to work with the Harris County District Courts, led by Judge Latosha Payne, Judge R.K. Sandill, Judge Michael Gomez, and Judge Cheryl Thornton, as well as the Harris County Commissioners Court, led by Commissioner Lesley Briones, to install increased lactation/wellness facilities in the Harris County Court Complex.

The HBA Gender Fairness Committee and current and former HBA and HYLA female presidents are spearheading efforts to raise funds to purchase multiple Mamava XL Lactation Pods.

HBA President Diana Gomez gathered with former women presidents of the HBA and Houston Young Lawyers Association (HYLA) for a luncheon on January 23 to celebrate their important access to justice project!

The commitment to installation of increased lactation/wellness facilities in the Harris County Court Complex underscores the importance of women in the legal profession but also provides a welcoming and safe nursing environment for clients, judges, staff, and the millions of members of the general public served by the Harris County Court Complex every year. 

Thank you to all of the individuals and firms who have donated so far! We invite you to join them in supporting this initiative and help us make history by donating today.

Click Here to Learn More About This Important Initiative

Nominations for these awards are due by 5:00 p.m., Friday, March 29, 2024. Please submit the nominee's resume and three to five letters of support to HBA Marketing and Communications Director Maggie Martin at maggiem@hba.org.

Justice Eugene A. Cook Professionalism Award

The Justice Eugene A. Cook Professionalism Award is presented by the Houston Bar Association to a lawyer or judge who exemplifies the highest level of professionalism and legal ethics. A nominee must have demonstrated, by conduct and character, a longstanding commitment to professionalism and a record of exemplary service in the areas of professionalism, legal ethics, and legal excellence. The nominee must be a role model for younger or less experienced lawyers who make the bar proud of the legal profession. Lawyer nominees may be from a transactional or litigation practice, and nominees must be a member of the HBA.

Justice Ruby Kless Sondock Award

The Justice Ruby Kless Sondock Award is presented by the Houston Bar Association to a woman lawyer or judge for exceptional achievement and leadership in the law. This award recognizes a record of outstanding accomplishments by a woman attorney. The award was established in 2019 and is named in honor of Justice Sondock, the first recipient, who was a trailblazer in the legal profession as the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court of Texas and the first woman District Court Judge in Harris County. A nominee must have demonstrated, by conduct and character, a record of exceptional service as a role model, mentor, and advocate in the legal profession, and a lifelong commitment to professionalism. Nominees may be from a transactional or litigation practice, and nominees must be a member of the HBA.

Click Here to See Past Recipients 

The deadline to file petitions for nomination to the HBA Board of Directors is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 23, 2024.

There are both officer and director positions. Each petition must designate the officer or director position sought by the candidate and must be signed by at least 10 current members of the Houston Bar Association. A biographical form and a current photograph must accompany each petition. Biographical data will be limited to 200 words. Each candidate will be asked to read and sign the HBA guidelines governing campaigns for officer and director positions.

To request a petition, please contact HBA Executive Director Mindy Davidson at mindygd@hba.org or (713) 759-1133.

Stay engaged and informed with your legal community! Visit the HBA's online events calendar for upcoming CLEs, section and committee programming, and more. We look forward to seeing you soon! 

HBA Online Events Calendar

As a reminder, the HBA adopted the following policy for judicial campaigning at HBA events:

There should be no active campaigning, no literature distributed, no buttons worn, essentially nothing to indicate that a judge is in a contested race, and certainly nothing urging a favorable vote. Judges and judicial candidates may serve on HBA committee(s) and appear in HBA programs.

HBA Night hosted by the HBA and Houston Young Lawyers Association, originally scheduled for Wednesday, January 24, has been rescheduled for Wednesday, February 7 at 6:30 p.m. 

Join the HBA and HYLA to run or walk with a judge and fellow bar members. Participants are invited to meet at the swimming pool parking lot at Memorial Park. 

Questions? Email HYLA Run Club co-chairs Joshua Upham (joshua.upham@lanierlawfirm.com) or Humam Daas (humam.daas@gmail.com).

Click Here to Register

Join the HBA LGBTQ+ Committee for their 3rd Annual Mardi Gras Party on Monday, February 12 at Brennan's. All are welcome! Thank you to all of our sponsors!

Purchase your tickets here

Sponsorship opportunities here

For any questions, please contact Todd Batson at todd.batson@nortonrosefulbright.com.

The HBA Gender Fairness Committee will host its 10th Annual Speed Mentoring event on Thursday, February 15, 6:00-8:30 p.m., at Vinson & Elkins LLP. Open to women attorneys licensed five years or less.

Featuring small group discussions on topics such as:

• Career Building and Advancement
• Business Development
• Mentorship and Sponsorship for Career Advancement
• Gender Stereotypes and Sexism in the Workplace

Learn More and Register Here

Space is limited! RSVP by Wednesday, February 13. 

Get moving with the 39th Annual HBA Eikenburg 8K Fun Run, including an 8K race, one-mile family walk, and a non-competitive 1K kids run in Sam Houston Park downtown.

Check-in begins at 6:30 a.m. and the post-race party starts at 9:00 a.m. Runners get an official T-shirt, finisher medal for 8K and 1K, an official number bib, after-party access, and door prize entry.

Since 1986, the Houston Bar Association has raised over $1.7 million for The Center for Pursuit, a Houston nonprofit organization which serves those with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism.

Join the race to continue Houston Bar Association's support for this worthwhile cause.

Register Here

Sponsorship Opportunities Still Available!

Questions? Contact Bonnie Simmons at bonnies@hba.org or (346) 471-3418.  

Revisit our January Bulletin story about this year's trophy honoring the "Father of Jogging."

Join us at Brennan's on Wednesday, February 28, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for an enlightening session at the HBA Senior Lawyers Forum. Delve into the heart of Texas politics as we explore "The Texas Legislature: What they did in 2023 and how the 2024 elections may play out," with Mark P. Jones, political science fellow at Rice University. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights into Texas politics while earning 1 hour of MCLE credit.

Mark your Calendars and Secure your Spot Today!

The portrait unveiling for the Honorable David D. Farr will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 8. The ceremony will take place in the Ceremonial Courtroom at the Harris County Civil Courthouse (17th floor, 201 Caroline St., 77002). A lunch reception will follow immediately after across the hallway. 

Grab your clubs and tee up for the 76th Annual HBA Golf Tournament, taking place on Thursday, March 28 at Wildcat Golf Club. 

Whether you're a pro or a novice, this popular spring event is a fun way to spend the day bonding with colleagues and friends while supporting a great cause. Net proceeds from the tournament benefit the 26th HBA Habitat for Humanity house and the Houston Bar Foundation.

For questions, contact HBA Projects & Events Director Bonnie Simmons at bonnies@hba.org.

Register for the 76th Annual HBA Golf Tournament

Sponsorship Opportunities Still Available

Enjoy cuisine and libations prepared with global inspiration at the first-ever Bites & Beverages for the Bar on Friday, April 12 at Hotel ZaZa Museum District. 

Join the largest organization of Houston attorneys in raising a glass to celebrate civility and promote professional business development.
 
Bites & Beverages for the Bar is one of this year’s premier HBA events. Come gather with friends and colleagues from across Houston’s bar as we remember what makes our legal community the best in the nation!

Click Here to View Sponsorship Opportunities

For more information, please contact HBA Associate Executive Director Ashley Gagnon Steininger at ashleyg@hba.org or 346-471-3431 or HBA Education Coordinator Alli Hessel at allih@hba.org or 346-471-3293.

Enjoy the HBA's new platform to experience our online CLE library! Here are some of the new features HBA members can enjoy now:

• More user-friendly.
• Easier search function.
• Watch history makes it easy for you to return to programs you’ve started watching and find programs you’ve completed to report CLE.
• Still FREE to HBA members!
• Still 24/7 access at your fingertips.

Visit the New HBA On-Demand CLE Library Here

You can also bookmark hba.org/CLE in your browser, or find the library in the dropdown menu under "CLE & Events" on the HBA website

Questions about the HBA's new online CLE library? Contact HBA Education Coordinator Alli Hessel at allih@hba.org. 

These CLE programs are FREE for HBA members to attend. Non-members may also attend most programs for $26 per person (unless otherwise noted). Register by noon the day of the program (unless otherwise noted) via the HBA website calendar. 

We are proud to share new a new HBA Membership Testimonial featuring HBA Member Marie Carlisle! Click here to read about how Marie values her HBA membership. 

Our thanks to Marie and all of the other members who shared their HBA member experience! You can learn more about their HBA journeys here and follow us on social media to catch the newest membership testimonials as soon as they post.  

If you’d like to be a part of the HBA member experience, click here to join us today! Thank you to the HBA Membership Committee and Social Media Subcommittee for your partnership on this special initiative.  

If you have questions about these testimonials, or would like to join the HBA Membership Committee, please contact HBA Marketing and Communications Director Maggie Martin at maggiem@hba.org.  

 If you have good news you would like to share in the HBA Bulletin, please email HBA Marketing and Communications Director Maggie Martin at maggiem@hba.org.

Founding partner Joe Redden retired from Beck Redden LLP on January 1. The firm also welcomed Mary Kate Raffetto to the partnership.

HBA Past President Roland Garcia, shareholder in the Houston office of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, has been named to both the Memorial Hermann Health System Distinguished Board Wall of Honor and to the Lifetime Board Wall of Honor, which recognize board members who have served full terms, have held multiple leadership roles with exemplary service, and who were significant advocates and champions for the system.

Congratulations to Dean Leonard M. Baynes on his 10 year anniversary as dean of the University of Houston Law Center. As of this year, Dean Baynes is the longest-serving law school dean in Texas. 

Kane Russell Coleman Logan PC announced Raymond J. Kane, a founding director of the firm, as the firm’s new Chairman of the board of directors. Additionally, Andrew Sarne, a director in the Houston office, has been elected to the firm's board of directors and Jerrad Bloome has been elected as a director.

Rick Houghton joined Murphy Ball Stratton LLP as a partner. 

Melissa Gutierrez Alonso was elevated to partner in Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP's Houston office. 

Jackson Lewis P.C. announced Christine Traversi of the firm’s Houston office has been elevated to principal.

Spencer Fane elected Colin Goodman and Trevor Hall to partnership in its Houston office. 

McGlinchey Stafford named attorney Kathryn “Kasey” Davis as a member in the firm's Houston office. 

Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner recently welcomed Disha Roy as of counsel, as well as Efrain Gonzalez Jr. as an associate. The firm also promoted Morgan Mills to associate. Attorney Jonathan Sneed is now board certified in personal injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

McFarland PLLC welcomed Billy Coe Dyer as a partner in the Houston office.

K&L Gates welcomed John Northington Jr. to the firm’s public policy and law practice as a government affairs advisor in the Houston and Washington, D.C., offices.

Mike Ridulfo, part of Kane Russell Coleman Logan’s Bankruptcy, Insolvency & Creditors’ Rights team in Houston, received an award from The M&A Advisor in its 18th annual Turnaround Awards. 

Valerie Henderson has been named the new office managing shareholder (OMS) of Baker Donelson's Houston office.

Blank Rome has announced the addition of experienced litigator Audrey Momanaee to the firm’s Houston office

The HBA is proud to serve as Houston Habitat for Humanity's longest-serving sponsor! Since 1998, the Houston Bar Association has partnered with Houston Habitat for Humanity to provide houses for deserving local families. 

We invite you to help the HBA raise funds for its next Habitat home by contributing to the construction fund here. All contributions will be allocated to the HBA sponsorship of Houston Habitat for Humanity.  

Visit the HBA Habitat for Humanity Committee page to view sponsorship levels or to learn more about the HBA’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity and other ways you can help make a difference.  

Make a slam dunk for a cause! Sign up to volunteer with the HBA Special Olympics Committee at the Special Olympics Texas East Region Area 4 Basketball Competition on Saturday, February 24, various locations and shifts available. Let's show our support and cheer on these incredible athletes! All ages welcome.

Click Here to Learn More and Sign Up Today

Employer Application Deadline: Friday, March 1

We invite law firms, legal departments, and legal organizations to host HBA CIS interns this summer. These are exceptional high school students recruited by Communities In Schools who are interested in the legal profession. Many of these students are first generation matriculants. This is an opportunity to make a real difference in their lives. 

If your office is interested in participating in the Summer 2024 program, please submit the form no later than March 1, 2024. The 8-week program is scheduled to run from June 10 to August 2. 

We also accept tax deductible donations to either sponsor an intern ($3,500) or to cover lunch for the interns at orientation, the closing ceremony, and/or weekly seminars ($500). Donations can be made here. Please note the HBA CIS Summer Legal Internship Program with your donation. 

Sign Up Here to Participate or Donate

LegalLine is seeking volunteer firms and attorneys to assist with providing legal advice and information to HVL applicants over the phone in 2024. Volunteer opportunities are available certain Wednesdays from 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. or Fridays from 1:00-5:00 p.m.

Volunteer attorneys will be assigned 4-8 calls. Each volunteer will be  matched with an HVL staff attorney for guidance and mentorship, as needed. Volunteer attorneys will have access to online legal resources and telephonic language interpreters, if needed. Volunteers will be able to discuss the cases with their HVL mentor attorney prior to and/or during their calls.

For questions about HBA’s LegalLine service, email probono@hvlp.org or call 713-228-0735.

Sign Up to Volunteer for LegalLine Powered by HVL

Thank you to the speakers and attendees who joined the HBA Professionalism Committee for its mentorship breakfast on January 30. Thank you to Bracewell LLP for hosting our program.

Thank you to all of our volunteers who supported the HBA's Special Day at the Courthouse at the historic Harris County 1910 Courthouse in downtown Houston on January 19.

This event is a unique civics-education learning experience designed to give high school students with intellectual disabilities a basic understanding of what lawyers and judges do.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 36th Annual Law & the Media Seminar at South Texas College of Law Houston on February 3!

Thank you to the Society of Professional Journalists Houston Pro Chapter for co-sponsoring the event. 

The program was accredited for 3 hours of MCLE, including 1 hour of ethics. The recording will be available for HBA members to view for free on our CLE video library. 

Questions? Contact Maggie Martin at 346-471-3428 or maggiem@hba.org.

Below are a few upcoming events commemorating Black History Month.

The Houston Lawyer and Behind the Lines Podcast

In partnership with the HBA Historical Committee, the January/February issue of HBA's bimonthly magazine will spotlight J. Vance Lewis—often cited as Houston's first Black attorney—and the work spearheaded by the Rutherford B.H. Yates Museum to restore Mr. Lewis' home in Freedmen's Town. The issue will also include stories of Houston's first-generation African American attorneys, as well as a profile on attorney Tasha Schwikert Moser, an Olympic medalist, survivor, and survivor's advocate, and a "Law in the Family Profile" featuring the Honorable Alfred H. Bennett and his wife, Tanyel Harrison Bennett.

The magazine's companion podcast, Behind the Lines: The Houston Lawyer Podcast, will include interviews with Houston's law schools about how they're supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds and conversations with Black leaders in law about allyship and how it has impacted their careers.

Look for the upcoming issue and podcast episode soon. 

To learn more about the Rutherford B.H. Yates Museum and how you can support the restoration of the J. Vance Lewis home in Freedmen's Town, please contact Catherine Roberts of the Rutherford B.H. Yates Museum, Inc. at rbhyates@gmail.com.

Bar Associations

The Houston Lawyers Association is hosting a Presidents' Social on February 19 at Juliet Restaurant from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. RSVPs requested by February 16. Click here to learn more and register.

The Houston Young Lawyers Association's Allyship Committee is hosting a book club meeting to discuss The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein on Tuesday, February 20 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Learn more and register here.

The American Bar Association offers several resources, including a webinar series, "Black Lawyers in America," and profiles on Black trailblazers in law. Learn more here.

UHLC Annual Black History Month Lecture, Feb. 5

The University of Houston Law Center is hosting its annual Black History Month Lecture on Monday, February 5 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the UH Law Center John M. O’Quinn Law Building. It features Dartmouth College Professor Matthew Delmont who will discuss his book “Half American: the Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad.” Approved for 1.25 hours of MCLE.

Learn more and register here. 

South Texas College of Law Houston's Black Law Student Association (BLSA) Hosts Guest Speaker Gladys Goffney, Feb. 13

South Texas College of Law Houston’s Black Law Students Association (BLSA) is hosting guest speaker Gladys Goffney (STCLH ’71) at a free public event on Tuesday, February 13 from 4:30-6:00 p.m. in Garrett Townes Auditorium (on campus at 1303 San Jacinto, Houston). BLSA President Malik Wilson will moderate a discussion with Ms. Goffney. She was the second Black female graduate of STCL Houston and was honored by the State Bar of Texas in 2022 as a 50-year lawyer. Pre-registration is not required.

Thurgood Marshall School of Law - Barbara C. Jordan Chapter - Black Law Students Association (BLSA), Feb. 23

Thurgood Marshall School of Law is hosting "The Great Debate: A Black History Month Classic" on Friday, February 23. Co-hosted by the Thurgood Marshall School of Law Barbara C. Jordan Chapter and the Southern University Law Center's Black Law Students Association (BLSA). Networking begins at 5:30 p.m. in the TMSL lobby, followed by the BHM Program in the Moot Court Room (Rooms 105-106) at 6:30 p.m. and then the debate at 7:15 p.m. 

The HBA and HLRS teamed up to compete in the Houston Bar Association Auxiliary's (HBAA) 9th Annual Chili and Pie Cook-off on January 27. 

Proceeds go to the HBAA Charitable Fund, which provides scholarships to students from the three local law schools.

Congratulations to all of this year's winners:

Chili

• First: HBA/HLRS  Best Kept Secret
• Second: Total Energies Team #1 – Chilitigators
• Third: Jones Day – One Chili Worldwick

Pie

• First: Wayne Kitchens, HWA, Peach Crème
• Second: SLAGH, Key Lime
• Third: Kieran Wheeler, Triple Berry Struesel

Best Decorated Booth

SLAGH

People’s Choice

Garrison/Roth

The University of Houston Law Center will host a hybrid event, "Free Speech and Hate Speech: Where to Draw the Line," on Thursday, February 8 at 6:00 p.m. Approved for 2 hours of MCLE. 

Learn more and register by February 2 here. 

Texas LatinX Judges invites you to attend "Thriving in Law School & Journeys to the Bench" on Friday, February 9 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Harris County Civil Courthouse. The event will include panels, mentorship sessions, a networking session, and professional headshot and resume reviews. 

Learn more and register here. 

Don't miss 'Legal, Political, and Ethical Dimensions of Presidential Indictments: Federal and State Considerations,' a virtual presentation by the University of Houston Law Center. Join Deans Leonard M. Baynes & Jim Granato, along with panelists Jessica Bregant, Seth J. Chandler, Jeronimo Cortina, & Renee Knake Jefferson, on February 13 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Approved for 2 hours of MCLE credit, including 0.5 ethics credit.

Learn more and RSVP here.

Houston Lawyer Referral Service

Let the Houston Lawyer Referral Service help you grow your law practice. HLRS has been serving the public and the profession by providing pre-screened referrals to pre-screened attorneys. The average HLRS member earns an average of $20,000 annually from HLRS-referred clients. If you want to learn more or ask if HLRS is for you, contact HLRS Executive Director Karen Ramsey at kramsey@hlrs.org or call (713) 650-0470 today!

Dispute Resolution Center  

As we welcome 2024, the DRC expresses immense gratitude to their dedicated volunteer mediators for their outstanding support in 2023. Together, they successfully mediated over 2,400 cases, showcasing the volunteers' selfless commitment to their community. The DRC also extends appreciation to all volunteers who assisted with training and are proud to be associated with such a devoted group, recognizing them as the backbone of the organization.

Great job, DRC volunteers! 

Houston Volunteer Lawyers

Join HVL's "Recruit More Boots" campaign beginning February 1 – February 29, honoring the legacy of James B. Sales, founder of Houston Volunteer Lawyers and his spirit for pro bono. In this engaging and competitive initiative, legal professionals will be challenged to not only dedicate their time to pro bono work, but to actively recruit new volunteers, fostering a stronger, more connected community of legal advocates for those in need. Exciting prizes await those who excel in recruiting volunteers and taking on cases. Additionally, participants partnering up for a case will be entered into a raffle drawing. Click here to learn more and discover how you can get involved.

Thank you to these firms and companies who have agreed to assume a leadership role in providing equal access to justice for all Harris County citizens. Each has made a commitment to provide representation in a certain number of cases through the Houston Volunteer Lawyers.

The 100 Club

The Houston Bar Association 100 Club is a special category of membership that indicates a commitment to the advancement of the legal profession and the betterment of the community. The following law firms, government agencies, law schools and corporate legal departments with five or more attorneys have become members of the 100 Club by enrolling 100 percent of their attorneys as members of the HBA.