We look forward to seeing you at the 2024 HBF Annual Luncheon this Thursday, March 7 at the Marriott Marquis Houston.

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

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 sponsors, and celebrate our award winners. See a list of this year's award recipients here.

Join us for a pre-event reception at 11:00 a.m.; the luncheon will begin promptly at 11:30 a.m.

Fellows are dedicated to supporting the HBF's mission to support access to justice in Houston. If your name is not listed in the link below, please contact HBA Membership Director Ron Riojas at ronr@hba.org to join the Fellows program. Thank you for your support!

View our Current Fellows List

Click Here to Learn More About the HBF Fellows Program

The Houston Bar Foundation announced it has received a watershed grant of $500,000 from CenterPoint Energy. The grant will be used to provide pro se litigant assistance to thousands of Houstonians. Thank you, CenterPoint Energy!

Learn more in our press release here

We are so grateful to everyone who contributed to the success of this year's HBA Fun Run at Sam Houston Park in downtown Houston!

Thank you to our sponsors for your support (click here to see the full list). Thank you to our volunteers for lending a hand to keep the event running smoothly. Thank you to Constable Alan Rosen and the entire Harris County Constable's Office Precinct 1 for donating your resources and for your long-time support. Thank you to the HBA Fun Run Committee for your dedication and hard work to produce this year's event. And thank you to our participants for taking part.

View Results, Photos, and Event Survey

All net proceeds go to The Center for Pursuit, which provides housing, education, job opportunities, resources and more for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism. We will announce the amount raised from this year's event in the coming months!

Save the date for our 40th Annual Fun Run set for Saturday, February 15, 2025!

Auto-renewal processing for membership dues will begin April 17, 2024. To auto-renew, please visit hba.org, click on the red "Login" button to log into your account. Once logged in, scroll to the red "Outstanding Invoices" and gray "Recent Payments" tab, where it says "To sign up for auto-renewal of your HBA membership or HBF fellow pledges, update your preferences here." Click the link and follow the prompts (click "Yes" on the drop down) to automatically renew your membership. 

If you are not currently enrolled in auto-renewal but would like to do so, please log into your membership profile to select that option before April 17, 2024.

Please note a change: We are waiving credit card fees for membership dues. 

Questions about the process or your HBA membership? Email the HBA Membership Department at membership@hba.org. 

HBA President Diana Gomez and HBA Executive Director Mindy Davidson appeared before Harris County Commissioners Court on February 27 to request approval for the court to accept our donation of three lactation pods for the Harris County Court Complex. We are proud to share that Harris County Commissioners accepted this donation. 

This is one of HBA President Diana Gomez’s key initiatives this year, working with the Harris County District Courts, led by Judge Latosha Lewis Payne, Judge R.K. Sandill, Judge Michael Gomez, and Judge Cheryl Elliott Thornton, as well as the Harris County Commissioners Court, led by Commissioner Lesley Briones. The HBA Gender Fairness Committee spearheaded the fundraising efforts.

The commitment to installation of increased lactation/wellness facilities in the Harris County Court Complex underscores the importance of women in the legal profession and 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. 

Watch for news about timing for installation coming soon. 

Click Here to Learn More

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.

The recipients will be recognized at the HBA Annual Dinner on Tuesday, May 14. 

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 

You are invited to the Houston Bar Association and Houston Bar Foundation's 2024 Bench Bar Conference on Friday, April 12 at the Hotel ZaZa – Museum District from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Join us for our first-ever multi-practice Bench Bar Conference. Secure your tickets at regular registration prices for $250 for HBA members and $350 for non-members now through March 29. Ticket prices will increase on March 30. 

The course qualifies for 5.75 hours MCLE credit; including 2.5 hours ethics credit and 5.75 hours of legal specialization in the following areas: Child Welfare Law, Civil Appellate Law, Civil Trial Law, Criminal Appellate Law, Criminal Law, Estate Planning and Probate Law, Family Law, and Personal Injury Trial Law.

Click here to learn more and view the program agenda. Click here to see judicial attendees

Purchase Your 2024 Bench Bar Conference Tickets

Become a Sponsor

Purchase Your Tickets to Bites & Beverages for the Bar

Become a Sponsor

Thank you to all of the firms who have joined us as sponsors! You can join them now by clicking the link below. 

Sponsor Bites & Beverages for the Bar

Interested in discounted hotel rooms? Questions about Bites & Beverages for the Bar?

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.

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.

The form to request appointment to an HBA committee for the 2024-2025 bar year is now open! Please note that appointment to a committee is not guaranteed, and reappointment to a committee on which you currently serve on is not automatic.

2024-2025 Committee Interest Form

More information on each of the committees can be found on hba.org/committees. If you have any questions, please contact Ashley Steininger at ashleyg@hba.org or 346-471-3431 or Alli Hessel at allih@hba.org or 346-471-3293.

We are preparing to revamp the HBA website in order to better serve our members. The launch of the newly designed website is anticipated to take place Monday, March 18. 

We are working hard to attempt to minimize disruption to our members' hba.org experience.
 

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

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 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. 

You Don't Have to Be a Pro Golfer to Enter

This is a fun, relaxing way to spend a day bonding with colleagues and friends while meeting new people inside and outside of your practice area. Check-in and lunch begins at 11:00 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m., and ending with a wonderful dinner and awards program to top off the day. 

Register for the 76th Annual HBA Golf Tournament

Swing for a Great Cause

By participating in the HBA Golf Tournament, you're supporting the Houston Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of the HBA, as well as the 26th HBA Habitat for Humanity house. All net proceeds - from sponsorships to registration - benefit these two causes. 

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Thank you to all of our sponsors for your support of this year's tournament! See a full list of 2024 sponsors here. 

Sponsorship Opportunities Still Available

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

Elevate your professionalism at the Texas Day of Civility in the Law on Thursday, April 4 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., followed by a reception, at the historic 1910 Courthouse. FREE for HBA members and law students! Credited for 2 hours of MCLE.

For more information, please contact William Hagans at whagans@hagans.law.

View Panel Speakers and Secure Your Spot

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.

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. 

 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.

HBA President Diana Gomez was recently named among the Houston Business Journal’s 2024 Outstanding Diversity Champions, in recognition of her continued commitment to promoting practices that advance diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. Read more about the HBJ's award here.

President Gomez was also recently selected as the recipient of the Latina Poder Award, presented by The Latina Power and Poder Hispano. Congratulations, President Gomez! 

Stuart Clements and Matthew Stirneman were promoted to shareholder roles at Chamberlain Hrdlicka.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP welcomed Kindall C. James to the firm as a partner in the Houston office.

Spencer Fane LLP welcomed Raymond Jones to the firm's Intellectual Property practice group as an of counsel attorney in the firm’s Houston office. Travis Armstrong joined the litigation team as an of counsel attorney. Laura Alaniz has joined the firm as a partner in Houston. 

Sorrels Law has added John Busch to its team of lawyers.

Armie Lewis has joined Reynolds Frizzell LLP as an associate.

McGlinchey Stafford announced the addition of Georgia Berthelot, Jessica Bozell, and Katherine Zellner as associates to the firm's Houston office. 

McGinnis Lochridge welcomed Andrew Green as a partner in the firm's oil & gas practice group.

Congratulations to the Houston recipients of the 2024 Texas Bar Foundation Awards! The recipients will be recognized at the 2024 Texas Bar Foundation Annual Dinner on June 21.

Outstanding 50 Year Lawyer Award
Hon. Alvin Zimmerman

Outstanding Law Review Article Award
U.S. District Judge David Hittner
Lynne Liberato
Kent Rutter
Jeremy Dunbar

Ronald D. Secrest Outstanding Trial Lawyer Award 
Rusty Hardin

Make a life-changing impact by signing up to volunteer for the HBA LGBTQ+ Committee End of Life Clinic in partnership with HVL. Day 1 is set for March 20 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Day 2, execution day, is set for April 10 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 pm at the Law Harrington Senior Living Center at 2222 Cleburne St, Houston, TX 77004. Click here to volunteer as an attorney, witness, or notary.

Get ready to turn prom dreams into reality for Houston foster youth! You can help make a difference by purchasing items from the HAY Center's Amazon wishlist or by making a donation of in kind items or a monetary donation. The deadline to donate is Friday, March 15 at The HAY Center (8915 Knight Rd.).

Questions? Please contact Mynde Eisen at mynde@eisenlawoffice.com or Janiece Horn at jhorn0317@gmail.com.

View the Amazon Wishlist or Make a Donation

Sign up to join the HBA's Special Olympics Committee for the East Region Tennis Tournament on Saturday, March 23 from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Various shifts available. Let's show our support and cheer on these incredible athletes! All ages welcome.

BECOME A VOLUNTEER

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

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 need your help to raise funds for the HBA's next Habitat home by contributing to the construction fund, by clicking the link below. 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.  

Click Here to Become a Donor or Sponsor

The Houston Food Bank’s annual Food from the Bar Campaign will be from April 1 to April 26 and early team registration is NOW OPEN! The HBA and HBA Campaign to End Homelessness and Hunger Committee will have a team and encourage members to either join our team (details to come) or register your office team to compete.

Save the date to volunteer with Team HBA on Saturday, April 20 at the Houston Food Bank!

Questions about Team HBA? Contact Aburiyeba Amaso at aburiyeba.amaso@kirkland.com.

The HBA's Teach Texas project is an innovative program that introduces 7th-grade students to the Texas court system through colorful stories from Texas courts' history with hands-on classroom activities led by teams of judges and attorneys. Volunteers commit to teaching one class on two different days and select from a list of schedules. The HBA will provide materials and training. 

Volunteer Here

Questions? Contact Georgina Peña at georginap@hba.org.

Help beautify the Dawson Lunnon Cemetery! Join the HBA Lawyers for a Beautiful Houston Committee for a spring cleanup and pocket prairie planting on Saturday, April 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Learn More and Register Today

Thank you to everyone who joined the HBA LGBTQ+ Committee for the 3rd Annual Mardi Gras Party at Brennan's on February 12! Thank you to all of our sponsors.

Visit the committee webpage here to view our sponsors, photos from the event, and to learn about upcoming events.

Thank you to the mentors and mentees who took part in the HBA Gender Fairness Committee's 10th Annual Speed Mentoring event on February 15. Thank you to Vinson & Elkins LLP for hosting the program! 

In celebration of Black History Month, the January/February issue of The Houston Lawyer features "Houston's Pioneering Black Leaders in Law" from the past and present. 

The issue features articles written by members of the HBA Historical Committee about Houston's First Black Attorney, J. Vance Lewis; the Rutherford B.H. Yates Museum's efforts to renovate his historic home in Freedmen's Town; and what historic records can tell us about Houston's first-generation African American attorneys. 

The magazine is available online now here. Printed copies will be mailed to HBA members soon. 

The companion episode of Behind the Lines: The Houston Lawyer Podcast, is also available for download below. The episode includes conversations with each of Houston's three law schools, as well as discussions about the impact of allyship, as well as the Houston Riot of 1917. 

Thank you to Rice University Political Science Fellow Mark P. Jones for speaking at the Senior Lawyers Forum at Brennan's on February 28. Jones gave a presentation on key legislation to come out from Austin last year, and offered insight on how this year's elections will play out. 

On February 16, KPRC 2 Local News spotlighted Communities In Schools and the Houston Bar Association in a community news segment. Kathryn Medina, director of strategic partnerships at CIS of Houston, and John Meredith, chief operating officer for Chamberlain Hrdlicka and co-chair of the HBA CIS Committee, shared insights into how Communities In Schools, alongside the Houston Bar Association and other organizations, is empowering students for the workforce through collaborative community partnerships.

Click here to view the full interview.

Employ or Sponsor a Student This Summer

Dive into the future of law with the Texas metro bar associations, including the HBA, for a webinar discussing 'AI Considerations in Litigation' on Wednesday, March 27 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Earn 1 hour of MCLE credit. Click here to RSVP.

South Texas College of Law Houston is welcoming donations of clean, gently used women's and men's suits to give to law students who cannot afford office attire for interviews or internships. Similar donations were recently featured in the school's first-ever Law Suits Fashion Show to demonstrate different office appropriate looks for law students. 

Donations can be dropped off at the front desk of the law school, located at 1303 San Jacinto St. 

For questions about donations, please reach out to Amanda Peters at apeters@stcl.edu. For questions about tax receipts, please contact Loretta Moses at lmoses@stcl.edu.

Houston Lawyer Referral Service

Join the Houston Lawyer Referral Service and let HLRS pre-screen referrals for you! Dues start at $175 annually and are prorated. For more information, contact kramsey@hlrs.org or visit www.hlrs.org/for-attorneys.

Dispute Resolution Center  

Interested in volunteering with the Harris County Dispute Resolution Center? Send a copy of your mediation certificate and resume (or bio) to email@drchouston.org (please type “Volunteer” in the subject line) or mail them to: Dispute Resolution Center, 49 San Jacinto, Suite 220 Houston, Texas 77002.

While many of the mediations are conducted virtually, there are opportunities to mediate in-person at most JP courts throughout Harris County and limited opportunities at the DRC office.

Interested in learning more about the DRC? Visit their website here. Or, you can reach out by calling (713) 274-7100 or by email at email@drchouston.org.

Houston Volunteer Lawyers

HVL is giving thanks to everyone who participated in their first annual Recruit More Boots Challenge! These volunteers successfully recruited a friend to partner with them on a pro bono case or at a clinic, and actively shared the mission on social media!

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.