David Harrell, partner at Locke Lord LLP, became the 2024-2025 president of the Houston Bar Association at the HBA Annual Dinner on May 14. He succeeds Diana Gomez of Chamberlain Hrdlicka, who was recently elected to the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors as Director 4, Place 3.  

In his address to HBA members at the HBA Annual Dinner, Harrell described his three major focuses for the bar year: building community among Houston lawyers, educating HBA members about important legal developments; and expanding opportunities for HBA members to serve their community. 

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as President of the Houston Bar Association,” said Harrell. “I look forward to working with the HBA’s board, staff, and members to accomplish our major initiatives for the coming year, and I look forward to seeing our community reap the benefit of those efforts. I am grateful for the support that my family and firm have provided over the years, and I appreciate the friendship of my colleagues and clients.”

President Harrell's focus areas for the 2024-2025 bar year are:

Reinforcing HBA’s unique role as a unifying organization for the Houston legal community

• Offering a one-time discount for members of specialty, affinity, and local bars to join HBA for the first time
• Reinvigorating the HBA Living History Project

Participating in the expansion of our business community

• Providing education on the new business and appellate courts slated to open in Fall 2024
• In future years, hosting an annual Business Court Institute to maintain Houston’s commercial leadership

Providing additional avenues for our members to serve their community

• Elevating Houston Volunteer Lawyers through the HBA Campaign to End Homelessness and Hunger Committee’s Food Bank event
• Expanding recognition of the Houston Lawyer Referral Service

Visit our HBA Annual Dinner page here to see a full list of award winners, revisit highlights from the evening, and see the 2024-2025 HBA Board of Directors.

See all photos from the event here.

Join us in supporting the upcoming 75th Annual Harvest Celebration, which will take place on Monday, November 11, 2024 at River Oaks Country Club, benefitting Houston Volunteer Lawyers and its essential pro bono legal services.

Pledge your support of $2,500 or above by Friday, August 16 to be included in the mailed invitation.

Every dollar donated is amplified into $4 of pro bono legal services provided to the greater Houston community. Join our village and make a difference today. If you have any questions, please contact Ashley Steininger at ashleyg@hba.org or Alli Hessel at allih@hba.org.

Thank you to the firms, individuals, and companies who have already pledged their support! 

75th Annual Harvest Celebration Underwriters and Sponsor Benefits

Law360 recently interviewed 2024-2025 HBA President David Harrell, in which they discussed his new position and vision for the HBA, emphasizing its role as a central hub for attorneys in the region.

In this interview, David outlined plans to strengthen the legal community through initiatives supporting ancillary organizations, such as the Houston Lawyer Referral Service and Houston Volunteer Lawyers. He also discussed preparations for Texas' new business court and stressed the importance of preserving the HBA's rich history.

Click here to read the full article.

Thank you for being a member of the Houston Bar Association. We look forward to continue serving you this coming bar year!

HBA membership dues renewal invoices for the 2024-2025 bar year have been sent (online renewal option is also available). Log into your HBA account to renew your membership quickly and easily via credit card. While renewing your membership dues online, please take a moment to review your online profile information for our new online member directory. Consider setting up auto-renewal for next year’s membership renewal to eliminate reminder emails. Please make sure your contact information is accurate – including email address, phone number, mailing address, and employer.

***The deadline to renew your membership for the 2024-2025 bar year is July 1, 2024.***

Contact the HBA Membership Department at membership@hba.org with questions.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for a special reception on May 7 to congratulate 2023-2024 HBA President Diana Gomez on her successful year, and to thank Mindy G. Davidson for her five years of service to the Houston Bar Association as executive director and wish her well in retirement.

There are just 3 days left to purchase your tickets to the HBA Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee's 2024 DEI Summer Associate Luncheon, taking place Thursday, June 6 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the J.W. Marriot Houston Downtown. 

This event is dedicated to celebrating, connecting, and honoring our DEI Program IL students and employers, as well as all Houston summer associates. There will be a panel discussion, "'Voices of Democracy:' The Power of the People in Democracies," featuring Judge Yvonne Ho of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee, and Sergio Garza with Westlake Corporation. 

We will also recognize the recipients of the DEI Law Student Scholarships, Diversity Awards, and Law Day Contest.

Purchase Your Tickets Here 

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.

As one of the HBA’s key initiatives during the 2023-2024 Bar Year, HBA President Diana Gomez partnered with the Harris County District Courts, led by Judge Latosha Lewis Payne, Judge Ravi K. Sandill, Judge Michael Gomez, and Judge Cheryl Elliott Thornton, as well as the Harris County Commissioners Court, led by Commissioner Lesley Briones, the Administrative Office of the District Courts of Harris County, and the Office of the County Engineer, to install lactation pods in the Harris County Court Complex. The first lactation pod opened at the Harris County Civil Courthouse on May 8, 2024.

Click here to learn more about this important initiative, read quotes from our leaders, and see photos from the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

THANK YOU!

Thank you to all of our generous sponsors for supporting the installation of multiple lactation pods at the Harris County Court Complex.

We are also grateful to the current and former women presidents of the Houston Bar Association and Houston Young Lawyers Association, who came together to support this initiative.

Together, we're creating a welcoming nursing environment in our courthouses. Thank you for making a difference!

See a list of some of our sponsors below. Thank you to all of our generous sponsors listed here!

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

Don't miss out! Connect with us to stay up to date on the latest happening at the HBA!

The HBA LGBTQ+ Committee will be holding their annual Pride Mixer on Wednesday, June 12 at 5:30 p.m. at Pearl Bar + Side Peace.

It is with PRIDE that we will honor Judge Steven Kirkland as the first recipient of the HBA LGBTQ+ Committee’s Benny Agosto, Jr. Pride Award, presented by Benny himself.

Connect with Houston-area law students, attorneys, and judges. Free food, drinks, and parking are included. Colleagues, friends, family, HBA members, non-members - everyone is welcome! 

RSVP for this Free Event Here

The committee will be walking with its 2nd Annual pride float in the Houston's New Faces of Pride parade on Saturday, June 22, 7:30-10 pm in Downtown Houston. Sponsors can add their name or logo to the float, walk with the float, and throw swag. Join us!

Sponsorship Opportunities

Join the HBA LGBTQ+ Committee on Wednesday, June 5, for a FREE CLE opportunity titled 'What it Means to be Out and Rockets Proud.' Members and guests will enjoy a tour of the Toyota Center with Clay Allen, General Counsel of the Houston Rockets. This event is approved for 1 hour of MCLE.

Learn More and Purchase Tickets Here

Volunteers are needed for HBA's LegalLine powered by HVL. Sign up alone or as a group. For questions, email probono@hvlp.org.

Sign Up to Volunteer for LegalLine Powered by HVL

Time off in the summer? Catch up on CLE in our online CLE video library!

Visit the HBA On-Demand CLE Library Here

Questions? 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.

 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.

Congratulations to HBA Past President Diana Gomez for being elected to the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors (Director 4, Place 3). 

Congratulations to the HBA members who were elected to the Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA) board of directors: Bailey Bridges and Aamir Siddick (District 6, Place 2); and Sushant Mohan (District 6, Place 4). 

Haynes and Boone, LLP promoted Houston-based attorney John Craven to counsel.

Alfred “Ted” Ruemke has joined Houston-based Paranjpe Mahadass Ruemke LLP, or PMR Law, in honor of his late son, who co-founded the firm.

Blank Rome LLP awarded its inaugural Blank Rome Energy Scholarship to University of Houston Law Center student Frank Chambers for his paper, “The Nuclear Option: Securing Environmental Justice Benefits Through the Movement to Replace Coal Power Plants.”

Sidley Austin LLP is pleased to announce that Stephen M. Boone Jr. has joined the Houston office as a partner in the firm’s Energy, Transportation, and Infrastructure group.

Photos by: Dalton DeHart

On May 11, the HBA LGBTQ+ Committee awarded four $2,000 scholarships in its name to students at the Out for Education Scholarship Ceremony. Presenting the scholarships was Todd Batson and District Attorney Kim Ogg on behalf of the committee.

Congratulations to our recipients:  Tony Corona - Tapia, Karmen Lewis, Adrian Persephone Munoz and Parker Roberts.

On May 22, colleagues, family, and friends gathered at the Harris County Civil Courthouse for the portrait unveiling of the Honorable Patricia R. Lykos, followed by a reception to celebrate the momentous occasion.

To learn more about the Honorable Patricia R. Lykos and her achievements, click here to watch her interview, as part of the HBA Historical Committee’s Living History Project.

Looking for other employment opportunities like the one above? Visit the HBA Career Center, where we connect employees and employers. It’s also where you’ll find a Career Planning Portal offering resume writing services and coaching.

HBA Career Center

Questions about the HBA Career Center? Email HBA Marketing and Communications Director Maggie Martin at maggiem@hba.org.  

The Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library is offering a FREE virtual CLE titled 'Practical Guidance Training Build' on Thursday, June 27, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. In this session, you will enhance your practical research skills with a variety of tools, covering everything from basic fundamentals to advanced legal resources and guides. This program is accredited for 1 hour of MCLE credit.

Save the date for the Southern District of Texas Bench Bar Conference, taking place on Thursday, November 14. Get ready for a day of insights, networking, and professional growth. More details to follow—stay tuned!

Houston Lawyer Referral Service

A Testimonial of a Houston Lawyer Referral Service Member:

"Our firm has been a member of the Houston Lawyer Referral Service (HLRS) since 2012.  HLRS serves an important part in our community by helping the public find a vetted lawyer who suits the needs of the matter.  The referrals they send are people who are in genuine and immediate need of legal assistance and almost always are ready to retain a lawyer.  Because of our diverse practice areas and the number of attorneys who are members of HLRS, we receive numerous referrals on a daily basis.  A reputable and reliable referral source is essential to being in a solo or small firm practice.

If you are looking to start a new practice or grow your existing practice, it is important for you to get the phones ringing, and enlisting with HLRS is a great way to do that!  Below are some additional tips for attorneys who are looking to start or grow their practice:

Build Your Business Plan:  Passion for law is great, but a solid business plan is essential.  Outline your target market, marketing strategy, financial projections, and operational structure. This plan will not only guide your initial steps but also secure funding if needed.

Become a Marketing Machine:  Gone are the days of clients simply walking through your door.  Develop a marketing strategy that leverages online directories, social media, and even content creation showcasing your legal expertise. Build a user-friendly website and establish yourself as a thought leader in your chosen niche.

Embrace Technology:  Streamline your practice with legal practice management software. This will help manage client intake, scheduling, billing, and case documents, which will organize your workflow and free you to focus on client service and strategy.

Network and Build Relationships:  Connect with other lawyers, potential referral sources, and industry professionals. Attend bar association events, join relevant online communities, and build a strong network that can support your practice and generate referrals.

Karen Ramsey and her staff are always professional and easy to work with.  I highly recommend joining HLRS!"

- Roger G.

Contact Karen kramsey@hlrs.org or visit www.hlrs.org/for-attorneys/ to learn more. Annual membership dues are $175-$350 and the average member earns $20K annually from HLRS referrals.

Dispute Resolution Center  

Click here to learn more about the DRC.

Houston Volunteer Lawyers

Join HVL's Pro Bono Guardianship Project and Make a Difference!
Are you an attorney passionate about making a real impact? HVL invites you to join our Pro Bono Guardianship Project, where you can use your legal skills to help caretakers establish guardianship for adults unable to make critical decisions due to medical conditions. Your work will ensure continuity of care and safety for some of our community's most vulnerable individuals. For more information, and to get started, email Brittany.Krohn@hvlp.org.

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.