Behind the Lines: The Houston Lawyer Podcast

Send us Fan Mail There is no place like home, and lawyers may be involved in multiple different stages of a home ownership journey, from helping with issues relating to the initial purchase, to dealing with potential non-disclosures in the process, or trying to help homeowners assert their rights if disaster strikes. This episode explores several different property law topics that impact residenti...

Send us Fan Mail This episode focuses on some of the ways that law impacts the trajectories of women who want to make a difference in the world and offers practical insight and advice for women lawyers, including women lawyers with young families.  Segment I: (Shifting) Priorities: Modern Sex Discrimination Claims  Guest: Haley Kurisky (Jackson Lewis) Many of you have likely seen the RBG movie &qu...

Send us Fan Mail This episode focuses on juveniles and juvenile law, starting with a discussion with a prosecutor and defense attorney who work in the juvenile justice system. They discuss their work, provide legal updates, and offer some sage advice for parents. The episode also includes statements from teens who want to become lawyers, a discussion with some lawyer parents who are raising teens,...

Send us Fan Mail It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas here in Houston, and in this episode it’s beginning to look a lot like divorce -- along with other family law topics. This episode brings advice for family lawyers and pro bono attorneys who find themselves working on a family law case, and it also may serve as a resource for self-represented litigants in family court.   Segment One:  Be...

Send us Fan Mail Take a moment to find the joy this holiday season by re-listening to this portion of a 2024 Wellness Break with Behind-the-Lines guest Melanie Bragg. For full speaker bios, visit The Houston Lawyer (hba.org/thehoustonlawyer) . To read The Houston Lawyer magazine, visit The Houston Lawyer_home . For more information about the Houston Bar Association, visit Houston Bar Association (...

Send us Fan Mail One year after the Texas Business Court and 15th Court of Appeals opened, and one year after our "Taking Care of Business" episode, Texas courts and Texas lawyers are still taking care of business. In this episode, Justice April Farris of the 15th Court of Appeals, Nick Brown (a member of the Texas Business Law Foundation), Tori Clark (a staff attorney for the Texas Busi...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Season Six of Behind the Lines! The first episode of this season focuses on Houston people, service, and collaboration, in honor of HBA President Daniella Landers's goals for the new bar year. Listeners will hear from Houston lawyers (People) about legal trends in Houston's biggest industries, learn about how Houston lawyers can support those impacted by the H...

Send us Fan Mail It's June in Houston, which means it is hot. And Behind the Lines is focusing on a hot topic this month: Immigration Law. In this final episode of the 2024-2025 Bar Year, we hear about trends in civil and criminal immigration law and have a special "Know Your Rights" segment that will be helpful to lawyers who are not immigration lawyers and need a bit of a refreshe...

Send us Fan Mail This episode covers the impact of the digital age on lawyers, the law, and society. There are pros and cons to our increasingly sophisticated cyber-world, and this episode covers  the dire consequences of bullying when it's taken online, how criminals use technology to stalk and harass victims, advantages of the continued trend towards online mediation, and legal consideratio...

Send us Fan Mail The Innovation and Expectations episode has knowledgeable guests addressing lithium supply legal issues, how AI is impacting our profession, expectations for attorney hiring, and new lawyer notes about how innovation may impact legal careers in the future.  (1) A New Era of Legal Issues Associated with Lithium Extraction Stephanie Noble of Vinson & Elkins LLP discusses the inc...

Send us Fan Mail It is the “most wonderful time of the year,” and Behind the Lines is focusing on giving back. Section 6 of the Preamble to the Texas Rules of Disciplinary Conduct reminds us that “the provision of free legal services to those unable to pay reasonable fees is the moral obligation of each lawyer as well as the profession generally.” This episode focuses on some of the ways Houston l...

Send us Fan Mail In the special episode, Behind the Lines: The Houston Lawyer Podcast celebrates the 70th Anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. Behind the Lines Interviewer Anietie Akpan talks with Houston School Law Legend Kelly Frels about the case and its impact here in Houston. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about this very impactful case...

Send us Fan Mail This episode covers the new Texas Business Court and then addresses the business of law, from starting your own law firm to branding to firm breakups. “We’ve Only Just Begun”: Texas’s New Business Court Natasha Breaux of Haynes Boone covers everything Texas Business Lawyers need to know about our new Business Court.  “You Can Go Your Own Way”: Transitioning from BigLaw to Owning Y...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we escape the summer heat of Houston to explore out-of-the-box places and ways to practice law. Listeners will hear about combatting sex trafficking in Kenya, living in Puerto Vallarta while virtually practicing law in Houston, and engaging in immersive travel without interrupting service to one’s clients in Houston.  Segment 1: There’s No Place Like Home (in Keny...

Send us Fan Mail This episode corresponds with the Bill of Rights issue of The Houston Lawyer magazine.  It addresses several of the rights in the “bright constellation of rights,” including free speech, bearing arms, protection from unlawful search and seizure, and jury trials. Houston lawyers, academics, and a jury consultant tackle issues associated with these rights.  Segments One and Two: Sec...

Send us Fan Mail This special supplemental episode provides tips for businesses and homeowners whose homes or businesses were damaged during the May 16, 2024 storm in Houston. Thanks to guests Justin Ratley (Munsch Hardt) and Carey Worrell (Simple Law TX) for being willing to join us with very short notice to assist Houstonians who are dealing with the aftermath of this devastating weather event. ...

Send us Fan Mail This episode highlights Houston judges who go the extra mile to serve the lawyers who practice in their courts and the parties who rely on our justice system to be fair, impartial, and efficient. It is a companion to the Bench-Bar Relationship issue of The Houston Lawyer magazine. Segment 1: Practice Tips from a Seasoned Federal Judge Featuring the Hon. Gray H. Miller Judge Miller...

Send us Fan Mail This episode celebrates Black History Month and focuses on diversity in our profession, allyship, history, and change. 1. The Mosaic of Differences Among Us: Interview with Donna Davis, Director of the Benny Agosto Center for Diversity at STCL-Houston. Ms Davis addresses the importance of understanding the mosaic of differences among us not only in legal education but in practice...

Send us Fan Mail Houston Lawyers have looked forward to receiving each new issue of the Houston Lawyer (THL) magazine for the past 60 years. This episode celebrates both the rich, engaging, and award-winning content from our authors and the lawyers and staff members who have been a part of this publication.  1. A Conversation with 1974-75 EIC Jim Perdue: A Seasoned Storyteller and Trial Trailblaze...

Send us Fan Mail Episode Two of Season Four complements the Employment Law issue of The Houston Lawyer magazine and highlights some of the major changes Texas employment lawyers have seen this year. As Heraclitus said, "there is nothing permanent except change." Segment One: Presidential Goals Plus Employment Law Guest: Diana Gomez, President, Houston Bar Association & Shareholder at...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Behind the Lines: The Houston Lawyer Podcast is a double feature. Part One features four in-house lawyers who address their paths to in-house. Part Two features lawyers discussing Privilege and Data Privacy as well as a wellness break with the Hon. George Hanks, Jr., who has run a full marathon on all seven continents. This is Part One. Pathway to In-House: Spotlig...

Send us Fan Mail This is Part Two of a Two-Part episode entitled "Client-Centered Approach: Pathway to In-House, Protecting Your Client's Data, and Privilege Concerns." Part One was "Pathway to In-House," and this Part addresses "Privilege and Privacy." It also contains a wonderful wellness break featuring the Hon. George Hanks, Jr. Part Two. Segment One. Protect...

Send us Fan Mail This episode focuses on hot topics that lawyers who do not go to court handle.  Segment One: The Future Is Here: Drafting Contracts with Artificial Intelligence (13 minutes) Guest Professor Frank Fagan explains what AI or ChatGPT is and discusses its ability to draft contracts and how this technology is impacting transactional law practice now. Segment Two: Real Estate Law - What&...

Send us Fan Mail This episode corresponds with the Criminal Law issue of The Houston Lawyer magazine and considers criminal law from different perspectives. It includes interviews with the current U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas (S.D.Tex.), a Harris County Judge who presides over one of the criminal specialty courts in Harris County, the CEO of a Houston nonprofit agency that prov...

Send us Fan Mail Part One: Best Practices for Attorney Wellness (Segment One) The first half of this episode is a panel discussion about best practices for attorney wellness featuring Amy Bice Larson, Managing Partner of BSP Law Houston, Elizabeth Stevens, HR Director of the Harris County District Attorney's Office, and Josie Morgan, COO of BoyarMiller.  These guests share the most successful...