State Bar of Texas Podcast

State Bar President Cindy Tisdale and Texas Young Lawyers Association President Laura Pratt were sworn in at the annual meeting in Austin this June. Rocky Dhir sits down with both to discuss their plans for their presidencies in the coming year. Cindy shares her intention to study AI, focus on civility, and continue to develop more wellness tools for Texas attorneys. Laura discusses TYLA’s focus o...

Tune in as Rocky Dhir talks with William Barr about his personal life, stories from his stints as Attorney General, and thoughts on the future of our nation. Mr. Barr opens up about his family and career and shares advice for others as they navigate both personal and professional life choices. They also discuss Mr. Barr’s recently published book, One Damn Thing After Another: Memoirs of an Attorne...

Rocky Dhir welcomes Daytripper host Chet Garner to chat about his many explorations of the great state of Texas. Chet visits towns of all shapes and sizes to find the beauty and adventure in every location. Tune in for their conversation highlighting the impressive diversity, history, nature, and community Texas has to offer.  Chet Garner is the creator, executive producer, writer, and host of The...

Pandemic-era legal proceedings taught Texas lawyers and judges that alternative methods can be extremely effective in a variety of court processes. And now that we have entered into the post-pandemic era, these tech-fueled advancements are still front and center in Texas courts. Judge Roy Ferguson, Megan LaVoie, Michelle Casady, and Jennifer Doan discuss their session on what legal professionals n...

Culture can make or break your law firm, and it is absolutely essential to nurture a positive, supportive environment to truly have a successful firm. Senior law firm leaders Holly Draper, Hannah Hembree Bell, Brian Hall, and John Meredith discuss their session from the annual meeting focused on ways to improve your law firm culture. They share experiences from their firms and emphasize the import...

The way athletes conduct themselves has the potential to majorly impact them, their team, and their sport as a whole. With such high stakes and the added influence of social media, personal conduct policies are in place to help maintain the integrity of professional sports leagues. Rocky Dhir talks to Kelli Masters, Daniel Hare, and Brian Michael Cooper about how these policies are created and the...

Rocky Dhir chats with Bench Bar Breakfast speakers Justice Debra Lehrmann and Timothy Berg about the mission and efforts of the Uniform Law Commission. They explain what the ULC does, the processes of projects undertaken by the commission, and how their acts provide consistency while still promoting the autonomy of the states.  Justice Debra Lehrmann is the Senior Justice on the Supreme Court of T...

Harnessing the power of technology with competence and confidence is now a top consideration for lawyers as they advocate for their clients. How should this look in your legal practice? Rocky Dhir talks with judges Amy Clark Meachum, Jessica Mangrum, and Martin Hoffman about the latest tech-based factors for effective advocacy in Texas courts. They discuss virtual and in-person platforms and share...

As a group, first generation law students and lawyers tend to encounter common issues. Saumya Kuriakose, Nadda Rungruangphol, and Alysia Huskey give highlights from their panel focused on the experiences of first generation lawyers. They each share what led them into the law, discuss the unique challenges they faced, and offer insights on how law schools and firms can support first gen attorneys. ...

AI has been helping lawyers for many years, but new tools powered by ChatGPT have even more exciting possibilities for the future of legal practice. Korin Munsterman discusses recent developments in legal AI tools and how they are already helping lawyers improve and streamline their practices. Korin also outlines what attorneys need to know about current ethics and privacy concerns surrounding gen...

Diversity, equity, and inclusion should be central to your law firm’s mission, but how do you go about building a welcoming workplace? John G. Browning gives tips from his session at the State Bar of Texas’ Annual Meeting on effective DEI solutions for law firms. He discusses historical challenges surrounding this issue and the education, training, and resources available to help your firm become...

Tune in for highlights from the State Bar of Texas’ Annual Meeting! During the conference, Laurence Colletti talked with presenter Dyane O’Leary about her session on how a modern mindset helps lawyers stay current with best practices and evolving legal technology. Dyane shares tips for maximizing efficiency through tech-powered practice management and gives insights on where to start if you’re loo...

Rocky Dhir welcomes Laura Gibson and Trey Apffel to hear all about what to expect at the June 22 & 23 State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2023. They talk through the “CLE on steroids” programs, making the most of your conference experience, and later highlight each of the scheduled keynote speakers. What can lawyers learn from a filmmaker? Tune in for insights on Daytripper creator Chet Garner’s ses...

Ever since cryptocurrency made its debut, many have repeatedly questioned its validity. Is it legal tender? A scam? Well, in today’s digital ether, both exist en masse, and lawyers need to understand how to recognize the real thing and how it fits into our current legal framework. Rocky Dhir welcomes Nelson Ebaugh to chat about his article in the Texas Bar Journal, Texas Cryptocurrency Jurispruden...

On March 10, Rocky Dhir welcomed president-elect candidates Jerry Alexander and Steve Benesh to give Texas attorneys the opportunity to learn about their campaigns and particular goals for the presidency. They discussed their career accomplishments and past service to the legal community, touched on the importance of maintaining the self-regulation of the State Bar, shared ideas for streamlining t...

How do institutions of higher education handle allegations of student-on-student sexual misconduct? Sean Flammer joins Rocky Dhir to talk through this legal process as outlined in his article in the March edition of the Texas Bar Journal. Sean explains how new Title IX regulations beginning in August 2020 have affected cross-examination requirements in misconduct hearings and what concerns around...

The legal community is, at times, either uninformed or ill-equipped for dealing with the unique needs of LGBTQ+ clientele. Rocky Dhir welcomes Liz Brenner to discuss her article in the February 2023 edition of the Texas Bar Journal and the evolving legal issues faced by those in the LGBTQ+ community. Liz explains the impacts of the 2015 Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which require...

Each December, the Texas Bar Journal features the year’s developments in the profession through a series of articleswritten by Texas legal experts. Rocky Dhir talks with three of 2022’s authors to learn more about new case law and trends in their areas of the law. Emily Black shares insights from antitrust and business litigation, Shawn Tuma gives an update on rapidly-evolving requirements in cybe...

Even though bankruptcy touches so many areas of the law, many attorneys outside bankruptcy practice lack an adequate understanding of how it all works. Rocky Dhir brings on experts Catherine Curtis and Robert Vanhemelrijck to get an overview of what all lawyers should know about this area of legal practice. They discuss different types of bankruptcy, outline filing and court processes, and share p...

On an October morning in 2017, Lisa Torry Smith was walking her son to school when they were struck by a car while in a crosswalk. Lisa died at the scene, her son was badly injured, and the driver was only ticketed for the incident. Lisa’s family fought for change after this tragic event, seeking real consequences for negligent driving and greater driver awareness and care across the state. Brian...

A surprising shift has swept through Texas courts since COVID-19, likely traceable to the public’s collective new awareness of suffering due to pandemic-era hardships. In recent months, there has seemed to be a marked change in jurors’ thoughts on awarding non-economic damages, resulting in larger damages verdicts in many courts. To discuss this phenomenon, Rocky Dhir talks with Randy Sorrels abou...

An individual’s use of the justice system shouldn’t solely be based on a cost-benefit analysis, but for many, it is just that. With such a major hurdle in access to justice, a retooling of legal practice is needed to make justice affordable for all. Rocky Dhir talks with Joshua Weaver about the innovative ways the Texas Opportunity & Justice Incubator helps lawyers offer high-quality services to l...

As a follow-up to her panel discussion at the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2022, Keri Blakinger joins Rocky Dhir to share more of her personal story and her perspectives on prisons in the United States. She discusses her incarceration experience, her passion for public records, and her newly released memoir, “Corrections in Ink.” Keri Blakinger is a Texas-based journalist and the author of th...

Space innovation is ramping up in Brownsville, Texas. The city experienced rapid change in the past decade after SpaceX set up operations, and many lawyers are excited to have a front row seat to a new era of space exploration and the innovations arising in aerospace law as a result. Rocky Dhir chats with Brownsville attorneys Victor Flores and Will Trevino about their recent articles in the Texas...

Should We Be Able to Reclaim a Racist Slur – as a Registered Trademark?  In this special State Bar of Texas podcast, host Rocky Dihr welcomes Simon Tam, a musician, author, activist, and entrepreneur, whose efforts to trademark his band name “The Slants” prompted a nearly 10-year long legal battle that eventually wound up in the U.S. Supreme Court. Rocky and Simon discuss:   The Power of Reclaimin...