Young Gunners

In our second episode of Young Gunners' Pathways to Success , we feature a diverse panel of litigators—from seasoned trial attorneys to newer practitioners—share their perspectives on the dynamic world of trial law. Representing a range of practice areas and experience levels, our guests discuss what makes being a trial lawyer both uniquely challenging and deeply rewarding. Tune in for real s...

William Hagans, a second-generation trial lawyer in Houston, discusses the background and history behind the Texas Lawyers Creed, and how the creed was developed and how his father helped write the creed, encouraging professionalism and civility in the practice of law.

2023-2024 State Bar of Texas President Cindy Tisdale, Texas Young Lawyers Association President Laura Pratt, and State Bar of Texas Professionalism Committee Chair Kathy Mills  open our Young Gunners Podcast mini-season on the Texas Lawyers Creed with wisdom and insight on practicing law with civility and professionalism through the lens of the motivational quotes of Ted Lasso.

Jonathan Smaby, Executive Director at the Texas Center for Legal Ethics, discusses both the Texas Lawyers Creed and the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct and how both help promote professionalism and ethics in the practice of law.

Tamsin Woolley, law student at Thurgood Marshall Law School, closes out our mini-season of war stories with knowing when you’re struggling, and knowing when and how to reach out for help. 

Jeff Weatherford, of the Hays County Criminal District Attorney's Office, provides tips about the practice of criminal law from the perspective of a criminal prosecutor, touching upon the stories prosecutors will tell each other about their interactions with other prosecutors and defense attorneys. Jeff also tells stories from his criminal trials. 

Ted Biggers, of the Biggers Law Firm in Dallas, discusses practicing law with family members, as well as his stories about preparing witnesses, keeping it simple for juries, and clearly conveying expectations to others. 

Ray Panneton, former Managing Partner at Ted Smith Law Group in Harker Heights, discusses lessons learned from war stories in trial practice in the area of medical malpractice, including always getting a record, knowing when to "shut up," and knowing your audience.

Judge Lauren Sepulveda, Presiding Municipal Judge for the City of McAllen, discusses her experiences as an Assistant District Attorney from misdemeanor to murder cases, and shares tips, such as not being afraid of the hard case, doing the best we can do and not being hard on ourselves, being aware of impacts of vicarious trauma and stress, and knowing when to get help.

Our favorite host, Nick Guinn, returns to the podcast for an invigorating discussion with Houston litigation attorney William Hagans, of Hagans Montgomery Hagans, about civility in the law. Yes, some, many, most lawyers value civility. Indeed, this podcast is a celebration of the newly proclaimed Texas Day of Civility (September 17). So join us as we celebrate professionalism in one of society&apo...

John Strohmeyer, founder of Strohmeyer Law in Houston, joins Nick Guinn (ABA/YLD District Representative) to discuss client service considerations every lawyer should consider. John explains how there is more to client service than deciding to be more like Disney or Ritz-Carlton. 

In this episode, criminal defense lawyer Katherine L. Reed with Udashen Anton speaks with TYLA Director Ryan Bauerle, a partner at GoransonBain Ausley, about how to develop a thriving criminal defense practice in a frozen pandemic apocalypse. 

Mark Galvin of ePresence in Atlanta joins Nick Guinn (ABA/YLD District Representative) to discuss LinkedIn techniques every lawyer should implement immediately. Mark explains core marketing principles and how to apply them on LinkedIn. 

In this episode,  Liz Llamas, counsel at Vesti, an AI financial service startup based in the UK,  discusses with TYLA Director, Eduardo Marquez Certucha, an associate at Sidley Austin LLP,  the business development challenges that young attorneys are facing today as well as how start-up lawyers develop relationships inside and outside their organization. 

Ted D. Lee, an Intellectual Property legend at Gunn, Lee & Cave in San Antonio joins Nick Guinn (ABA/YLD District Representative) in a discussion on ways to enter IP practice and establish rapport with clients. Ted shares several anecdotes and war stories that any lawyer can benefit from. 

Allison Geggatt, a seasoned Senior Business Development & Marketing Manager at Sidley Austin LLP joins Eduardo Marquez Certucha (TYLA Director) in a discussion on ways to stay connected to clients in today’s environment.   Allison shares real-life examples of activities that have been used by law firms as well as the challenge to implement these activities remotely.  

Board Certified Employment Lawyer Austin Kaplan and Associate Maff Caponi discuss the answers to the top questions employment lawyers are seeing regarding COVID-19 workplace issues and unemployment. 

In this Young Gunners episode, Chris Mazzola, Lisa Duke, and Dr. Richard Theis discuss the state of wellness in the legal profession, the need for change in the profession, breaking the stigma associated with mental illness, and how to improve attorney wellness across the profession. This episode is brought to you in partnership with the San Antonio Young Lawyers Association. 

In this Young Gunners episode, panelists Erica Grigg, Chris Ritter, Sara Giddings, and Allan DuBois share their stories of depression and addiction.  Rebecca Patterson Linehan moderates an insightful discussion regarding mental health and addiction in lawyers including recognizing the signs, prevention methods, and how to get help. 

In this episode, we talk about what you can expect from spending your life with a lawyer and what to prepare for as you get ready to tie the knot! From daily arguments to the Bar exam, you’re in for a roller coaster ride, so take a word of advice from our experts that have been through the ups and downs of being married to lawyers.  This podcast was created by the Texas Young Lawyers Association,...

On this episode, Eduardo Canales, associate in the Global Energy Transactions Practice of Akin Gump, discusses the different careers a young lawyer can pursue in the energy industry, particularly in oil and Gas.  Oil and gas law a dynamic and expansive area of law, especially in the state of Texas, is a trending career path for young lawyers in Texas. Eduardo describes the ins and outs of becoming...

In this episode we talk to Michael Choate, who is a policy manager at SPEER. Michael practiced environmental regulatory law for several years and decided that he was not happy with his career and wanted to pivot. He went on a long journey to find the right fit for himself and is very happy with where he landed. Check out this episode to learn about making a career change, tips on conducting a sear...

In this episode, Board-Certified Attorney Mike Sawicki tells TYLA how to prepare for and execute dynamic depositions. From background research on your own client to finding what you need to prove your case from the witness, learn tips and tricks to make the most of a deposition.  This podcast was created by Texas Young Lawyers Association, and no part of it may be reproduced without the written co...

In this episode, we talk to Ifeoma Ibekwe who has recently hung her shingle by opening a law firm focused on Business Law and Wills and Estates. In this candid interview, the new solo attorney talks about managing your own practice, growing your business, honing your skills and finding the balance that works for you.  This podcast was created by Texas Young Lawyers Association, and no part of it m...

In this episode, Bill Gameros tells TYLA how to spot and address the unauthorized practice of law (UPL). He'll also tell us how the system to address UPL is structured, and how attorneys can get involved in protecting the legal profession.  This podcast was created by Texas Young Lawyers Association, and no part of it may be reproduced without the written consent of TYLA. The opinions express...