Pages 1-8 - Houston Bar Association

Houston Bar Bulletin
A Publication of Houston Bar Association
www.hba.org
Vol. 115
Number 6
November/December 2015
Sow Seeds of Hope at Annual Gala for Pro Bono
Your support of
the 2015 Harvest
Celebration makes
justice happen
for low-income
Houstonians. Every
dollar of net proceeds
from the event goes
to the Houston Bar
Foundation to support
the pro bono services of the Houston
Volunteer Lawyers.
Join your colleagues for the
legal community’s
premier event of the
year on November
16, 2015, from
7:00-10:00 p.m. at
River Oaks Country
Club. Houston Bar Foundation Chair William
R. Buck of Exxon Mobil Corp. and HBA
Treasurer Alistair Dawson of Beck Redden
LLP serve as co-chairs of the celebration.
Through underwriting or purchasing tickets,
you help keep families safe, help veterans get the benefits they earned, give the
elderly peace of mind, and right wrongs
on many fronts.
Underwriters receive tickets to the
event commensurate with their contribution level, as well as recognition
on signage at the event and in ads that
will be in the Houston Chronicle and
Houston Business Journal after the
event. Individual tickets for the Harvest
Celebration are $250 per person. For tickets and underwriting information, please visit the HBA homepage
at www.hba.org. The deadline to purchase tickets is noon on November 12;
tickets are limited and no tickets will
be sold at the door. The fair market
value of goods and services received
is $125. The balance paid may be tax
deductible as a charitable contribution.
Proof Your Roster Entry in
HBA Office, November 4-18
The 2016 HBA Pictorial Roster proof will be in the
HBA office November 4-November 18. Plan to come
by the HBA office at 1111 Bagby Street, FLB Suite
200, Houston, TX 77002 to proof your Roster information between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.,
Monday-Friday.
Please remember you will not appear in the Roster
if you joined the HBA or renewed your membership
after August 31, 2015. Any changes to text made during proofing will cost $20.00 per listing. If you have
questions, contact the HBA membership department at
713-759-1133 or email Ron Riojas ([email protected]) or
Caroline Fitzgerald ([email protected]).
Volunteers work on the HBA’s 18th Habitat home.
Build a Home, Build a Dream Through HBA Habitat Project
Help a hardworking Houston family get a home of their own.
Contribute to the HBA’s annual construction fund drive for Houston
Habitat for Humanity, December 1, 2015 through January 31, 2016. The
HBA must raise $75,000 to begin construction on its 19th Habitat home
in spring 2016.
Houston Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit, ecumenical organization dedicated to eliminating substandard housing in the Greater
Houston Area by helping low income families earn a simple, decent
home in which to live. Habitat Partner Families contribute 300 hours of
“sweat equity” and complete training on home ownership to purchase
homes with no-interest mortgages.
Watch for a letter from HBA President Laura Gibson with more
information. You can also donate online at www.houstonhabitat.org by
choosing the “Donate” link on the left and Houston Bar Foundation as
the recipient.
houston_bar_assoc
Follow us on Twitter
@thehba
Fall Drive Collects 29,077 Books
for Houston Literacy Programs
Thanks to HBA members,
29,077 books will find new
homes with readers of all
ages through the 2015 Fall
Book Drive, sponsored by the
HBA’s Lawyers for Literacy
Committee. The total represents the third highest donation since the drive started in
1987.
There were 187 offices
that participated in the book
drive, including individuals, firms, corporations, law
schools, courts, and legal
organizations. The Lawyers
HBA Lawyers for Literacy Committee member, Angelica Hernandez. for Literacy Committee,
co-chaired by Helene Dang
and Chris Domingo, picked up from 60 locations and spent 110 hours sorting the books for
distribution to 32 community agencies including shelters, missions, women’s centers, veterans
programs and literacy groups.
Help Feed Hungry
Children in Houston
One in four children in southeast
Texas is food insecure, or at risk of being
hungry. While school age children may get
help with free breakfast and lunch, they
may face hunger in the evenings and on
weekends, even though two-thirds of food
insecure families have at least one working
parent.
You can help fight hunger in Houston
through the HBA’s annual Souper Bowl of
Caring donation drive, through February
1, 2016. Members can support the effort
through monetary donations and through
volunteering at the Houston Food Bank on
January 23.
The Souper Bowl of Caring is a national
movement to fight hunger and poverty in
local communities, centered around the
NFL’s Super Bowl Sunday.
One hundred percent of donations to the
HBA’s drive will go to the Houston Food
Bank, where just $1 buys three meals. The
HBA also will sponsor a day of volunteer
service on Saturday, January 23, from 8:00
a.m. until noon. This is a family friendly
event to sort and box food donations for
programs served by the Food Bank.
Send donations, payable to Houston Bar
Foundation, to the HBA office. Volunteer at tinyurl.com/hbacaring. For more
information, contact Bonnie Simmons at
[email protected] or 713-759-1133.
Support The Center – Underwrite
31st HBA Law Week Fun Run
Support the work of The Center by underwriting the
31st HBA John J. Eikenburg Law Week Fun Run, set
for March 12, 2016 at Sam Houston Park. The Center
is a non-profit agency that helps adults with developmental disabilities achieve their full potential through
quality residential, vocational and day services.
The Law Week Fun Run is the oldest 8K event of
its kind in Houston and has raised over $1M for The
Center. This family event is open to all runners and
walkers, and includes a one-mile children’s run as well
as a non-competitive one-mile walk.
Underwriters are included on the brochure, website,
commemorative t-shirt, race announcements, on social
media, and in HBA publications. Underwriting commitments must be made by January 11 for inclusion on race cards and t-shirts. For information,
contact Bonnie Simmons, 713-759-1133 or [email protected]. To register for the race, visit
www.lawweekfunrun.com.
Upcoming HBA/CLE Seminars
Friday, November 6, 2015
“So You’ve Been Appointed as a Guardian
Ad Litem: Now What?”
Presented by: Kate McConnico,
The McConnico Law Firm, PLLC
1.5 hours of MCLE credit, no ethics credit.
Saturday, November 7, 2015
SATURDAY ETHICS PROGRAM
3 hours of MCLE credit, 3 hours of ethics
credit
No registration required.
Visit www.hba.org for more information.
Friday, November 13, 2015
“Key Issues When Employees Leave to
Compete: Plaintiff & Defense Perspectives”
Presented by: Zach Wolfe, Zach Wolfe Law
Firm, PLLC & Madison Hagopian,
Sponsel Miller Greenberg PLLC
1.5 hours of MCLE credit, no ethics credit.
Thursday, December 3, 2015
“Current Trends and Hot Topics in Fair Labor
Standards Act Litigation”
Presented by: Don Foty, Kennedy Hodges LLP
1.5 hours of MCLE credit, no ethics credit.
Friday, December 11, 2015
“General Liability Insurance Basics”
Presented by: Shelly Rogers, Sheehy, Ware &
Pappas, P.C.
1.5 hours of MCLE credit, no ethics credit.
Friday, December 18, 2015
“Art & War of Cross & Direct Examination”
Presented by: Grant Sheiner, Sheiner Law
Group, PC
1.5 hours of MCLE credit, no ethics credit.
Friday seminars are 1:00-2:30 p.m. at the Harris County Jury Assembly Plaza; Thursday seminars are 8:00-9:30 a.m. at the Junior League of
Houston. Seminars are free to HBA members only; members may purchase written materials for $5-$15. Seminars are $50 for nonmembers,
including materials. Registration at the door only. For more information, see the Fall/Winter Seminar brochure at http://www.hba.org/cle/hbaseminars/.
2
November/December 2015 Houston Bar Bulletin
Pro Bono in Houston…
Rebuilds Families…Helps Veterans . . .Provides Peace of Mind for Seniors
Equal Access Champions
The firms and corporations listed below 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.
For more information contact Kay Sim at (713) 759-1133.
Large Firm Champions
Andrews Kurth LLP
Baker Botts L.L.P.
Bracewell & Giuliani LLP
Locke Lord LLP
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Vinson & Elkins LLP
Corporate Champions
Baker Hughes Incorporated
BP America Inc.
CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
ConocoPhillips, Inc.
Exxon Mobil Corporation
Halliburton
LyondellBasell
Marathon Oil Company
Shell Oil Company
Mid-Size Firm Champions
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
BakerHostetler LLP
Beck | Redden LLP
Beirne, Maynard & Parsons, L.L.P.
Burleson LLP
Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams
& Aughtry
Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP
Gibbs & Bruns LLP
Gray Reed & McGraw, P.C.
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Haynes and Boone, L.L.P.
Jackson Walker L.L.P.
Jones Day
King & Spalding LLP
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Porter Hedges LLP
Sidley Austin LLP
Strasburger & Price, L.L.P.
Susman Godfrey LLP
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP
Winstead PC
Winston & Strawn LLP
Boutique Firm Champions
Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto
& Friend
Blank Rome LLP
Dentons US LLP
Edison, McDowell & Hetherington LLP
Fullenweider Wilhite PC
Hicks Thomas LLP
Hogan Lovells US LLP
Hughes Watters Askanase LLP
Jenkins & Kamin, L.L.P.
Johnson DeLuca Kurisky & Gould, P.C.
LeClairRyan
McGuireWoods LLP
Ogden, Gibson, Broocks, Longoria & Hall,
L.L.P.
Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart
P.C.
ReedSmith LLP
Sutton McAughan Deaver LLP
Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
Weycer, Kaplan, Pulaski & Zuber, P.C.
Wilson, Cribbs & Goren, P.C.
Yetter Coleman LLP
Small Firm Champions
Coane & Associates
Flowers & Frankfort
Frye, Steidley, Oaks & Benavidez, PLLC
Funderburk Funderburk & Courtois LLP
Fuqua & Associates, P.C.
Hunton & Williams LLP
Katine & Nechman L.L.P.
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
KimLy Law Firm PLLC
KoonsFuller, P.C.
Kroger | Burrus
Law Office of James and Stagg, PLLC
Patel Ervin Dinn PLLC
The Law Office of Scardino & Fazel
Shortt & Nguyen, P.C.
Strong Pipkin Bissell & Ledyard, L.L.P.
Tindall & England, P.C.
Individual Champions
Alejandro Macias
Angela Solice
Brian Albrecht
Clinton Yu
Damani Law Firm
Danielle H. Maya
David Hsu
Diane C. Treich
Hasley Scarano L.L.P.
Helene Dang
Karla J. LaFitte
Law Office of Bertrand C. Moser
Law Office of Brent C. Perry, P.C.
Law Office of Cindi L. Robinson
Law Office of Gregory S. Lindley
Law Office of J. Thomas Black, P.C.
Law Office of Jeff Skarda
Law Office of Maria S. Lowry
Law Office of Papa M. Dieye
Law Office of Peter J. Bennett
Law Office of Robbie Gail Charette
Martin R.G. Marasigan Law Offices
Pilgrim Law Office
Robert E. Price
The Ericksen Law Firm
The Jurek Law Group, PLLC
Law Office of Evangeline Mitchell, PLLC
The Law Office of Norma Levine Trusch
Travis Torrence
November/December 2015 Houston Bar Bulletin
3
Senior Lawyers Forum Examines Dementia and the Law
The HBA Senior Lawyers Forum will explore “The Dementia Epidemic and the Law” at
a luncheon on Tuesday, November 10. Speakers will be Molly Abshire of Wright Abshire,
Attorneys, P.C. and Mary McFaden of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Meet and greet begins at 11:30 a.m., with lunch and the presentation at noon at
Brennan’s, 3300 Smith, 77006. The program has been approved for 1 hour of MCLE credit,
including .25 hours of ethics credit. The cost is $45 per person. Send checks payable to HBA
to 1111 Bagby, FLB 200, Houston, TX 77002. For information, contact Bonnie Simmons at
[email protected] or 713-759-1133.
Gender Fairness Committee Presents Judicial Panel
The HBA Gender Fairness Committee will host a panel of judges from the federal, appellate, district and county courts to discuss best practices for women attorneys before the
bench and the jury. The judges will share their thoughts and suggestions on success in the
courtroom, as well as answer questions from the audience. The program is set for November
9 at the Harris County Law Library Conference Room, 1019 Congress, from 11:30 a.m.
until 1:00 p.m. Lunch will be provided courtesy of Bracewell & Giuliani, LLP and Jones
Day.
This program is open to HBA members only, at no charge, but space is limited. Lunch
will be provided. Pre-registration is required by emailing Tara Shockley, [email protected], by
November 4, with “Networking Luncheon” in the subject line.
Give a 1L Student a Head
Start through MOILP
The HBA Minority Opportunity in the
Legal Profession Committee is seeking law
firms, corporate legal departments, governmental agencies, courts and other offices that
would like to help level the playing field for
Houston’s first year minority law students by
hiring them as summer clerks. The program
is open to 1L students from all three Houston
law schools. The MOILP Committee will
assist your office in finding qualified applicants, scheduling interviews and providing
enrichment opportunities for students.
The MOILP committee hopes to have all
participating offices signed up by November
13, 2015. For information contact, one of the
MOILP co-chairs, Farrah Martinez at
[email protected] or Chevazz
Brown at [email protected].
HBA AIDS Outreach Committee to Receive Shelby Hodge Vision Award
AIDS Foundation Houston will honor the
Houston Bar Association AIDS Outreach
Committee with the 2015 Shelby Hodge
Vision Award at a luncheon commemorating
World AIDS Day on December 1 at the Post
Oak Hilton. AFH is the only community-based
organization in Houston solely dedicated to
ending HIV-AIDS in a quest to reach zero –
zero new infections, zero AIDS-related deaths,
zero stigma.
The HBA AIDS Outreach Committee was
created in 1996 to provide legal services and
education to people living with HIV/AIDS
and their families.
Since beginning its
Holiday Program
in 1999, the committee also has
served 511 families
touched by HIV/
AIDS by providing
holiday gifts and
food.
If you would like to support this outstanding HBA program and the vision of AFH to
reach an AIDS-free generation, please pur-
chase a table or tickets to this year’s luncheon.
The guest speaker will be Hollywood icon
Pam Grier, who has been a spokeswoman for
Dining Out for Life, an international fundraising and HIV/AIDS awareness event, for the
past five years. Co-hosts are Ernie Manouse
of Houston Public Media and Bill Baldwin of
Boulevard Realty.
To purchase tickets and for additional
information, please visit www.aidshelp.org/
WorldAIDSDay2015 or contact Margarita
Perez with AFH at [email protected] or
713-623-6796.
Volunteer Opportunities
Special Olympics – HBA volunteers assisted 350 athletes through two
Special Olympics events this fall. On September 21, they helped athletes
compete on 9- and 18-hole courses at the Greater Houston Area 2015
Golf Tournament at Cypress Lakes Golf Course. On October 3, volunteers assisted athletes as they competed in individual skills and team
swimming competitions at the Greater Houston Area Aquatics Meet
at the Cy-Fair Aquatics Center. Please consider volunteering for these
upcoming events by visiting tinyurl.com/HBASO1516:
tradition for these young adults, please consider contributing to one of
the following:
• Cash donations for a holiday meal served at the party
• New, unwrapped toys for children ages 1 through 7
Donations may be mailed or delivered to the Houston Bar Association,
1111 Bagby, FLB 200, Houston, TX 77002. Checks should be made
payable to the Houston Bar Foundation. For information contact Bonnie
Simmons at [email protected] or 713-759-1133.
November 21- Volleyball Tournament, Willowbrook Sports Complex
12539 Perry Road, 77070.
December 5 - Bowling Tournament, Copperfield Bowl, 15615 Glen
Chase Drive, 77095. Volunteers are needed for the 11:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
shift.
Lawyers Against Waste Conservation Event - Join the HBA
Lawyers Against Waste Committee for its Fall Conservation Event on
Saturday, November 14, from 9:00 a.m until noon at Kuhlman Gully
in Gragg Park, off South Wayside Dr. and Wheeler St. Kuhlman Gully
is a 1.09 mile waterway along Brays Bayou, with a long-neglected but
beautiful natural habitat and environmental learning laboratory in southeast Houston. Volunteers will pick up trash, remove invasive plants
and prepare a paddling trail. The event is open to HBA volunteers and
their family members over the age of 16. Morning refreshments will be
provided. Volunteers are asked to wear closed-toe shoes and long pants,
and to bring gloves. To volunteer, visit www.hba.org/waste to download
a registration form. For information, contact Bonnie Simmons at
[email protected] or 713-759-1133.
HAY Center Holiday Program - For young people who have spent
their lives in foster care and are struggling to transition into adulthood
without the support and guidance of family, the holiday season can be
a difficult time. The HBA works with the Houston Alumni and Youth
(HAY) Center to sponsor a holiday party for approximately 100 youth
who have aged out of the foster care system, and 50 of their children,
ages 7 and under. If you would like to contribute to a festive and fun
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November/December 2015 Houston Bar Bulletin
The 66Th Annual
Harvest
Celebration
Monday, November 16, 2015
7 p.m. - 10 p.m.
River Oaks Country Club
1600 River Oaks Blvd.
Benefiting the Houston Bar Foundation
Please join your colleagues who have committed to suppporting pro bono by
underwriting the Harvest Celebration.
Harvest Celebration Underwriters
$30,000
$5,000
Andrews Kurth LLP
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation Mergers & Acquisitions Section
Baker Botts L.L.P.
Baker & McKenzie LLP
Bracewell & Giuliani LLP
Beirne, Maynard & Parsons, L.L.P.
$3,000
Blank Rome LLP
Oil, Gas & Mineral Law Section
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Locke Lord LLP
$4,000
Benny & Nikki Agosto
Hagans Burdine Montgomery Rustay, P.C.
$1,000
Nathan Sommers Jacobs, PC
Hewlett-Packard Co.
Adame & Garza, LLP
Appellate Practice Section
Ogden, Gibson, Broocks, Longoria & Hall, LLP
Hogan Lovells US LLP
Holmes, Diggs & Eames, PLLC
Hunton & Williams LLP
Baker•Wotring LLP
Porter Hedges LLP
John F. Rhem
Berg & Androphy
BoyarMiller
Roach & Newton, LLP
Williams, L.L.P
Kay Sim
Jackson Walker L.L.P.
Campbell Harrison & Dagley L.L.P.
Royston, Rayzor, Vickery &
Jim Adler & Associates, P.C.
$2,500
Labor & Employment Section
Corporate Counsel Section
John & Denise Scofield
Dobrowski Larkin & Johnson L.L.P.
Scott, Clawater & Houston, L.L.P.
Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C.
Wisdom, L.L.P.
DTI Knowledge Solutions
Smyser Kaplan & Veselka, L.L.P.
Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP
Foster LLP
South Texas College of Law
Gibbs & Bruns LLP
Amegy Bank
LyondellBasell Industries
Greenberg Traurig LLP
Arnold Knobloch & Saunders, L.L.P.
McGuireWoods LLP
$10,000
Haynes and Boone, LLP
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Vinson & Elkins LLP
Williams Kherkher Hart Boundas, LLP
$15,000
Exxon Mobil Corporation
King & Spalding LLP
Burleson LLP
Chamberlain Hrdlicka White Williams & Aughtry
ConocoPhillips
Abraham Watkins Nichols Sorrels The Lanier Law Firm
Martin, Disiere, Jefferson &
Agosto & Friend
Dentons US LLP
Family Law Section
Halliburton
The Buck Family Fund
Burford Perry, LLP
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Hicks Thomas LLP
BakerHostetler
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
Christian, Smith & Jewell LLP
Chevron Corporation
McGinnis, Lochridge & Kilgore, LLP
Coats | Rose
Cokinos, Bosien & Young, P.C.
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw
Construction Law Section
Pittman LLP
Donato, Minx, Brown & Pool, P.C.
DLA Piper LLP (US)
Hess Corporation
Juvenile Law Section
KoonsFuller, P.C.
Litigation Section
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Phillips 66
Sidley Austin LLP
Winston & Strawn LLP
$7,500
Beck Redden LLP
Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.
CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
Jones Day
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP
Energy Transfer Partners L.P.
McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Noble Energy, Inc.
Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.
Real Estate Law Section
Rusty Hardin & Associates, P.C.
Service Corporation International
Alternative Dispute Resolution Section
Winstead PC
Germer Gertz, L.L.P.
Goldman Sachs
Gray Reed & McGraw, P.C.
Tom & Debbie Godbold
Robinson P.C.
Tekell, Book, Allen & Morris, L.L.P.
Westlake Chemical Corporation
Wright & Close, LLP
Yetter Coleman LLP
Zimmerman, Axelrad, Meyer, Stern & Wise, P.C.
The Law Office of Daniel D. Horowitz, III, PC
$100-$500
Law Practice Management Section
Environmental Law Section
Reynolds, Frizzell, Black, Doyle, Liskow & Lewis
Allen & Oldham LLP
MacIntyre McCulloch Stanfield & Young LLP
$1,500
Sturm Law PLLC
Ware, Jackson, Lee & Chambers, L.L.P.
Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease Kelly, Durham & Pittard, LLP
LLP
Kennard Blankenship &
Fisher, Boyd, Johnson &
FTI Consulting
Hirsch & Westheimer
L.L.P.
Susman Godfrey L.L.P.
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
Hasley Scarano, L.L.P.
Strasburger & Price, LLP
$2,000
Frost Bank
Hall, Maines & Lugrin, P.C.
Johnson, Trent, West & Taylor,
Federal Practice Section
Thompson & Knight Foundation
Godwin Lewis PC
Flom LLP
EOG Resources, Inc.
Huguenard LLP
Strong Pipkin Bissell & Ledyard LLP
Stewart & Lynn Gagnon
Siegmyer, Oshman & Bissinger, International Law Section
LLP
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Jenkins & Kamin, L.L.P.
Schirrmeister Diaz-Arrastia Brem LLP
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP
Frank, Elmore, Lievens, Chesney Sprott Newsom Quattlebaum Messenger P.C.
& Turet, L.L.P.
MehaffyWeber, P.C.
Lewis Law Office, P.C.
Animal Law Section
Health Law Section
Securities Litigation &
Arbitration Section
*As of press time
Individual ticket price is $250; fair market value of goods and services received is $125. The balance paid may be tax deductible as a
charitable contribution.
For information on underwriting, visit www.hba.org.
November/December 2015 Houston Bar Bulletin
5
HBA People
Williams
Warne
John Eddie Williams, founding partner of Williams Kherkher
Hart Boundas, LLP, is the second
recipient of the Joseph D. Jamail
Award for Justice, given by Aid to
Victims of Domestic Violence. He
was honored at AVDA’s annual
Home Safe Home Gala on October
14, which celebrated the organization’s 35 years of service to
victims of abuse and their families.
The Texas Center for the Judiciary has awarded the Hon. Judy
Warne of the 257th District Court
the Exemplary Judicial Faculty
Award for her outstanding contribution to judicial education for
2014-2015.
Denise Scofield, a partner with
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP,
has been appointed to the board of
directors of the Texas Access to
Justice Foundation for a three-year
term. The Foundation provides
grant funding for civil legal aid in
Texas.
Jay Jackson of Abraham,
Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto
Scofield
The Houston Bar Association’s Veterans Legal
Initiative and bar associations around the state will
join the State Bar of Texas in celebrating Veterans
Week with special legal clinics and events.
• Nov. 7 – The Veterans Legal Initiative and the
Galveston County Bar will sponsor a Veterans
Legal Advice Clinic, 9 a.m. until noon, at the VA
Outpatient Clinic in Galveston, along with participating in a Veterans Fair at the clinic, 3828 Ave. N,
Galveston, TX 77559. No appointment necessary.
• Nov. 11 – City of Houston Veterans Day Parade
and Fair. The HBA’s Veterans Legal Initiative will
provide information on legal services available for
veterans from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at City Hall.
• Nov. 13 – The HBA’s Veterans Legal Initiative
will sponsor two free legal advice clinics for veterans. Clinics will be held at the Michael E. DeBakey
VA Medical Center1-5 p.m. and the Veterans
Affairs Administration Building, 1-4 p.m. For more
information on all Veterans Week activities, visit
www.hba.org.
November/December 2015 Houston Bar Bulletin
Wilson
& Friend has been named to the
National Association of Distinguished Counsel’s “Nation’s Top
One Percent” list for 2015.
The Harris County Dispute
Resolution Center has placed 2nd
among the top three “Best Alternative Dispute Resolution Providers”
in the Texas Lawyer’s Texas Best
2014. The DRC has ranked in the
top three for three out of the past
four years.
Thirteen Beck Redden LLP
attorneys and spouses showed their
support for the Crescent City’s
commemoration of the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by
participating in a “Day of Service”
during the firm’s annual retreat,
held this year in New Orleans. The
firm partnered with HandsOn New
Orleans to paint bathrooms and
hang bulletin boards at the Einstein
Charter School’s Sarah Towles
Reed Campus in preparation for its
first academic year..
Baker & McKenzie LLP has
been named Houston Firm of the
HBA to Celebrate Veterans
Week, November 7-14
6
Jackson
Tindall
Blair
Marrs
Year by the Tahirih Justice Center
and was honored at the organization’s 4th Annual Houston Gala on
September 26. The firm devotes
hundreds of hours of pro bono time
to help survivors of gender-based
violence through the organization.
Tom Wilson, head of Vinson
& Elkins’ Labor, Employment
and OSHA practice, has been
elected chair of the newly-created
State Bar of Texas Human Rights
Committee. The committee will
promote training and educational
programs on human rights and issues faced by lawyers practicing in
the international arena.
Julie Hardin, partner at Reed
Smith LLP, has been named to
the Women on the Move Class
of 2015 by Texas Executive
Women. She will be honored at the
organization’s awards luncheon on
November 12, which is co-chaired
by Cisselon Nichols Hurd of Shell
Oil Company and the Hon. Debra
Ibarra Mayfield of the 165th
District Court.
Tough
Harry Tindall, partner with
Tindall England, PC, was named
Life Commissioner to the Uniform
Law Commission, acknowledging
his 20-plus years of service to the
organization. He was also named
chair of the Drafting Committee
for the Model Veterans Court Act.
Gov. Greg Abbott appointed
Nelda Luce Blair, CEO of The
Blair Law Firm, P.C., to the Stephen F. Austin University Board of
Regents for a term that expires in
January 2021.
Scott D. Marrs, partner with
Beirne, Maynard & Parsons, has
been appointed by the International
Centre for Dispute Resolution to
its Panel of Distinguished International Arbitrators.
Bruce Tough, principal of
Tough Law Firm, PLLC, has been
elected to the board of directors
for Houston Advanced Research
Center in The Woodlands.
Veterans Legal Initiative Receives Grant
from Texas Access to Justice Foundation
The Houston Bar Foundation’s
Veterans Legal Initiative (VLI) has
received a two-year grant of $187,400
from the Texas Access to Justice Foundation (TAJF). The grant funds a program
manager to assist with the VLI, and
assists with outreach and operating costs.
The VLI was established in 2008 to serve
the civil legal needs of Houston veterans,
then expanded in 2011 to serve veterans
in surrounding counties through a grant
from TAJF.
The 84th Texas Legislature provided
$3 million in funding for basic civil legal
services for veterans and their families
over the next two years. Also, the Texas
Access to Justice Commission—through
its Champions of Justice Gala—raised
more than $400,000 in 2014 from law
firms and corporate sponsors.
“Too often, servicemen and women
return from duty to find benefits delayed,
families struggling, jobs scarce, homes
in foreclosure, and debt collectors at the
door,” Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht said. “We thank the
Legislature for providing the resources
to ensure that when basic legal problems
pressure veterans, legal aid will be available for help.”
Since 2008, the VLI has served over
12,000 veterans in Houston and surrounding counties through its free legal
advice clinics and the commitment of
volunteer attorneys, who work through
the HBA’s Houston Volunteer Lawyers.
“With Texas having the secondhighest population of veterans, it is
essential that we provide legal services
for those who have sacrificed so much
for our country,” Texas Supreme Court
Justice Eva Guzman, the Court’s access
to justice liaison, said. “Local legal aid
programs for veterans are gateways to
the justice system for many veterans and
their families.”
Join the HBA 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 of 5-24 Attorneys
Abraham Watkins Nichols Sorrels Agosto and Friend
Adair & Myers PLLC
Ajamie LLP
Bair Hilty, P.C.
Baker Williams Matthiesen LLP
Baker • Wotring LLP
The Bale Law Firm, PLLC
Barrett Daffin Frappier Turner & Engel, LLP
Berg & Androphy
Bingham, Mann, & House
BoyarMiller
Buck Keenan LLP
Bush & Ramirez PC
Cage Hill & Niehaus LLP
Campbell & Riggs, P.C.
Chernosky Smith Ressling & Smith PLLC
Christian Smith & Jewell LLP
Cokinos Bosien & Young
Cozen O’Connor
Crady, Jewett & McCulley, LLP
Crinion Davis & Richardson LLP
De Lange Hudspeth McConnell & Tibbets LLP
Dentons US LLP
Dobrowski, Larkin & Johnson LLP
Dow Golub Remels & Beverly LLP
Doyle Restrepo Harvin & Robbins LLP
Ewing & Jones, PLLC
Faubus Keller & Burford LLP
Fernelius Alvarez & Simon PLLC Fisher, Boyd & Huguenard, LLP
Fisher & Phillips LLP
Fizer Beck Webster Bentley & Scroggins PC Fleming, Nolen & Jez, L.L.P.
Frank, Elmore, Lievens, Chesney & Turet, L.L.P. Fullenweider Wilhite PC
Funderburk Funderburk Courtois, LLP
Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith PC
Germer PLLC Givens & Johnston PLLC
Godwin Lewis, P.C.
Gordon & Rees LLP
Greer, Herz & Adams, L.L.P.
Hagans Burdine Montgomery & Rustay PC Hartline Dacus Barger Dreyer LLP
Hawash Meade Gaston Neese & Cicack LLP
Henke & Williams
Hicks Thomas LLP
Hirsch & Westheimer PC Holm I Bambace LLP
Horne Rota Moos LLP
Hunton & Williams LLP
Jackson Gilmour & Dobbs PC Jackson Lewis LLP
Jenkins Kamin PC
Johnson DeLuca Kurisky & Gould, P.C.
Johnson Trent West & Taylor LLP
Jones Walker LLP Kane Russell Coleman & Logan PC
Kelly, Sutter & Kendrick, P.C.
KoonsFuller, PC
Kroger I Burrus
LeClairRyan
Legge Farrow Kimmitt McGrath & Brown, L.L.P.
Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson LLP Lorance & Thompson PC
MacIntyre, McCulloch, Stanfield & Young, LLP McGinnis Lochridge
McGuireWoods LLP
MehaffyWeber PC Morris Lendais Hollrah & Snowden
Nathan Sommers Jacobs PC
Ogden Gibson Broocks Longoria & Hall, LLP
Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak &
Stewart, P.C.
Pagel Davis & Hill PC
Parrott Sims & McInnis, PLLC
Perdue Brandon Fielder Collins & Mott
Perdue & Kidd L.L.P.
Phelps Dunbar LLP
Ramey, Chandler, Quinn & Zito, P.C.
Reynolds Frizzell LLP
Roach & Newton, L.L.P. Ross Banks May Cron & Cavin PC
Royston, Rayzor, Vickery & Williams, L.L.P.
Rusty Hardin & Associates, P.C.
Rymer Moore Jackson & Echols, P.C.
Schiffer Odom Hicks & Johnson PLLC
Schirrmeister Diaz-Arrastia Brem LLP
Schwartz Page & Harding LLP
Shannon, Martin, Finkelstein,
Alvarado & Dunne, P.C.
Scott, Clawater & Houston, L.L.P.
Shipley Snell Montgomery LLP
Short Carter Morris
Singleton Cooksey LLP
Smith Adams Law Feehan LLP Smith Murdaugh Little & Bonham LLP
Smyser Kaplan & Veselka LLP 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.
Sprott Newsom Quattlebaum Messenger, P.C.
Strong Pipkin Bissell & Ledyard LLP
Stuart PC
Sutton McAughan Deaver, PLLC
Tekell, Book, Allen, and Morris, L.L.P.
Thompson & Horton LLP
Thompson Coe Cousins & Irons LLP
Taunton, Snyder & Slade, P.C.
The Ward Law Firm
Ware Jackson Lee & Chambers LLP
Watt Thompson & Henneman LLP
Weinstein Tippetts & Little LLP
Weycer Kaplan Pulaski & Zuber PC
Williams Birnberg & Andersen LLP
Williams Kherkher Hart Boundas, LLP
Willingham, Fultz & Cougill, LLP Wilson Cribbs & Goren PC
Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker
Wright Abshire, Attorneys, PC
Wright & Close LLP
Ytterberg Deery Knull LLP
Zimmerman Axelrad Meyer Stern & Wise PC
Zimmerman, Lavine & Zimmermann P.C.
Zukowski Bresenhan, Sinex & Petry LLP
Firms of 25-49 Attorneys
Adams and Reese LLP
Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C.
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Andrews Myers, P.C.
Beck Redden LLP
Beirne Maynard & Parsons, L.L.P.
Blank Rome LLP
Edison, McDowell & Hetherington LLP
Gibbs & Bruns LLP
Littler Mendelson PC
Liskow & Lewis
Roberts Markel Weinberg Butler Hailey PC
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Yetter Coleman LLP
Firms of 50-100 Attorneys
Baker Hostetler LLP
Chamberlain Hrdlicka White Williams & Aughtry
Coats | Rose
Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP
Greenberg Traurig
Jackson Walker LLP
Martin Disiere Jefferson & Wisdom LLP
Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP
Porter Hedges LLP
Thompson & Knight LLP
Winstead PC
Firms of 100+ Attorneys
Andrews Kurth LLP
Baker Botts LLP
Bracewell & Giuliani LLP
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Haynes and Boone LLP
Locke Lord LLP
Vinson & Elkins LLP
Corporate Legal Departments
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation
AT&T Texas
BP CenterPoint Energy
El Paso Corporation
Kellogg Brown & Root, Inc.
LyondellBasell Industries
MAXXAM, Inc.
Newfield Exploration Company
Plains All American Pipeline L.P.
Rice University
S & B Engineers and Constructors, Ltd.
Sysco Corporation
Texas Children’s Hospital
Total E&P USA, Inc.
University of Houston System
Law School Faculty
South Texas College of Law
Thurgood Marshall School of Law
University of Houston Law Center
Government Agencies
City of Houston Legal Department
Harris County Attorney’s Office
Harris County District Attorney’s Office
Harris County Domestic Relations Office
Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County Texas
Port of Houston Authority of Harris County, Texas
November/December 2015 Houston Bar Bulletin
7
Summaries
2015 Bench Bar Pro Bono Awards - Did your firm or corporate legal
department perform exceptional pro bono legal services during 2015?
Was someone you know an outstanding pro bono volunteer? Nominate them for the Harris County Bench Bar Pro Bono Awards. Watch
for more information and a March deadline.
Houston Lawyers Diamond Anniversary Celebration – The Houston Lawyers Association will celebrate its Diamond Anniversary on
November 7 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 8686 Kirby Drive. The association will honor the past presidents of the HLA. A cocktail hour and
vendor market begins at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and presentations
from 7-10 p.m. and celebration from 10 p.m.-midnight. For ticket and
underwriting information, visit www.houstonlawyersassociation.org.
Historic Document Preservation Volunteers - Are you a history
buff, genealogist or preservationist? Consider volunteering with the
Historic Document Preservation Project of Harris County. One of the
group’s projects is putting together displays such as the one on the
Centennial of the 80th District Court that you can view while waiting
for the elevators in the Civil Courthouse. The group volunteers on the
second Tuesday of each month in the Historic Document Room of the
Civil Courthouse. For more information, contact Diane Teichman at
713-263-9237 or [email protected].
HBA Holiday Closings - The HBA Office will be closed on November 26-27 and December 24-25 for the holidays.
Houston Bar Bulletin
The Houston Bar Bulletin (ISSN 0279-3997, U.S.P.S. 601-010) is published bi-monthly at the annual
rate of $6 by the Houston Bar Association, 1111 Bagby, FLB Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77002. Periodical
postage paid at Houston, Texas. Postmaster: Send address changes by form 3579 to the Houston Bar
Bulletin, 1111 Bagby, FLB Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77002
Press releases and inquiries about the Houston Bar Bulletin should be sent to Tara Shockley, editor, at
the address above. Deadline: 5th of the month preceding first month of publication date. Telephone: 713/7591133; e-mail [email protected].
8
November/Decemberr 2015 Houston Bar Bulletin