Bulletin March 2015
Support Tarrant County Bar Foundation’s Annual Fundraiser Benefitting Its Community Service Programs & Projects
Tickets $25 per person
7:00 PM SATURDAY MARCH 28, 2015
TITLE SPONSOR
presents
The Lawyer Sketch-Comedy Show Starring Tarrant County Attorneys & Judges
Fort Worth Community Arts Center 1300 Gendy Street Fort Worth, Texas
Now in its 5th Year
P
resident’s page
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am speaking to you from the Tarrant County Bar Association time warp continuum. As we have discussed in the past, at the time you draft these columns you are some 2–3 months ahead of the publications. As I draft this column, it is the end of by Mike Henry January, and I am sitting in Stock Show traf�ic in cold rain and hope that you will be reading this in March as the weather slowly begins to turn to Spring. This is a little bit off time, but the Stock Show certainly is a wonderful part of our community and is supported by many wonderful members of the Bar. At every event I attend I see many colleagues associated with the Tarrant County Bar Association, either at the livestock auctions, the rodeo, or the exhibit hall. Many lawyers and law �irms help support the youth livestock auctions and literally place tens of thousands of dollars into the hands of deserving young ranchers who without fail either reinvest the money in new stock or in their college education. Thanks to all of us who participate in the Stock Show. I must confess that my favorite part of the Stock Show has always been the exhibit hall. I always start off with the knife salesman with the microphone headset. I know it’s a setup, but I still enjoy watching him slice oranges and cans simultaneously. I never leave without a new mop or broom or set of pots and pans. I also bought a very nice grandfather clock there one time. There are not many places in Fort Worth where you can buy all of those items under one roof. Also, as I am writing this column, Constance Hall, under the sage guidance of Steve Hayes and Dabney Bassel (translation: a lot of hard work by Connie and kibitzing and �inger pointing by Steve and Dabney) presented a Marketing Seminar in January. It was extremely well attended, the content was wonderful, and the numerous
comments have been very positive. It seems like every column that I write involves thanking Connie for some project or involvement she has had for the organization. I hope that as you read this that the weather is improving in anticipation of the Bench Bar Conference set for April 24-26 at the La Torretta Resort on Lake Conroe. We are taking a very close look at our special-events insurance in that I am committed this year to play in the golf tournament. Expect to hear the term “fore” a lot more often than in the past. It seems that we are losing a lot of great lawyers recently. Gene Dozier, Susan Halsey, Frank McCown: All nice people and great lawyers. Mike Lee was someone who I particularly admired and enjoyed working with him. He had quite �lair as a trial lawyer and was one of the most naturally intelligent people I ever met. Early in my career, a peer was bragging to me that he had caught Mike in a jam in a medical negligence case and that Mike had only �iled a general denial and had named no experts. The jury was out about 15 minutes and came back unanimous in favor of Mike’s client. Mike had an inherent ability to absolutely destroy expert witnesses without asking them any facts or questions about the case. At one time, he practiced law with John Camp and Dustin Filmore. I bet that was a great place to have coffee in the morning. I was also incredibly sorry to learn of the passing of Judge Bill Brigham. He was a wonderful man and an incredible judge, jurist and human being. I had the honor and pleasure of trying my �irst case in front of him 34 years ago, and learned a great deal from him. The Tarrant County Legal Community, and indeed the community at large will suffer greatly in his passing. I would also like to say a few words here in recognition of the losses and illness of loved ones that some of the TCBA staff has suffered over the last few months. I am sure I can speak for us all when I say that our hearts, prayers and thoughts are with them at this dif�icult time, and they should know that we are all here to support them. As I write this, we are today having the Annual Meeting and Pro Bono Awards of the Tarrant County Bar Foundation. I hope to see you there. We will be recognizing all of the volunteer work that is done and installing the 2015 Board of Directors. Congratulations to new Chair, Rick Sorenson. Be sure to read the article about those volunteers found on page 4 of this Bulletin. I think Rick got to town one year before I did, and he has been a good friend and supporter of the Bar, but of course all of you know that. ■ March 2015
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Mike
TCBA BulleTin
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C
Tarrant County Bar Association
817.338.4092 ■ Fax 817.335.9238 Share with your clients, family and friends!
ontents
website: www.tarrantbar.org e-mail: tcba@tarrantbar.org
Tarrant County Bar Foundation
2014-2015 Officers
presents The 11th Annual
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Check-in n fr ffrom rom 11-11:30 am ro
President. . . . . . . . . . . . Michael J. Henry President-elect . . . . . . . David e. Keltner Vice President . . . . . . . . . Robert G. West Secretary-Treasurer . . . .Dabney D. Bassel
Free 2013-2014 Elected Directors Event! nick Bettinger Steven K. Hayes Claudine Jackson
2014-2015 Elected Directors
Features
leslie Barrows John Cayce lance evans
3 2015 4 2015 Tarrant County Bar Foundation’s Annual Meeting 6 Senior Retired Judge Maryellen Hicks inn Of Court Hosts 15 Mahon High School Mock Trials Tortfeasors5
2014-2015 Appointed Directors Connie Hall Karmen Johnson
________________________________________ _ Immediate
Past President
Ann Diamond
Fort Worth-Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association
Chris Stoy, President (Spring 2015)
Departments Amber Altemose, President (Fall 2015) 1 President’s Page Executive Director Patricia Graham, PlS, ClAS 6 lawyers on the Move & in the news Ex-Officio Members 7 Tarrant County Young lawyers Association First Name: ____________________ Last Name: ________________________ State Bar of Texas Directors Street Address: ___________________________________________________ 7 new Members City: ______________________________ State: ________ Zip: ____________ Robert e. Aldrich, Jr. E-mail: _________________________ (we do not share your email with anyone) J. Benjamin Barlow 8 100 Club Members ABA Delegate 9 TVAS Begins the Year Janna W. Clarke 10 Snippets Bar Bulletin 12 legalline John F. Murphy, editor H. Dennis Kelly, Assistant editor 12 lawyer Referral and information Service news Ameera Hallaq, Staff editor 14 in Memoriam: Brigham - Shrull - Wood ameera@tarrantbar.org • 817.338.4092 Graphics/Production 16 Members-Only Benefit updates Park Place enterprises, inc. 17 Transition to Practice Program ggpark@flash.net • 817.877.8901
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In every issue 18 19 20 20
Calendar of events Other Associations Classified Ads Advertisers’ index
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The Tarrant County Bar Bulletin is a monthly publication of the Tarrant County Bar Association. Articles, photos, events for the calendar, suggestions, or comments should be directed to: 1315 Calhoun Street Fort Worth, Texas 76102-6504 Deadline for submission is the 1st day
of the month, one month prior the date of the issue (e.g. April 1 for the May issue). items for publication may be e-mailed to ameera@tarrantbar.org in Word format. Articles published in the Bar Bulletin do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Tarrant County Bar Association, its officers, or the Board of Directors. Calendar listings, classifieds, advertisements, and feature articles should not be considered an endorsement of any service, product, program, seminar or event.
Join us for another Tortfeasors Show
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t is time again to enjoy the annual TORTFEASORS show. Now in its fifth year, Tortfeasors5 brings another lawyerthemed sketch comedy show starring local Tarrant County attorneys and judges. The cast will entertain you and your friends with the peculiar situations that attorneys often deal with on a daily basis. Previous shows have provided hilarious skits about the draconian and complex advertising rules for attorneys, what happens when a court outsources its judicial duties to India, and the difficulty some attorneys have getting through the courthouse metal detectors. And as a rare treat, last year’s show was opened by special guest, Justice Debra Lehrmann. Come and be surprised by this year’s special guest! And expect to be entertained by skits that mock technology, bring a new twist to “speed dating,” and mix coffee with the law! There will also be new song and dance numbers featuring the stress of the bar exam, poking fun at our Dallas neighbors, and more! Tortfeasors was started in 2011 as an effort to raise funds for the non-profit Tarrant County Bar Foundation. Due to its success, it has continued to be a highlight of the bar year every year since then. It remains the one and only annual fundraiser dedicated to raising funds to finance various Bar Foundation community service projects, including its two pro bono programs, Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans—Tarrant County Chapter and Tarrant Volunteer Attorney Services. Last year, the show netted over $27,250 for these deserving projects. Our goal this year is to exceed that number in the interest of expanding these important public services. ■
The Torfeasors5 show will be held Saturday, March 28, 2015 7 p.m. • Scott Theater in the Fort Worth Community Arts Center 1300 Gendy Street
Individual tickets are $25 per person including refreshments prior to the show and during intermission.
! r a e Y h t 5 s t i Now in
Sponsorships are always welcome and needed.
If you are interested in the benefits of a sponsorship, please contact Trisha Graham at trisha@tarrantbar.org for more information. The theater holds only TITLE SPONSOR around 350 people, so buy your tickets in advance and join us for an evening of fun and laughs for a great cause! March 2015
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TCBA BULLETIN
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Tarrant County Bar Foundation’s
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he Tarrant County Bar Foundation held its Annual Meeting and Pro Bono Awards on January 27. The Foundation Fellows came to applaud the good works of the Foundation and to share conversation and good food. Chair Bob Bodoin highlighted the remarkable accomplishments of the 2014 Foundation Year and focused on the many community service programs and projects that the Foundation supported in 2014. These programs included an Annual Blood Drive, Big Brothers Big Sisters, CASA of Tarrant County, elder law Handbook, legalline, national Adoption Day, People’s law School, Tarrant Area Food Bank, Tarrant County Volunteer Attorneys Services (TVAS), Texas lawyers for Texas Veterans (TlTV)—Tarrant County Chapter, and Texas A&M university School of law intern program benefitting SafeHaven, TlTV, and TVAS. notable mention was made that two of the Foundation’s volunteers received statewide recognition at this year’s State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting. Shauna Wright, attorney with Kelly Hart & Hallman and past inaugural co-chair of the Tarrant Volunteer Attorney Service, was the recipient of the 2014 Pro Bono Coordinator Award. Julie Sherman, a paralegal at Cantey Hanger and our Foundation’s Volunteer Paralegal of the Year, received the 2014 liberty Bell Award from the Texas Young lawyers Association reflecting her many contributions to the community. Special mention and thanks went to Jeff Whitfield of Kelly Hart and Hallman for his participation on the TlTV committee since its inception, his outstanding, extended service as chair of the TlTV program and his dedication to recognizing our veterans as heroes. And to the two continuing co-chairs of the TVAS program, Philip Vickers of Cantey Hanger, and Patricia laRue of Benenati law Firm, for their dedication and volunteer service, which will continue through the 2015 Foundation Year.
Philip Vickers and Patricia LaRue presented the following awards to outstanding 2014 TVAS volunteers: Corporate Partner . . Legal Department of Fidelity Investments Pro Bono Attorney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Valerie Simpson Attorney Mentor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Gardner Pro Bono Paralegal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Starlene Moore Pro Bono Law Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lauren Slaton Wes Cooper of Cooper Companies was introduced as the 2015 TLTV Chair, and he then honored the following notable volunteers from the 2014 TLTV program: Corporate Partner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FTS International Attorney Partner. . . . . . . . Trevin Ware, Legal Aid of NW Texas Pro Bono Attorney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Atticus Gill Pro Bono Paralegal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephanie Davis Pro Bono Law Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dwight Tom
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2015 Annual Meeting Mr. Bodoin also recognized the volunteer cast and crew of our own Tortfeasors lawyer theatrical variety show, now in their fifth year and led by Rik Sehgal, for their yearly fundraising efforts and contribution to the Foundation, which totaled over $27,250 in 2014! He also recognized the important Foundation grants and sponsorships by the following generous organizations and individuals: Texas Access to Justice Foundation Grant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $22,000 for TLTV Texas Bar Foundation Grant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,000 for TVAS Corporate Counsel Section of State Bar of Texas Grant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,000 for both TLTV & TVAS (in 2014 for technology and equipment) Real Estate, Probate, and Trust Section of the State Bar of Texas Grant . . . $4,000 Litigation Section, State Bar of Texas Grant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,000 for TLTV for software Sponsorship for TVAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Benenati Law Firm; Judge Nancy Berger; Cantey Hanger; & McDonald Sanders; and the Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association Sponsorship for TLTV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP and Aleed Rivera
last, but not least, the following installations were announced and the oath of office was administered for the 2015 Foundation Board: Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rick G. Sorenson Chair-Elect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mattie Peterson Compton Vice Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patti Gearhart Turner Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Neil W. Adams New Directors: Lisa Jamieson Dee Kelly, Jr. Andy Sims Continuing Directors: Janna Clarke Artie Errisuriz Judge David Evans Joe Cleveland Mack Ed Swindle Stephen L. Tatum
These excellent men and women will, no doubt, continue to enhance our community’s good work, and continue the tradition of fostering professionalism, camaraderie, and the good reputation of the Tarrant County legal community by the service the Foundation provides. ■
March 2015
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TCBA Bulletin
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Lawyers on the Move &
in the News
The Texas State Bar litigation Section has awarded Cantey Hanger Managing Partner Stephen L. Tatum the luther (luke) H. Soules iii Award, which is presented annually to an attorney “who embodies excellence in the practice of law and exemplary service to the Bar through outstanding professionalism and community impact.” Tatum has spent a career in appellate courts throughout the united States. His practice focus is centered in trial and appellate litigation, and he has argued more than 75 appeals. Elisa C. Fox and Sarah G. Powers have been promoted to Senior Associates at Decker Jones, P.C. Fox focuses her practice on the construction and real estate practice groups, including developers, contractors, designers, lenders, and borrowers, in a variety of litigation and transactional legal matters. Powers’s practice is focused on real estate, common business transactions, and oil and gas. The Blum Firm, P.C. is proud to announce the addition of Emily K. Seawright to its Fort Worth office. Seawright received her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Texas Tech university School of law in 2013. Molly M. Johnson, a former summer associate at Decker Jones, P.C., has joined the law firm as an associate. She passed the Texas State Bar exam in July 2014. She received her Doctor of Jurisprudence, summa cum laude, from Texas Tech university School of law. Her Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, is from Angelo State university. At Texas Tech university School of law, she earned a Business law Concentration and was executive lead Articles editor for the Administrative law Journal.
Shannon, Gracey, Ratliff & Miller, llP is pleased to announce Eamonn J. Wiles has been promoted to partner. Wiles has been an associate with the firm for nearly five years, working in the Fort Worth office. He represents clients in complex insurance coverage disputes and in commercial litigation. Wiles has represented clients in both state and federal courts and in arbitration. Retired state district judge Bob Gill announces the opening of his criminal law practice. Before going into private practice, Judge Gill was an assistant criminal district attorney in Tarrant County for 17 years and served as judge of the 213th District Court for 15 years. He is located at 201 Main Street, Suite 801, Fort Worth 76102. His telephone number is 817.338.4888, and his email is gilllawoffice@ verizon.net. Jeffrey R. Allen and Rachel L. Wright have joined to form The JRA Firm (www.jrafirm.com) in Southlake. Their practice focuses on commercial litigation, construction law, real estate litigation, personal injury, and family law. The firm caters to residents of Southlake, Grapevine, Colleyville, and surrounding communities. Jeff and Rachel can be contacted by phone: 817.756.6122 or by email: jeff@jrafirm.com; rachel@jrafirm.com. Veronica Chavez Law has joined the law firm of Brackett & ellis, 100 Main Street, Fort Worth 76102. law’s practice consists primarily of real estate transactions, banking and commercial lending matters, and a wide range of other business and commercial transactions. Paup, Shutt & Associates, P.C., is pleased to announce that Kimberly A. Collier has joined the firm. She can be reached at 5020 Collinwood Avenue, Suite 200, Fort Worth 76107, or by phone at 817.737.5020. ■
Senior Retired Judge Maryellen Hicks By Perry Cockerell
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t age five, Senior Retired Judge Maryellen Hicks knew that one day she would be a lawyer, but she never thought she would be an appellate court justice. Her time as a Justice on the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth was just one of the many phases of her public service career in two major cities in Texas. The Texas State Bar Appellate Section is preserving her oral history as part of its effort to interview all former justices who served on the courts of appeals in Texas. Her interview can be found at http://youtube/VFC7Zj8C4e. Her military family took her to many states before arriving in Odessa, Texas, for her early education. After high school, she moved to Denton to attend Texas Woman’s university, and after graduation, she moved to lubbock to attend Texas Tech School of law. in 1974, she was the first black woman to graduate from the law school. Her inspiration to become a lawyer came from her great uncle, W.J. Durham, a self-educated, pioneering Texas lawyer who handled the case of Sweat v. Painter with Thurgood Marshall. Durham passed away before she could work with him. After law school, she went to work for Bonner & Mitchell in Fort Worth handling many kinds of cases and breaking new ground: “i was a novelty when you think about it, a black female lawyer.” later she and norman Bonner set up their firm of Bonner & Hicks. Following her mother’s advice to “be engaged, be involved, vote,” she worked on Hugh Parmer’s campaign for Mayor of Fort Worth. in 1978, she was appointed a Municipal Judge and eventually became the Chief Municipal Judge. “i was at the
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right place at the right time,” she said. in 1982, she sought an open seat in the County Criminal Court but lost in the Democratic primary. Governor Mark White then appointed her to the 231st Judicial District Court. She served for 10 years as a family court judge and enjoyed her time on the bench working with children. Her tenure was difficult and risky as many may remember the 1991 case of George lott, who shot Justices Hill and Ashworth at the Second Court of Appeals during oral arguments. His divorce case had originated in her court. lott was disturbed and had threatened her on other occasions. in 1992, she chose not to run for reelection, but in 1994, Governor Ann Richards called her to serve on the Second Court of Appeals. She loved her time serving on the court, especially reading the law. Her favorite times on the court were oral arguments. Her advice to appellate attorneys is to “be prepared, be sharp, and be brief,” and of course, always be honest. if you have made a mistake, then “approach the Judge with the other side and just lay it all out there . . . you can be strident, but not arrogant. You can be forceful without being disrespectful.” Her advice to young lawyers is to “be involved in pro bono work or helping out at a homeless shelter, voting, or doing whatever we can to make our society even greater . . . When you look at the great lawyers of the past, whatever color they were, whatever their gender was, those men and women have made a difference in this country.” She left the Court of Appeals in 1996, and for the last 21 years, she has served as a visiting Judge in Harris County. ■
t o h s p a n S YLA
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t is with great pleasure that i take the reins of the Tarrant County Young lawyers Association from Past President Ryan Scharar. i want to give a special thanks to Ryan who diligently led the organization through a great halfyear term. i also want to thank our past and present board members, whose hard work make the organization what it is today. By way of a brief introduction, i am a Tarrant County native, who later moved out to Aledo, Texas, where i graduated high school. i received my undergraduate degree from Texas A&M university and attended law school at St. Mary’s university. i spent the first few years of my practice working at Brackett & ellis, P.C., where i was mentored by some of Tarrant County’s finest lawyers. in September of 2014, i opened up my own law firm, Hutchison & Stoy, PllC with my law partner, Susan Hutchison. We are what i like to call plaintiffs’ trial lawyers. We specialize in personal injury, labor and employment law, and civil rights litigation. As President of TCYlA, my goal is to continue our efforts of community outreach and involvement, which have been the focus of our organization for many years. To that end, TCYlA hosted a Super Bowl Bash for the kids in the Child life Zone at Cook Children’s on Saturday, January 31, 2015. A special thanks to Martin Garcia and Chris Gee for heading up this event, which was described by one Child life Zone attendant as “the most well attended volunteer event she has ever seen.” On February 19, 2015, TCYlA teamed up with Clayton Yes! for a celebrity bartending event at little Red Wasp. A good time was had by all. Special thanks to little Red Wasp for hosting the event and to Tennessee Walker for planning it. My future vision for TCYlA also includes more involvement with students at Texas A&M School of law. This began last month when the board of directors hosted an event
New
at the bar office that put students in groups of ten at a table with a TCYlA board member. Many topics were discussed and the students were able to hear from multiple board members as the board members rotated from table to table. The topics ranged from Finding Your Way Into The Right Practice Area to The Biggest Professional Gaffs of the Attorney Board Members. law Chris Stoy students were introduced to a friendPresident, TCYLA ly, helpful Tarrant County bar culture, and board members were put on the spot to give deliberate thought to their practice of law. Thanks to Cody Cofer who planned the event and served as master of ceremonies, working the audience with wit and a microphone. TCYlA has also teamed up with the Big Brothers Big Sisters Committee of the Tarrant County Bar to host Ballin’ for a Cause on March 28, 2015. The event is a three-on-three basketball tournament that will benefit Tarrant County Big Brothers Big Sisters. The event will be held at H.O.P.e. Farms off Felix and i-35. if you’re interested in signing up a team, contact me at cstoy@hsjustice.com. Hurry; the event is limited to 12 teams. Mark your calendars now for Spring Fiesta on April 16, 2015, at Joe T. Garcia’s. if you haven’t had the opportunity to join us for one of our events, Spring Fiesta would be a great event to attend. Also, be on the look out for e-mails about our monthly happy hours and Cle lunches. Come out, meet your peers, and get involved. if you would like more information about TCYlA, including the happy hours and lunches, visit TCYlA’s website at www.tcyla.org and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TCYlA. ■
Chris
TCBA Welcomes Its
Attorneys
Katherine Adams Whitney Beckworth Chris Brown Adam Chilton Joseph Cole Andrea Dwyer Zachary Ferguson ii noah Garcia
Attorneys
Sara Beth Hall Carista Hill elizabeth Holmes Monica Jenkins Seth lightfoot Stephen lindsey ernst M. Martzen Randal Moore
Members Attorneys Wolfgang Morton Monica narvarez Brandon neely Shara Pace emily Seawright Amber Stafford Saba Syed
Students
Associates
William “Ryan” Campbell Jessica Foster Kim Jones Brett Miller essence Ragland Courtney Renken Jose Robles
David Blaylock Carolyn Burton Josh Bullock lauren east
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TCBA BulleTin
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See your name in lights!!! Become a member of the exclusive TCBA “2014-2015 100 Club” and see your firm’s or organization’s name in print in every issue of the Bar Bulletin for the remainder of this bar year!
Or at least in the TCBA Bar Bulletin!
To qualify, law firms, government agencies, law schools, and corporate legal departments of four attorneys or more must have 100% of their attorneys enrolled as members of the TCBA. If your firm is not listed, please contact our Director of Membership, Cindy Rankin, at 817.338.4092 or cindy@tarrantbar.org. We are proud of the 100% 2014-2015 bar membership for the following law firms and other groups!
100 Club Members Adams Lynch & Loftin, PC Albert Neely & Kuhlmann LLP Allmand Law Firm, PLLC Anderson & Riddle, LLP Anderson Law Firm Bakutis McCully & Sawyer PC Barlow Garsek & Simon, LLP Beadles Newman & Lawler PC The Berenson Firm PC Blaies & Hightower, LLP Bourland, Wall & Wenzel, PC Boyle & Lowry, LLP Brackett & Ellis, PC Broude Smith & Jennings PC Bourland, Wall & Wenzel, PC Brown, Dean, Wiseman, Proctor, Hart & Howell, LLP Bruner & Pappas LLP Cantey Hanger LLP City Attorney’s Office-City of Fort Worth Cook Childrens Health Care System Cotten Schmidt & Abbott, LLP Curnutt & Hafer, LLP Dawson Parrish, PC Decker Jones, P.C. Forshey & Prostok, LLP Friedman, Suder & Cooke FTSI Services Gardner Aldrich, LLP Gordon & Sykes, LLP Griffith, Jay, & Michel, LLP Harris, Finley & Bogle, PC Harrison Steck PC Haynes and Boone, LLP Holland Johns & Penny LLP Johnston Legal Group, PC Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP
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Koons Fuller, PC Law, Snakard & Gambill, PC Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP Lively & Associates, LLP Lovelace Killen, PLLC Macdonald Devin PC McDonald Sanders Law Firm Martinez Hsu, P.C. Mellina & Larson, PC Moses, Palmer & Howell, LLP Murphy Mahon Keffler Farrier, LLP Naman Howell Smith & Lee, PLLC Nelson Bumgardner Casto, PC Noteboom Law Firm Padfield & Stout, LLP Phelps Dunbar LLP Pope, Hardwicke, Christie, Schell, Kelly & Ray, LLP Jim Ross & Associates Ross & Matthews, PC Second Court of Appeals Shannon, Gracey, Ratliff & Miller, LLP Stephens, Anderson & Cummings,LLP Tarrant County DA’s Office Taylor Olson Adkins Sralla & Elam, LLP Texas A & M School of Law The Berenson Firm PC The Blum Firm, PC The Colaneri Firm, PC The Wolf Law Firm, PC Thompson & Knight, LLP Wallach & Andrews, PC Watson Caraway Midkiff & Luningham LLP Whitaker Chalk Swindle & Schwartz PLLC Whitley Penn, LLP Wilson, White & Doby, LLP Winstead PC
TVAS Begins the Year with New Pro Bono Initiatives by Megan Cooley
T
arrant County Volunteer Attorney Services (TVAS) began 2015 with new pro bono initiatives as a way to expand its reach to additional segments of the community that require pro bono assistance. in particular, TVAS’s new pro bono initiatives focus on supporting children and low-income families through both the education Advocate Project (aimed at assisting foster children) and the guardianship pilot project (intended to help families with agingout children requiring a guardianship). Attorney Leslie Hunt helps a TVAS client As part of its efforts, with his will
TVAS provided existing and potential volunteers with a free Cle event to learn about these opportunities. in particular, TVAS extends its appreciation to Judge King, the staff of Probate Court #1, and the Cle speakers for their involvement with the guardianship Cle. in addition, a special thanks to the Tarrant County Young lawyers Association (TCYlA) for sponsoring the Cle so that it could be videotaped for use by TVAS volunteers and TCYlA members. in 2015, TVAS volunteers have also continued to offer pro bono assistance with wills and estate planning and uncontested divorces by providing these services outside of the regularly scheduled clinics. Finally, in conjunction with Texas lawyers for Texas Veterans – Tarrant County Chapter (TlTV), TVAS will host a free Cle and luncheon for corporate counsel, legal departments, and private law firms seeking to learn about and become involved with the pro bono programs on Wednesday, April 1, 2015. The Cle and luncheon are part of the Corporate Pro Bono Challenge made possible by a grant from the Corporate Counsel Section of the State Bar of Texas. TVAS and TlTV invite interested attorneys and legal departments to attend the free luncheon on April 1 and receive free ethics Cle provided by a panel of federal and state judges in Fort Worth. As part of the presentation, corporate counsel, legal departments, and private counsel can learn of available pro bono opportunities. For more information or to register, contact Megan Cooley at megan@tarrantbar.org. ■
Judge King instructs attorneys at the Guardianship CLE
March 2015
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TCBA BulleTin
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Snippets
Civil and Criminal by Judge Bob McCoy
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Terrel Ave.—ed Terrel and John P. lusk were the first business men in the area. They were fur trappers and opened a trading post in the area in 1841. They were captured by indians and returned in 1849. They opened a saloon during the 1860s named “First and last Chance Saloon.” ed Terrel was the first marshall after Fort Worth’s incorporation in 1878.
Ask Judge Bob Judge Bob, when may a landowner recover damages for impaired access? He may recover if the trial court determines his access rights have been substantially and materially impaired by the taking. Damages are not recoverable unless there was a total temporary or partial permanent restriction of access, or a partial temporary restriction of access due to illegal or negligent activity. State v. Johnson, 444 S.W.3d 62, 72 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2014) (internal citations omitted).
Ask The Danes Ramses and Moses, does the Medical liability Act apply to veterinary negligence?
Ramses
Probate Court No. 2
County Criminal Court No. 3
Who’s That Street Named After?
Moses
Co-Editor Lin Morrisett Associate Judge
no; see Neasbitt v. Warren, 22 S.W. 3d 107 (Tex. App.—Ft Worth 2000).
The Danes’ Quote Of The Month “it is of the highest importance in the art of detection to be able to recognize out of a number of facts which are incidental and which are vital . . . . i would call your attention to the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.”
“The dog did nothing in the night-time.” “That was the curious incident,” remarked Sherlock Holmes. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
CRIMINAL ITEMS OF INTEREST 1. New Trial “in order for a defendant to be entitled to a new trial on the basis of newly discovered or newly available evidence, the following four-pronged test must be satisfied: (1) the newly discovered evidence was unknown or unavailable to the defendant at the time of trial; (2) the defendant’s failure to discover or obtain the new evidence was not due to the defendant’s lack of due diligence; (3) 10 www.tarrantbar.org ■ March 2015
the new evidence is admissible and not merely cumulative, corroborative, collateral, or impeaching; and (4) the new evidence is probably true and will probably bring about a different result in a new trial.” Carsner v. State, 444 S.W.3d 1, 3 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014). 2. Warrant Affidavit “When part of a warrant affidavit must be excluded from the calculus, then it is up to the reviewing courts to determine whether ‘the independently acquired and lawful information stated in the affidavit nevertheless clearly established probable cause.’” McClintock v. State, 444 S.W.3d 15, 19 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014). 3. Investigative Detention “When an officer has a reasonable suspicion to believe that an individual is involved in criminal activity, then the officer may hold a brief investigative detention without first obtaining a warrant. An accompanying pat-down search of the suspect’s clothing is only justified, however, when the officer can point to specific and articulable facts that reasonably lead to the conclusion that the suspect might possess a weapon.” Clark v. State, 444 S.W.3d 671, 675 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2014). 4. Stack Sentences “under the plain language of Section 3.03(a), a court must order a defendant’s sentences to run concurrently when the defendant has been convicted of more than one offense in a consolidated trial. Section 3.03(b) [of the Texas Penal Code] restores the trial court’s discretion to stack sentences, even when the offenses are tried together, if the resulting convictions involve certain enumerated offenses, such as intoxication assault and intoxication manslaughter.” Mireles v. State, 444 S.W.3d 679, 681 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2014). 5. Terroristic Threat “A terroristic threat is complete when a person makes a threat with the intent to influence the governmental body. it is not necessary that the threat actually influence the governmental body. ‘[C]apability to carry out the threat is not an essential element of the offense.’” Gillette v. State, 444 S.W.3d 713, 718 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi 2014). 6. Impoundment “A subsequent inventory search is proper when the vehicle’s impoundment is proper. With regard to the general
reasonableness of impoundment, we observe that the expectation of privacy in one’s automobile ‘is significantly less than that relating to one’s home or office’ and that automobiles are subject to pervasive and continuing governmental regulation and controls, including inspection and licensing requirements.” Roberts v. State, 444 S.W.3d 770, 774 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2014). 7. Impeachment “it is well-settled that an attorney may not impeach one witness’s testimony with the testimony of other witnesses.” Cordero v. State, 444 S.W.3d 812, 823 (Tex. App.—Beaumont 2014).
CIVIL ITEMS OF INTEREST 1. Restricted Appeal “To bring a restricted appeal, [Appellant] must establish that they: (1) filed notice of the restricted appeal within six months after the judgment was signed; (2) was a party to the underlying lawsuit; (3) did not participate in the hearing that resulted in the judgment complained of and did not timely file any post judgment motions or requests for findings of fact and conclusions of law; and (4) error is apparent on the face of the record.” In re Marriage of Butts, 444 S.W.3d 147, 150 (Tex. App.— Houston[14th Dist.] 2014). 2. Waiver in Restricted Appeal The law is clear that signing a waiver of service alone is not sufficient to constitute participation for purposes of a restricted appeal. This is true even when the language of the waiver indicates that by signing, one is entering an appearance as a substitute for going to trial, giving a judge permission to make decisions in the case without further notice to the signor, and waiving the making of a record of testimony. In re Marriage of Butts, 444 S.W.3d 147, 151 (Tex. App.— Houston[14th Dist.] 2014). 3. Failure to Rule “Consideration of a motion that is properly filed and before the trial court is a ministerial act, and mandamus may issue to compel the trial court to act. There is no adequate remedy at law for a trial court’s failure to rule because ‘[f]undamental requirements of due process mandate an opportunity to be heard.’” In re Greater McAllen Star Props., Inc., 444 S.W.3d 743, 748 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi, 2014). 4. “Oppressive” Conduct “[A] corporation’s directors or managers engage in ‘oppressive’ actions under former [Tex. Bus. Corp. Act] article 7.05 and former [Tex. Bus. Org. Code] section 11.404 when they abuse their authority over the corporation with the intent to harm the interests of one or more of the shareholders, in a manner that does not comport with the honest exercise of their business judgment, and by doing so create a serious risk of harm to the corporation.” Ritchie v. Rupe, 443 S.W.3d 856, 874 (Tex. 2014).
5. Pre-Litigation Discovery with Anonymous Parties “The burden is on the plaintiff in an action to plead allegations showing personal jurisdiction over the defendant. The same burden should be on a potential plaintiff under [Tex. R. Civ. Proc.] 202. We recognize that this burden may be heavier in a case like this, in which the potential defendant’s identity is unknown and may even be impossible to ascertain. But even so, Rule 202 does not guarantee access to information for every petitioner who claims to need it.” In re Doe, 444 S.W.3d 603, 610 (Tex. 2014). in Dissent: “Finally, the Court’s holding does not reduce or circumscribe pre-suit discovery of anonymous parties in Texas. instead, it is the end of such discovery.” In re Doe, 444 S.W.3d 603, 615 (Tex. 2014) (lehrmann, J., dissenting, joined by Johnson, Boyd, and Devine, JJ.). 6. Refusing Declaratory Judgment “The trial court may refuse a declaratory judgment only where judgment would not remove the uncertainty giving rise to the proceedings.” Halliburton Energy Servs. v. Axis Tech, 444 S.W.3d 251, 262 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2014). 7. Not Double Recovery “A monetary award that compensates a plaintiff for past damages combined with relief to prevent future damages does not constitute a double recovery.” Halliburton Energy Servs. v. Axis Tech, 444 S.W.3d 251, 263 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2014). 8. Using vs. Discovering “[P]rior adjudications, dispositions, and evidence adduced in a hearing under the Juvenile Justice Code [Tex Family Code 51.13(b)] are ‘used’ when they are admitted for some purpose. . . . [Real Parties in interest] here are not attempting to ‘use[ ]’ Dr. Miller’s file because they are not attempting to admit it in some proceeding for some purpose; rather, RPis are merely trying to discover it pretrial.” In re E.C., 444 S.W.3d 760, 765 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2014).
Quote Of The Month “When i came back to Dublin, i was court martialed in my absence, and sentenced to death in my absence, so i said they could shoot me in my absence.” —Brendan Behan.
Old News—Davy Crockett, famous Franklander rifleman. The venerated Alamo hero Davy Crockett (August 17, 1786– March 6, 1836) was born a Franklinder (or Franklander) from the short-lived republic which was ceded from north Carolina in 1784 in a failed attempt to pay American Revolutionary War debt. The area was later re-absorbed by north Carolina prior to being separated again, later to become the easternmost counties of Tennessee. State of Franklin, Wikipedia (accessed January 23, 2015); Michael Wallis, David Crocket: The Lion of the West (2011). ■ March 2015 ■ TCBA BulleTin 11
Lawyer Referral and Information Service Thank-you to these volunteers: 1/8/2015
1/22/2015
Norma Bazán Joe Colvin Sylvia Duarte Pat Gallagher Bryce King George Lockwood Scott Phillips
Norma Bazán Zoe Courtney Danielle Dulaney Wayne Fowler Bryce King George Lockwood Stephen McKimmey Scott Phillips
We always need volunteers!!! Please consider donating two hours of your time the 2nd and 4th Thursday, January through november from 6-8pm. Bring a friend. legalline is a valuable community service outreach program that needs your time and skills. if you are interested in volunteering or sponsoring, please contact Trisha at 817.338.4092 or email trisha@tarrantbar.org.
W
News
ow! Another great year financially for the lawyer Referral Service, and we’re just barely over half way through our bar year. Special thanks to our team here: Carolina ibarra, Brittany Gilbert, and Joanne Gonzales (yes, she’s back!). We would like to thank the following attorneys who have paid referral fees since last reported: Phillip Brown, Neal Callaway, Bradley Clark, Stephen Clark, David Cook, James Culbertson, Jennifer Dillon, Todd Durden, Rashelle Fetty, Carlos Galliani, Steve Geis, Andrew Gore, Earl Hargrave, Leslie Hunt, Christian Jenkins, Jennifer Kohl, James Miller, Caleb Moore, Dustin Payne, Will Pruitt, Lenora Reece, Michael Remme, Joyce Stevens, Sommer Walker, James Williams, Bill White, Roger Wood, and Paul Youngblood. Thank you all!! if you need a referral or if you need to refer a client to the Referral Service, please call or ask the client to call 817.336.4101! If you need an application to join the LRIS, please contact us at cindy@tarrantbar.org. ■
CWY
CIRCELLI | WALTER | YOUNG TRIAL LAWYERS 682.703.2319 500 East 4th Street Suite 250
Kelli L. Walter George Parker Young Vincent P. Circelli
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Fort Worth, Texas 76102
Share with your clients, family and friends!
Tarrant County Bar Foundation presents The 11th Annual Check-in from 11-11:30 am
Free Event!
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First Name: ____________________ Last Name: ________________________ Street Address: ___________________________________________________ City: ______________________________ State: ________ Zip: ____________ E-mail: _________________________ (we do not share your email with anyone) March 2015
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TCBA BulleTin
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In Memoriam In Memoriam In Memoriam
W
illiam “Bill” H. Brigham, 86, passed away Monday, February 2, 2015, in Fort Worth. His unique life began in Murphy, Texas, where he was born August 19, 1928, to Thomas and eunice Akers Brigham, and he grew up there. He served in the u.S. navy, completed his law degree at Baylor university in 1954, and then joined the FBi, where he served as a special agent in William H. Brigham indianapolis and new York City until 1958. He then moved to Waco, where he began a career as a first-rate courtroom attorney. He found time to raise Santa Gertrudis cattle, his beloved “red cows.” upon leaving Waco, he had a very unusual and successful midlife career as a small business entrepreneur— buying and selling men’s neckties using repurposed Greyhound buses that he refurbished and drove himself. He later transitioned back to a law career when he joined the Criminal Division of the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office in 1976, later serving as a trial attorney in the Civil Division of the DA’s Office. As a Civil Division attorney, he represented the Tarrant County Commissioners Court and other county officials. it was his excellent reputation with the Commissioners Court that led them to appoint Bill to a vacancy on the bench of County Court at law no. 1 in 1981, where he began the career for which he is publicly best-known: Judge Brigham. He quickly established his reputation and was later re-elected to this position. He was appointed as judge of the 233rd District Court in Tarrant County by Governor Bill Clements, and he served from 1989 until 1995, when he was again appointed by the governor—and then re-elected—to the Second Court of Appeals. Bill retired in 1999 as a justice of the Fort Worth Court of Appeals. He then embarked upon another 15-year judicial career as a visiting judge in a 16-county area. Bill heard his last case as a retired, visiting judge in September 2014. Since his early days in the FBi, Bill was a master potter and artist. His pottery pieces were sought after throughout the Southwest. it was not unusual for his friends traveling in new Mexico to encounter his unique and beautiful pieces for display and sale. Bill was also a longtime member of Burleson Church of Christ. Bill is survived by his wife, Trudy, who was the love of his life; children, Mary Sue Hayward, Shari lynn Wilfong, John Brigham, Tabatha Kornak, Aaron Wiggins, and Will Brigham; grandchildren, Brooke Sanders, Brian Brigham, Rachel Wilfong, Meghan Wilfong, Mathew Wilfong, Michael Kornak, Kaycee Wiggins, and Kayden Wiggins; great-grandchildren; and extended family and friends. ■
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oswald “Ros” e. Shrull, 85, passed away Tuesday, February 10, 2015. Memorials may be made to Christ Chapel Bible Church at 3701 Birchman Avenue, Fort Worth, Texas 76107, or to Search Ministries, 3200 Riverfront Drive, Fort Worth, Texas 76107. Ros was born in Delta, Ohio, on Dec. 27,
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1929, to Violet Zimmerman Shrull and leslie Shrull. He grew up in Ohio and graduated from Ohio Wesleyan in 1952. He served in the u.S. Air Force for 30 years and retired as a colonel. Ros received the legion of Merit Award in 1978 for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services. Ros’s deep love for his country was Roswald E. Shrull apparent to all who knew him. After serving on active duty, he attended the university of Texas law School and graduated in 1959. He loved his work and was highly respected by all for his work ethic, honesty, and integrity. Ros was known for his larger-than-life personality and his boisterous sense of fun and humor. He loved and adored his family. He was an exceptionally generous man, not just with material things, but also with his love, time, and support. Ros rarely missed watching a sporting event, usually with his dog in his lap. if it was played with a ball or a puck, he would have it on TV, especially if it involved his beloved university of Texas longhorns. He will be dearly missed by his survivors: wife, Jo Roberts Shrull; son, Stephen Shrull; daughter, Stephanie leachman; stepdaughter, Susan Davis; stepson, Robbie Stultz; sister, Janis Hunt; and several grandchildren. ■
L
arry G. Wood, 74, longtime Fort Worth resident and attorney, passed away Friday, February 13, 2015, after a long battle with Pick’s disease, surrounded by his family and friends. larry was born on August 10, 1940 in Fort Worth to lurline and eugene Wood. He graduated from R.l. Paschal High School in 1958 and went on to attend TCu and TWC undergraduate schools and then SMu law Larry G. Wood School. larry started work in August of 1960 at Guardian Title Company. While there, he attended classes at night while studying for his undergraduate and law degrees, passing the bar exam in 1969. While working and attending college, he also served in the Marine Corps Reserve for five years. He continued at Guardian Title Company after passing the bar and became president in 1970. in 1976, he left to form First land Title Company with Glendon W. Rose. He sold the company to First American Title Company in 1979 but continued working there until 1986, when he and Glen formed Summit Title Company. He continuously prepared legal documents for closing real estate transactions until his retirement in 2006 from landamerica Title Company. He was a member of the Fort Worth Club and Ridglea Country Club. He and his wife of twenty-eight years, Sharon, enjoyed traveling the world and spending time on their boat in Florida. Over the last few years, larry took advantage of every opportunity to spend time at their second home on South Padre island, where he loved to put his toes in the sand and watch the sunset. larry was preceded in death by his brother and sister-in-law, Gary and Gayle Wood. Survivors include his wife, Sharon; father-in-law, Orville Sloan; nieces, Angela Partin and Gina Trammel; and many loving extended family members. ■
Students from first place winning Covenant Classical School of Fort Worth and second place winners, L. D. Bell High School at the Mahon Inn of Court High School Mock Trials.
Mahon Inn Of Court Hosts High School Mock Trials
I
n January and February, the Mahon inn of Court hosted the Texas High School Mock Trial Competition for Region 11 at the Family Courts Building. High school students from Tarrant and surrounding counties competed before inn members who served as judges and volunteers for the event. emeritus Master Judge Terry Means presided over the final round of the competition. Covenant Classical School of Fort Worth was the winner of the regional competition with l. D. Bell High School receiving second place. Both of the high school teams
will proceed to the state competition, which is held in Dallas. The Tarrant County Bar Foundation awarded the Mahon inn of Court a grant to assist in the creation, development, and ultimate management of the inaugural event as part of the inn’s community service efforts. The Tarrant County Commissioners Court generously provided the Family Courts Building and staff for the competition. The inn of Court extends a “Thank You” to Judges Birdwell, Chupp, Harris, Hennigan, and Sinha for sharing their courtrooms with the students and
providing a memorable experience for them as a result. Mahon inn President Justice lee Gabriel stated, “This was a wonderful opportunity for the members of the Mahon inn to use their experience and skills to mentor the younger members of the inn as well as the high school students who worked so hard to compete in the mock trials. i believe this event was a perfect opportunity to achieve the goals set by the American inns of Court for community service. i appreciate everyone who contributed to the success of the competition.” ■
March 2015
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members-only benefit updates rney
to 2014 At
minar
ent Se Retirem
This DVD available now. • DVD’s of the October 2014 Attorney Retirement Seminar are available at the TCBA Offices • Look for upcoming announcement of availability of January 2015 Marketing Seminar DVDs • Current responses to the 2014-15 Judicial Survey are available at benchbook. tarrantbar.org
16 www.tarrantbar.org ■ March 2015
TCBA 817.338.4092 Fax 817.335-9238 e-mail: tcba@tarrantbar.org 1315 Calhoun Street Fort Worth, Texas 76102-6504
Space For Lease in the historic
Tindall Square Office Complex in Downtown Fort Worth
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Parking available Up to 10,000 square feet of office space available with rates starting at $18.50 psf. Current office tenant base includes attorneys, private investment firms and accountants. Executive suites for attornerys available, call for details. Secure record storage facility conveniently located on site with rates as low as $120/month Within walking distance to local restaurants and Sundance Square Office Space and Record Storage Space Available Immediately
Contact Debara Herring ■ 817.632.6364 dherring@rochester-group.com 505 Pecan Street, Suite 101 ■ Fort Worth, Texas 76102
RES IPSA
Transition to Practice Program in March
T
he Transition to Practice mentor group will meet Wednesday, March 25, at the Tarrant County Bar Offices at noon. This meeting is free to Mentors and Mentee members of the TCBA and includes lunch and .75 hours of ethics Cle. This month’s program will be titled “What to Do When You Find out Your Client Lied Under Oath or Plans to.” Donna Tipotsch from the Office of the Chief Disciplinary Counsel of the State Bar of Texas will speak to the group on attorneys’ duties and potential consequences under the Disciplinary Rules if you ever find yourself confronted with a client or a non-client witness fabricating lies at a deposition, a hearing, or a trial. This topic will be interesting and something that can protect you in the future if you ever find yourself in this situation! Please RSVP to cindy@tarrantbar.org by Friday, March 20. if you are a young lawyer licensed three years or less and would like to participate in this program, please contact cindy@tarrantbar.org. if you are a seasoned attorney, practicing ten years or more, please consider participating as a mentor in this program. it is very rewarding, and you’ll be helping the next generation of attorneys in Tarrant County. Thank you again to our 2014 mentors! The program would not be possible without YOu!! ■
Date
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Don’t Miss Out on these great topics. Register online at tarrantbar.org March 2015
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C
alendar of Events
March 2015
April 2015
WeDneSDAY, March 4
WenDneSDAY, April 1
noon-1pm . . . . . . . . . . Corporate Counsel Section luncheon TCBA Office
11:30am-1:30pm . . . . . . Pro Bono Challenge TCBA Office
THuRSDAY, March 12
FRIDAY, April 3
6pm-8pm . . . . . . . . . . . legalline TCBA Office
All day. . . . . . . . . . . . . TCBA Office closed in observance of Good Friday
TueSDAY, March 17
WenDneSDAY, April 8
noon-1pm . . . . . . . . . . Real estate Section luncheon City Club
noon-1pm . . . . . . . . . . environmental Section luncheon TCBA Office
THuRSDAY, March 19
THuRSDAY, April 9
4:30-7pm . . . . . . . . . . . Court Staff Appreciation Reception & Awards TCBA Office
noon-1pm . . . . . . . . . . energy Section luncheon City Club
TueSDAY, March 24
6pm-8pm . . . . . . . . . . . legalline TCBA Office
11:30am-1:30pm . . . . . . Tax & estate Planning Section luncheon City Club WeDneSDAY, March 25 noon-1pm . . . . . . . . . . Transition to Practice luncheon TCBA Office THuRSDAY, March 26 2pm-5pm . . . . . . . . . . . TVAS Family law Cle TCBA Office 5:30-8pm . . . . . . . . . . . Fort Worth Business & estate Section Dinner Petroleum Club 6pm-8pm . . . . . . . . . . . legalline TCBA Office FRiDAY, March 27 12:30-3:45pm . . . . . . . . Brown Bag Seminar TCBA Office SATuRDAY, March 28 9am . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ballin’ For A Cause H.O.P.e. Farm life Center 865 Atlanta Street, Fort Worth 7pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tortfeasors5 Fort Worth Community Arts Center TueSDAY, March 31 1pm-4pm . . . . . . . . . . . last Tuesday Cle TCBA Office 4:30pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . Solo & Small Firms Mixer Hurr law Office, PC 4717 Fletcher Ave #101 Fort Worth, TX 76107
FRiDAY & SATuRDAY April 10-11 . . . . . . . . . . Women lawyers Section Retreat Gaylord Texan SATuRDAY, April 11 11am-3pm . . . . . . . . . . . People’s law School TAMu School of law TueSDAY, April 14 noon-1pm . . . . . . . . . . Membership luncheon Speaker, Dean Jennifer Collins of Deadman School of law (new location) City Club WeDneSDAY, April 15 noon-1pm . . . . . . . . . . Business litigation Section luncheon City Club THuRSDAY, April 16 11:45am-1pm . . . . . . . . Appellate Section luncheon Petroleum Club noon-1pm . . . . . . . . . . Construction law Section luncheon TCBA Office 6pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TCYlA Spring Fiesta Joe T. Garcia’s MOnDAY, April 20 noon-1pm . . . . . . . . . . Bankruptcy law Section luncheon Fort Worth Club TueSDAY, April 21 11:30am-1:30pm . . . . . . Tax & estate Planning Section luncheon City Club noon-1pm . . . . . . . . . . labor & employment law Section luncheon Petroleum Club THuRSDAY, April 23 6pm-8pm . . . . . . . . . . . legalline TCBA Office FRiDAY-SunDAY April 24-26 . . . . . . . . . . Bench Bar Conference XXii la Torretta Hotel & Spa Montgomery, Texas TueSDAY, April 28 1pm-4pm . . . . . . . . . . . last Tuesday Cle TCBA Office
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Other Associations’News & Information Arlington Bar Association Meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. President, larry Gaydos. For location & information, email arlingtonbarassociation@yahoo.com or call 214.651.5622
Tarrant County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (TCCDlA) meets every 2nd Thursday at Joe T. Garcia’s, 2201 n. Commerce. For more information, contact President Gary Medlin at 817.877.3333.
Black Women Lawyers Association For meetings and information, contact Sue Allen, President at 817.926.5005 sue@sueallenlaw.com.
Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association Meets at 12 noon on the 4th Tuesday of each month at Family law Center Assembly Room on the 2nd floor. For more information, contact President David Kulesz at 817.226.1100 or david@lKattorneys.com.
Dee J. Kelly Law Library Welcomes Bar Members! For the latest Texas A&M university School of law library hours and information, please visit http://law.tamu.edu, or call 817.212.3800. Fort Worth Chapter Association of Legal Administrators Meets on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at the City Club, 301 Commerce Street, Fort Worth, 76102. For more information, contact President Susan Morgan at 817.335.2208 or smorgan@lawbms.com
Tarrant County Probate Bar Association Meets on the 1st Thursday of each month at the Petroleum Club— members free, guests $30. For more information, contact Monica Benson, 817.263.5190 or mbenson@kattenbenson.com Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association Meets on the 4th Wednesday of each month at Joe T. Garcia’s. For more information, contact Coby Wooten at 817.632.8400.
L. Clifford Davis Legal Association (f/k/a Tarrant County Black Bar Association) holds its meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. For more information, contact President Mary Panzu at 817.260.9778.
Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association 2014-2015 new Bar Year began September 1, 2014. if you need an application or meeting information, call 817.338.4092, email cindy@tarrantbar. org, or go to the website at tcyla.org.
MABA (Mexican American Bar Association) Meets on the last Thursday of each month at Rivas Mexican Restaurant, 5442 River Oaks Blvd., River Oaks 76114. For more information, contact President eloy Sepulveda at 817.332.1285.
Texas Association of Defense Counsel Meets for lunch every 4th Wednesday at Angelo’s. Contact George Haratsis, McDonald Sanders, 817.336.8651 for more information.
Northeast Tarrant County Bar Association (neTCBA) Meets for Cle luncheons on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at la Hacienda Restaurant, Hwy. 121. Contact President leslie Barrows, 500 e. Belknap, Suite A, Fort Worth, Texas 76102, 817.481.1583, lbarrows@barrowsfirm.com.
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Law Offices of Jason Smith
Trials and Appeals Employment, Personal Injury, Insurance Jason Smith 817.334.0880 600 8th Aveue Fort Worth, TX 76104
Board Certified Civil Appellate Law letsgotocourt.com March 2015
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Employment Opportunities Fort Worth Legal Assistant. The Underwood Law Firm’s Fort Worth office is seeking a Legal Assistant with 7+ years of experience in Civil Litigation. Successful candidate must have good working knowledge of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and experience with the court’s electronic filing systems. This is a busy practice that requires attention to detail and the ability to work under tight deadlines. In addition, the successful candidate will be expected to manage and maintain client electronic and paper files, and attorney’s calendars. Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume via email to cara.kennemer@uwlaw.com.
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TCBA Member Benefits Vendor List
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TCBA members may take advantage of discounts provided by the following vendors: ABA Retirement Funds program provides full-service 401(k) plans to benefit the legal community. To learn more, contact local rep. Jacob Millican at 817.451.5020 or visit www. abaretirement.com. AMO Office Supply offers TCBA members the lowest price guaranteed on office supplies, with next-day delivery and free shipping! Call 800.420.6421. Falcon Litigation Solutions offers discounts on copying, litigation displays, trial boards, etc. Call 817.870.0330. Fort Worth JSB Co., Inc., offers a 10% discount to TCBA members on printed materials—business cards, letterhead, envelopes, business forms, brochures, flyers, and more. For a quote, call 817.577.0572. Fort Worth Zoo, discount tickets - $9.50 adult, $6.50 for child or senior. For tickets, contact cindy@tarrantbar.org or 817.338.4092. if mailing or charging tickets, add 50 cents. Sprint offers 15% off the monthly service. For info, contact cindy@tarrantbar.org or 817.338.4092. UPS - TCBA has signed an agreement with uPS for TCBA members to receive discounts on shipping. The discounts vary according to the type of shipment, but check out uPS for your needs. www.ups.com or 1.800.PiCK.uPS. For IT help: Juris Fabrilis-Cool Tools for lawyers offers members discounted rates on web-based tools to help you manage your law practice. 817.481.1573 ext. 101. For Shredding and Document Disposal: Magic Shred is a secure shredding business that shreds your documents on-site. Magic Shred offers a 10% discount to TCBA members. Expanco is n.A.i.D. AAA-Certified document-destruction service offering 40% off to TCBA members. Call TCBA office for details on both.