Inform, Educate, Connect, and Serve

By Lawrence Morales, II, San Antonio Bar Association President

As the namesake of an attorney who has practiced in San Antonio for forty years, it is entirely possible that you accidentally voted for me, thinking that you were voting for my dad. This is certainly not the first time I have benefited from the reputation that Lawrence Sr. has earned during his distinguished career. As my father’s son, I had a front-row seat to the rewarding and demanding life of an attorney in our great city. I learned that while we may be one of the largest cities in the country, our bar has a unique small-town, familial quality. While zealously representing our clients, our members manage to treat each other with respect and professionalism. Our members understand that how we conduct ourselves is likely the only interaction with the justice system our clients will experience firsthand, and consequently integrity and honor are fundamental to the rule of law. As the 2021–22 SABA President, I aim to help preserve our bar’s special flavor so that one day we can pass it to the next generation fully intact.

To that end, SABA is working hard to accomplish its mission to inform, educate, connect, and serve. I am thrilled to report that, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, our membership is growing, as are the benefits we provide to our members. For example, on March 1st, SABA is moving into its new office space on the third floor of the Bexar County Archives Building at 126 East Nueva Street, which is directly across from the Bexar County Courthouse. SABA’s new home will provide members with quiet working space, away from the hustle and bustle of the courthouse hallways, and meeting areas for members to interact or host legal programs. We expect that the new space will be open to members on April 1st.

SABA is also focused on creating a more inclusive bar. SABA has existed for 123 years and currently has more than 2,400 members, which makes it the oldest and largest bar association in San Antonio. However, SABA does not—and has not— adequately reflected all the vibrant and diverse communities in San Antonio. For example, of the 123 past SABA Presidents, only nine have been Hispanic, only nine have been female, only two have been African American, only one has been of Middle Eastern descent, none have been Asian American, and none of have been women of color. In addition, SABA's events and publications have not always reflected these and other historically unrepresented communities. Recognizing that we must do better, on August 13, 2021, the SABA Board of Directors unanimously adopted a Diversity Plan which sets out an action plan to welcome full and equal participation of all lawyers in the San Antonio community.

SABA’s Diversity Plan created the Committee on Equal Opportunity in the Legal Profession, which is co-chaired by Fourth Court of Appeals Chief Justice Rebeca Martinez and me. We thank the following attorneys who are serving on the Inaugural Equal Opportunity Committee: Edna Elizondo, Josue Galvan, Cassie Garza, Charlie Gonzalez, Alicia Grant, Daryl Harris, Justin Hill, Nicole Jackson, Eduardo Juarez, Shari Mao, Abel Martinez, Rashin Mazaheri, Tiffany Miller, St. Mary’s Law School Dean Patricia Roberts, Judge Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez, and Brian Steward. Among other things, the Equal Opportunity Committee is: (1) producing a podcast that will share the stories of local first-generation attorneys; (2) drafting a Diversity Report Card, which will track our progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts; (3) developing diversity training for SABA leaders and members; (4) developing programs to identify and recruit attorneys from historically underrepresented communities to participate in SABA leadership, programs, and publications; and (5) building a program to mentor historically underrepresented youth in San Antonio who are interested in the legal profession. If you are interested in serving on the Equal Opportunity Committee, please contact me.

I am excited about this bar year and serving as your president. We have plenty of great events planned, including our first Annual Clay Shoot Tournament, a SuperBar event with our amazing affinity bar associations, an in-person Law Day Luncheon, and lots of free CLEs. I hope to see you there!