State Bar of Texas Blog

Deadline Approaching in State Bar YouTube Contest

Judy Marchman — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:05:39 -0600

There's still time to enter your videos in the 2010 State Bar YouTube contest! The deadline is April 1, and entering is simple: Just go to www.texasbar.com/texansonjustice for the contest rules and entry form. Then, pull out your video camera and shoot a 30-second PSA-style video that answers one of these two questions:

Why are lawyers important to our society?
How is the court system important to our society?

Winners will be announced April 30 as part of the State Bar's Law Day celebration. Prizes of $500 each will be awarded in the Under 18 and 18 and Over categories, as well as for the People's Choice Award. The contest is a great project for your children and their classmates or even for your local bar. So, get creative and show us why the legal system is so important to our society!

Law Goes to the Dogs

Patricia L Garcia — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:44:50 -0600

Annvi Utter loves dogs. We mean, loves them. And that’s a funny story because, at first, she wasn’t a big fan. She didn’t grow up with them. She wasn’t comfortable with them. She just didn’t understand the appeal of them. But now, she’s more than a friend to canines — the Houston attorney is a proud dog mom (to Rocky and Zeus) and dog treat baker who’s out to help dogs of all kinds.

For every Barkin’ Doggie Biscuit that's sold, Annvi gives one to a shelter dog (Barkin’ Doggie’s slogan: “You buy one. We give one.”). She wanted to do something similar to TOMS Shoes — they donate a pair of shoes to a needy child for every pair sold — but for dogs. And so, she and her husband tested dog treat recipes and researched ways to keep their product all natural and safe. A couple of burnt batches of dog treats later, she came up with Barkin’ Doggie Biscuits in three different flavors. Best of all, the dog treats have ingredients such as all-natural peanut butter, whole wheat, mint, and flaxseed, which help keep doggie joints jointy, doggie breath not-so-breathy, and dogs oh-so-happy. Sound too healthy for you? That’s cool, but your pup will love them, since, you know, dogs are less concerned with ingredients than with simply getting a tasty treat.

Barkin' Doggie Biscuits are available at three Houston stores (Heights Urban Dog and Cooper Animal Clinic, and One Green Street), as well as Fur-Get-Me-Not in Arlington, Va., and the DC Dog Shop in Washington D.C. Annvi hopes to expand to more cities soon. Barkin' Doggie Biscuits currently partners with nine shelters, from Atlanta, Ga., to Seguin. She says donating the biscuits to the dogs is just one way to help shelter animals who are waiting for homes. After working at the Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care in Houston, Annvi saw how stressful shelter life can be for animals.

And, after working in the corporate world as a tax attorney, Annvi found she longed for a different way to apply her law degree. So, she launched the gourmet dog treat company in January with her husband. “I just fell in love with dogs — I wanted to put my law degree to work for the betterment of (dogs),” she says.

Practicing Law and Wellness

David Kroll — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:17:51 -0600

State Bar President-Elect Terry Tottenham is working with TexasBarCLE and the Texas Lawyers' Assistance Program for the 2010-2011 fiscal year to produce a panel of speakers to address addiction and mental health issues for attorneys. At many popular TexasBarCLE live courses, the panel will discuss signs for colleagues to look for, intervention techniques, and resources for attorneys with addiction and mental health issues. A DVD of this topic, "Practicing Law and Wellness: Modern Strategies for Lawyers Dealing With Anxiety, Addiction and Depression," will be produced and made available for local bar associations to show to their membership.

Local bar association to treat Federal Circuit judge to East Texas hospitality

Kevin Priestner — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:41:13 -0600

Today's issue of The Recorder, an ALM publication in California, includes an article about the Eastern District of Texas ("Big Tech Shouts 'Yipee!,' Patent Bar Chattering as Rader Heads to Texas").

To help prepare for his imminent elevation to chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Judge Randall Rader will preside over five cases in Texas' Eastern District in April. While the article devotes much of its space to describing the tension between the Eastern District and the Federal Circuit and the stir Rader's early rulings have provoked, it concludes with as fine a representation of East Texas hospitality as you're likely to find. Members of the Eastern District of Texas Bar Association are continuing a tradition from before the days when the Court had a resident judge by preparing a dinner in honor of Rader at a small, lakeside lodge. According to Michael C. Smith, a partner in the Marshall office of Siebman, Burg, Phillips & Smith, L.L.P. who maintains a blog about the Eastern District, the menu will include "fried chicken, catfish, slaw, vegetables, pancakes, and cobbler."

In 2006, Smith wrote an article for the Texas Bar Journal about the Marshall Court's patent docket ("Rocket Docket: Marshall Court Leads Nation in Hearing Patent Cases"). The article is worth linking to if only for the photo that manages to capture in a single frame a successful patent application, the courthouse, the U.S. flag, and a pick-up truck. East Texas hospitality, indeed.

Random Profile - LaDonna B. Key, Dallas

Teri Rodriguez — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:07:29 -0600

For Random Profiles, we randomly pick one of our 80,000-plus attorneys, call them, and do a Q&A. We've found that every Texas lawyer has an interesting story. Will yours be next?

Family: I have one daughter, Amber, who plans to pursue meteorology at OU in the Fall.

Areas of practice: Entertainment Law, Construction Law, Family Law, and Consumer Law.

Education: Texas A&M, Commerce – BA Journalism; Texas Wesleyan University School of Law - JD.

Memorable vacation: My daughter was a contestant on Kids Jeopardy and we spent a fabulous week in Beverly Hills, CA.

Favorite saying/quote: If you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re absolutely right.

Little known fact: I worked full-time and attended law school at night and some weekends I supplemented my income as a wedding photographer.

The best piece of advice ever given to you and by whom: I was told “You can do anything you set your mind to do,” by my mom, my grandma, my coaches, and my teachers…it takes a village!

If you weren't an attorney, what profession do you think you would be in? Perish the thought! Actually, I would probably still have a job dealing with regulations. Perhaps I’d be the Commissioner of the NFL or a compliance officer for an athletic conference.

Bet you didn’t know: I was admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court last year in May on the same day that Justice Sotomayor was confirmed. I had the pleasure of hearing the news from Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, my favorite!

Community Involvement: I love young people and I find myself most drawn to causes that impact their lives. I have been a volunteer basketball coach for the YMCA, raised money for the Boys and Girls Club and have been moved to tears in the Habit for Humanity experience. Most recently I have decided to volunteer as a judge with a Teen Court program.

Mentors/heroes: My mother has been my hero. Without a scholar’s background or any exposure to the legal community, she has managed to impart the utmost wisdom and sense of pride and responsibility to her children. It is because of her example, encouragement, and discipline early in my life that I developed the ability to work through tough situations with persistence.

Current Project: Construction contracts for a $2 billion Terminal Development Program at one of the world’s largest airports.

Pet peeve: I truly get annoyed with negative people. I believe in empowerment and positive attitudes. When I meet people who never have good things to say about anything, I distance myself from them.

Favorite TV program: Law and Order (all of them) and most recently The Good Wife and Men of a Certain Age.

Talents (besides law): Photography. I still shoot film (call me old fashioned) and I use a medium format camera.

If I had more time, I would: Finish my book. I have the framework developed, but at the end of my very long days, I go to sleep instead of writing.

What most people don’t know about me: I am unreasonably empathetic. I cannot watch shows like American Idol and when I watch any sort of television interview, I switch channels the moment I notice the person is stumbling or nervous.

If you could be anyone else for a day, who would it be? Right now, probably Nancy Pelosi. I like the challenge of having a job to do and needing a team to get it done. Rally the troops, motivate the team, put some players on the bench, we have a game to win!

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing attorneys today? The economy is an obvious answer because we all need to work, but I think on a more personal note, I see fewer and fewer attorneys speaking passionately about the work they do. If we don’t love it, we shouldn’t do it.

LaDonna Key works at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

You can also view LaDonna's TexasBar.com profile.

Prizes

It's not every day that you're randomly picked from among 80,000 peers. To commemorate, randomly-profiled attorneys receive a TexasBar.com t-shirt and a law firm link (a $50 value).

Update Your Online Profile

Have you updated your attorney profile lately? Go to MyBarPage on TexasBar.com, log in, and click "Update My Profile."

Once on your MyBarPage on TexasBar.com under the "Update My Profile" section, click "Edit" under "My Directory Options" to add your photo for free. While you're there, consider adding a law firm link too. This is a hyperlink from your profile in our Find-a-Lawyer directory to your own law firm website. At only $50/yr, law firm links are a great way to drive traffic to your site.

Opinions and statements expressed in these profiles are those of their subjects - not the State Bar of Texas.

Bar Journal artist captures Longhorn baseball

John Sirman — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:39:00 -0600

Gilbert Sauceda (pictured, right), a freelance illustrator for the Texas Bar Journal for 20 years, recently presented a large-format painting to University of Texas baseball coach Augie Garrido (pictured). The painting hangs in the media room at Disch-Falk Field. It celebrates the Horns’ 2005 national championship season and the recent renovation of the stadium.

Sauceda, who became friends with Garrido while the two were collaborating on a book project, explained that with Garrido’s input he focused the painting on the essence of the sport of baseball, which is the energy of the players and the competition. “Some people think of baseball as a serene sport,” said Sauceda, “but it’s not. Augie believes there is a major battle in every pitch: either the pitcher or the batter wins with every throw.” Sauceda said prints of the painting should be available soon through the U.T. baseball program.

Sauceda also recently presented a painting to U.T. quarterback Colt McCoy, which depicts McCoy in a running stance with the U.T. Tower in the background. “He really appreciated it,” said Sauceda. “He’s a classy dude.”

Sauceda estimates he has done around 500 illustrations for the Texas Bar Journal and State Bar over the years. Why does he work for us? “I like the challenge of coming up with new ideas to depict legal topics,” he said. “Plus I have a running bet with a cousin who can’t wait for the day I run out of ideas for the magazine." Sauceda says one of his favorite pieces for the State Bar has been the creation of Lone Star, an anthropomorphic Texas flag who stars in the “Lone Star Waves Proudly” children's books published by the State Bar Law-Related Education Department.

See more of Sauceda’s work at www.gilbertsauceda.com and www.colorfactoryllc.com

Asian Pacific Interest Section seeks nominations for 2010 Justice David Wellington Chew Award

Joanna Herzik — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:34:34 -0600

The Asian Pacific Interest Section of the State Bar of Texas (APIS) is seeking nominations for the 2010 Justice David Wellington Chew Award, which honors individuals whose contributions benefit the Asian-Pacific American legal community in Texas. The award was named after Justice Chew, one of the first Asian-Pacific Americans in the Texas judiciary, who currently presides as Chief Justice of the Eighth Court of Appeals.

The deadline for receipt of nominations is Friday, March 26, 2010, at 5:00 p.m. The award will be presented on Saturday, April 17, 2010 at the Fourteenth Annual APIS Conference and Retreat to be held in Austin, Texas . More details can be found at http://texasapis.org/award.php.

2010 Law Day student contests

Ellen Carnes — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:41:25 -0600

Do you know a budding writer, artist, or photographer? The State Bar, along with the Texas Young Lawyers Association, is inviting students grade K-12 to show off their skills by entering the 2010 Law Day editorial, photography, and poster contests.

The theme of this year's Law Day is "Law in the 21st Century: Enduring Traditions, Emerging Challenges." Judges are looking for essays, photographs, and posters that creatively describe or depict how the modern world is changing the way we practice law. All entries should be submitted to your local bar association or young lawyer affiliate. Winners may receive up to $1000 in prizes, plus an invitation to the State Bar of Texas Law Day Luncheon on Friday, April 30th. The deadline for all contests is April 1st.

More information on the contests is available here. To contact your local bar association, check out the State Bar's Local Bar Services.

Dress to Impress

Patricia L Garcia — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:38:08 -0600

Happy new year! Okay, so we're a little late for that, but it's still a (fairly) new year and there are new things to do — and wear. We know you have been looking pretty dapper lately, but may we suggest something else to spice up your closet in 2010?

Maybe something along the lines of a softer-than-a-cuddly-bear long-sleeved sporty top and a svelte vest? The State Bar's new apparel — vests, long-sleeved sports tops, and more — is fashion-forward and fills the void of utility that those old-timey polos just couldn't (we've still got some polos, but they certainly AREN'T old-timey). The State Bar has women's items and men's, too.

Maybe you didn't even know the State Bar sold merchandise. Now you do. So, now you can sport your State Bar pride on your threads and even your luggage. And flash drives. And coffee mugs. You get the picture.

TYLA helps keep kids safe with new video, "R U Safe? Protecting Yourself in Cyberspace"

Kim Davey — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:25:20 -0600

“R U Safe? Protecting Yourself in Cyberspace” is designed to educate children and their parents about online dangers and give them the tools needed to be safe while online. The DVD was created by the Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA) and is available for viewing and downloading at www.tyla.org /rusafe or may be requested by calling 512.427.1529.

The video covers such topics as cyber bullying, social networking sites, chat rooms, sexting, and online predators. Each part of the four-part DVD is 15-20 minutes in length and geared toward a specific age group, helping kids and parents learn how to report suspicious activity and understand the legal ramifications of certain online behavior.

The project is made possible by a generous grant from the Texas Bar Foundation, the largest charitably-funded bar foundation in the country. Since its inception in 1965, the Texas Bar Foundation has distributed over $10 million in grants.

Members of the TYLA Cyber Awareness Committee include Brett Busby, Houston, Adrienne Clements, Fort Worth, Kirsten Cohoon, Houston, Alyssa Long, Houston, Erin O’Driscoll, Houston, Jobe Rodgers, Lubbock, and David Anderson, Dallas.

This month in the Texas Bar Journal

Kevin Priestner — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:33:48 -0600

most links point to PDF files

Social Media and the Law — Blogging and social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter have quickly become a part of our daily lives. This month, the Texas Bar Journal examines the role social media is playing in a changing legal landscape. Among the highlights:

Service of Process Via Social Media by John G. Browning

How Social Media Is Changing the Law by Kendall Kelly Hayden

Ethically Navigating the Social Media Landscape by Debra Bruce

Internet Defamation by Alyssa J. Long

Dangers of the Online Juror by John G. Browning

Profiles — Texas lawyers take their passions seriously, as you'll see from stories about a Houston lawyer, who, along with his wife, is restoring the Historic Rocksprings Hotel, and an Austin lawyer who has turned her love of adventurous dining into a blog, Foodie is the New Forty.

AfterTheBarExam.com offers resources for soon-to-be lawyers

Judy Marchman — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:45:32 -0600

Today was the final day of the February Texas Bar Exam, and participants are hopefully seeing the light at the end of a long tunnel that began on the first day of law school. After a well-deserved break, these future lawyers will begin the next phase in pursuing their legal careers. That’s where AfterTheBarExam.com comes in. This online resource from the State Bar is geared toward assisting bar examinees who are awaiting their results — and trying to figure out what to do next. During this three-month waiting period, bar examinees can register for free access to TexasBarCLE’s Online Classroom, as well as view TYLA’s Ten Minute Mentor videos. The courses and videos focus on finding one’s place in the profession, law practice management, ethics and professionalism, and networking. Many of the courses can be claimed for MCLE credit once the participant is licensed. The goal is to help these soon-to-be lawyers make a successful transition from student to practitioner. So, if you know anyone who took the February Bar exam, encourage him or her to visit AfterTheBarExam.com and help a new colleague prepare for a life in the law.

Reminder -- Short Story Contest deadline is March 1st!

Ellen Carnes — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:13:28 -0600

Attention, aspiring authors! The deadline to enter the Texas Bar Journal 2010 Short Story Fiction Writing Contest is this Monday, March 1st. The entries will be judged by an independent panel, with the top three stories appearing in the June 2010 issue of the Texas Bar Journal. Stories must be 2,000 words or less, previously unpublished, and written by a lawyer in good standing who is licensed to practice law in Texas. For more details, download the entry form.

Random Profile - Billy Skinner, Houston

Joanna Herzik — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:53:51 -0600

For Random Profiles, we randomly pick one of our 80,000-plus attorneys, call them, and do a Q&A. We've found that every Texas lawyer has an interesting story. Will yours be next?

Best thing about being a lawyer: Being able to help people when they REALLY need it.

Most important career lesson: Never give up. Struggle makes success sweeter.

Bet you didn’t know: I participate in the Livestrong Challenge.

Born/Age: Longview, Texas, September 2, 1972/ 37 years old

Family: wife, Kari Alkire Skinner, practices family law at the firm of Lilly, Newman & Van Ness; sons, Will-8 years old, Cale-5 years old

Areas of practice: Criminal Defense

Education: BA- Journalism, Stephen F. Austin State University, 1995
MA- Mass Communication, Stephen F. Austin State University, 1998
JD- South Texas College of Law, 2006

Another little known fact: I love rap music.

What kind of car do you drive? Chevy Tahoe

Mentors/heroes: Rusty Hardin: both mentor and hero

Favorite saying/quote: “It is what it is.”

Favorite TV program: The Office

Favorite album: Trace, by Son Volt

Favorite music/musician: Steve Earle, circa 1989

Favorite movie: 300

Favorite magazine: Texas Monthly & The Atlantic

Favorite sport: Racing

Favorite food: Whataburger with cheese and jalapenos

Favorite restaurant: Churrasco’s

Where to be found on a Saturday night: Home with my wife and kids

Last book read: Service Included: Four-Star Secrets of an eavesdropping Waiter

My favorite weekend retreats are: New Orleans

If I had more time, I would: Write

The part of my job I do best is: Identifying and communicating with my clients.

What most people don’t know about me: I’m older than I look.

Who are the people you admire most, and why? I admire people who love what they do.

Billy Skinner works at The Skinner Law Firm.

You can also view Billy's TexasBar.com profile.

Prizes

It's not every day that you're randomly picked from among 80,000 peers. To commemorate, randomly-profiled attorneys receive a TexasBar.com t-shirt and a law firm link (a $50 value).

Update Your Online Profile

Have you updated your attorney profile lately? Go to MyBarPage on TexasBar.com, log in, and click "Update My Profile."

Opinions and statements expressed in these profiles are those of their subjects - not the State Bar of Texas.

State Bar seeks outstanding pro bono attorneys

Patricia L Garcia — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:11:40 -0600

You've probably come across plenty of attorneys in your legal career who are great at what they do. But what about those that stand out from the crowd a bit? You know, the ones who handle a full load, and still have the time, energy, and resources to help those in need.

And we're sure you've wanted to say "good job" without sounding trite. What better way to honor those who help low-income Texans who cannot afford access to the legal system than to nominate them for a 2010 Pro Bono Excellence Award? Now's your chance to tell us about that attorney who goes above and beyond in the name of justice.

The State Bar Committee on Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters is seeking nominations for the following awards: Pro Bono Coordinator Award, the Frank J. Scurlock Award, the Pro Bono Award, the J. Chrys Dougherty Legal Services Award, and the W. Frank Newton Award.

Nominations must be submitted on award nomination forms. Each attorney nominee must be a member in good standing with the State Bar of Texas. Award nomination forms and supporting materials should be sent to the Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee, c/o Texas Lawyers Care, State Bar of Texas, 1414 Colorado, 4th Fl., Austin 78701-1627 or to tlcmail@texasbar.com.

All nominations must be received by 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 11. A postmark of March 11 will be insufficient. For more information about these awards or for an award nomination form, contact Texas Lawyers Care at tlcmail@texasbar.com or (800)204-2222, ext. 1855 or (512)427-1855.

The 2010 Pro Bono Excellence Awards will be presented at the State Bar Annual Meeting in Fort Worth in June. Award announcements will be made in May, and honorees will be profiled in the July issue of the Texas Bar Journal.

MCLE Rules Embrace Digital Delivery Methods

David Kroll — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 09:54:39 -0600

Under new MCLE rules to go into effect June 1st, the term "participatory credit" will no longer be applicable. Continuing legal education will only be categorized as either "accredited" or "self-study."

In recognition of the proliferation of CLE delivery methods in recent years, the definition of accredited CLE will be expanded to include podcasts (mp3s and mp4s), DVDs, and CDs that originate from live accredited activities. Furthermore, the number of allowable self-study hours will be decreased from 5 to 3 per year, effective one year later (June 1, 2011).

This change recognizes that many materials in formats currently approved only for self-study credit will soon be available as accredited CLE and there will be less need to rely on self-study options. For more information on the new rules, click here (pdf).

Task Force meets to preserve court records

Joanna Herzik — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:25:06 -0600

The Texas Court Records Preservation Task Force had its first meeting yesterday at the Supreme Court of Texas. The 20 member task force was formed to discuss the issues surrounding preservation of local court records in counties across the state. The task force is chaired by Bill Kroger of Baker Botts L.L.P. and was created partly from the awareness of Kroger’s work on preserving Harris County court records. The Supreme Court wrote a court order establishing the task force and has asked them to develop a report that discusses statewide county preservation needs, the importance of protecting the records, and providing assistance to counties to do that.

The meeting included presentations about larger counties' preservation efforts, resources available to counties regarding historical records preservation, and prior efforts made across the state. The task force circulated a draft survey that they intend to distribute to district court clerks statewide to gather information about their efforts. The survey will go out within the next 30 days, and they hope to complete the survey 60 days after that. At the meeting, they also formed four different committees for different aspects of the issue: preservation, security and enforcement, fundraising, and public and education.

Issues that courts often run into are old and crumbling documents, fire hazards, water damage, lack of security, and determining rules for public access, such as whether the public should be allowed to touch historical court documents with their hands. There have also been many thefts of court records. "One of the most egregious was with a court minute book in Lufkin. Someone was taking pages being ripped out of the minute book and selling them on eBay," says Kroger. "Some people are tearing apart court records and auctioning them off. There’s a market for slavery records and Republic of Texas records. We are trying to stop people from stealing and selling them. There needs to be greater recognition that it is a crime and greater enforcement of those laws."

The main records the task force are looking at date from 1838 to 1950. Those are the records that are of interest to collectors, historians, and genealogists. The task force wants to protect the historical records for future generations.

The Texas Court Records Preservation Task Force is co-chaired by Mark Lambert, Deputy Commissioner of the Archives and Records Division of the Texas General Land Office, and is comprised of a diverse and mutli-disciplined group of people including attorneys, judges, historians, document preservationists, and county and statewide officials. They plan to meet about six times a year and to continue their initial efforts for about a year and a half. However, the preservation of all statewide historical court records will be an ongoing effort. For more information about the task force and its efforts, you can contact Bill Kroger at (713) 229-1736 or email him at bill.kroger@bakerbotts.com.

State Bar Announces Twitter Novel Contest

Ellen Carnes — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:16:22 -0600

What Ernest Hemingway reportedly considered to be his best work was also his briefest. To settle a bar bet, the story goes, Hemingway was challenged to write a complete novel in only six words. The result? "For sale: baby shoes, never worn."

Texas Bar Journal, and the 2010 State Bar Annual Meeting Legal Innovation Track: The Adaptable Lawyer will challenge you to write your own brief work of fiction — but with a modern twist: 140-character, Twitter-ready novels. The grand-prize winner will receive an Apple iPad, as well as special recognition at the 2010 State Bar Annual Meeting, during a breakfast featuring LexBlog, Inc. CEO and Twitter guru Kevin O'Keefe. Look for details in the March issue of the Texas Bar Journal.

Random Profile - Patricia B. Cole, Ft. Worth

Teri Rodriguez — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:44:23 -0600

For Random Profiles, we randomly pick one of our 80,000-plus attorneys, call them, and do a Q&A. We've found that every Texas lawyer has an interesting story. Will yours be next?

Practice areas: Probate & Business Litigation, Estate Planning.

Education: Louisiana State University, (B.A., 1996);
Texas Wesleyan Univ. School of Law, (J.D., 2000).

Best thing about being a lawyer: Being able to help people.

Most important career lesson: Attorneys are in customer service business.

Favorite retreats: Kemah, Texas.

The last movie I saw: Avatar.

If I had more time I would: Travel more.

Favorite food: Sushi.

Favorite tv show: The Good Wife.

What most people don't know about me: I have a 25 year-old son.

The part of my job that I do best: Argue cases.

Community Involvement: Big Brothers, Big Sisters. Habitat for Humanity. Texas Humane Society.

Favorite saying/quote: "I will trust God to provide what I need."

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing attorneys today? I would say that ethics-wise, remembering not to cut corners.

How do you think the practice will change in the next 15 years? There will be more focus on guardianship and elder law as baby boomers retire and pass away.

If you weren't an attorney, what profession do you think you would want to be in? I can't imagine being anything else but an attorney.

Patricia is a shareholder in Decker Jones

You can also view Patricia's Texasbar.com profile

Prizes

It's not every day that you're randomly picked from among 80,000 peers. To commemorate, randomly-profiled attorneys receive a TexasBar.com t-shirt and a law firm link (a $50 value).

Update Your Online Profile

Have you updated your attorney profile lately? Go to MyBarPage on TexasBar.com, log in, and click "Update My Profile."

Once on your MyBarPage on TexasBar.com under the "Update My Profile" section, click "Edit" under "My Directory Options" to add your photo for free. While you're there, consider adding a law firm link too. This is a hyperlink from your profile in our Find-a-Lawyer directory to your own law firm website. At only $50/yr, law firm links are a great way to drive traffic to your site.

Opinions and statements expressed in these profiles are those of their subjects - not the State Bar of Texas.

Relief is Just a Click Away

Patricia L Garcia — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:16:41 -0600

Texas lawyers have never been stingy when it comes to helping in times of need. When Hurricane Ike devastated the Texas Coast in 2008, Texas lawyers came out in droves to help their fellow Texans. Last month's earthquake in Haiti is no exception. Thousands of Texas attorneys have made monetary donations, as well as donated much-needed necessities, to relief efforts in Haiti. Still, access to safe drinking water in Haiti is a problem.

Annette Raguette, an Austin public member of the State Bar Board, and her 8-year-old daughter, Isabella, are doing what they can to ensure children in Haiti, and around the world, have safe drinking water. Four months ago, Isabella founded Children's Water for Life, a nonprofit organization that raises money for PUR packets. The eight members of the CWFL board range in age from 8 to 14 years old. (Raggette is the only adult on the board, but somebody's got to take care of the paperwork.) CWFL hopes to donate at least 25,000 of the packets, which cost 10 cents each, to Haiti relief efforts. Adding one PUR packet to approximately 2.5 gallons of water helps make it potable for infants, children, and adults. A $1 donation can help provide one child safe drinking water for 50 days.

Aside from donations, Raguette said CWFL could use the services of a CPA or tax lawyer and help with printing services. CWFL has Haiti fundraisers set up for the next two weeks. For more information on the fundraisers and CWFL, visit www.childrenswaterforlife.com.