A Year in Review
by Al Harrison
Harrison Law Office, P.C.
I have been honored to serve as chair during this past year. Working closely with Texas Bar College (“TBC”) Executive Director Hedy Bower and Managing Director Katherine Korrodi has truly been a wonderful and satisfying experience. Indeed, all’s well with virtually every aspect of TBC activities, events, and projects.
TBC continues to be in a strong financial position, with the Endowment Fund being poised to achieve new heights in bestowing funding for scholarships and programs that help Texas attorneys and educate the public about the rule of law. Furthermore, TBC strives to sponsor or otherwise augment educational and professional activities and opportunities of particularly significant merit and diverse relevance to our brethren located throughout Texas engaged in our beloved legal profession.
I am so pleased the Board has worked so enthusiastically and diligently through committee appointments. Each and every committee chair, supported by their respective committee members, produced exemplary outcomes! A few of these outcomes are enumerated by the following examples, but all TBC committees and their respective chairs performed magnificently! Space limitations compelled enumerating only a few of the committees.
Webcast CLE
The Webcast CLE Committee chaired by Sara Dysart conducted four live webcasts commencing with “SCOTUS Update” August 15, 2023 presented by Chad Baruch, David Coale, and Kennon Wooten; followed by a September 12, 2023 “Contracting For & Collecting Ethical Attorney Fees” webcast presented by Robert Tobey and Kennon Wooten; followed by a December 5, 2023 “How to Avoid Malpractice in a Post-Pandemic Legal World” webcast presented by Carrie Phaneuf and Robert Tobey; and, in turn, followed by a December 12, 2023 “Cyber & Privacy Risks: Ethical & Technical Protections for Firms and Their Clients” webcast jointly presented by Katie Butler, Yochai Greenberg and Jenifer McIntosh.
Moreover, these routinely excellent webcast CLE presentations were replayed during subsequent months and are available on-demand. While all participating speakers were well-received during live webcasts, replays, or on-demand, special thank you is accorded to frequent excellent webcast speakers: Chad Baruch, Robert Tobey, and Kenneth Wooten.
Endowment and Grants
The College has continued its righteous support via Endowment funding and awarding grants to qualifying Texas attorneys. Under the leadership of Michelle Hunter, Chair, the Grants & Endowment Committee: Damon Edwards, Frank Stevenson, and Robert Tobey, the annual Summer School Scholarship Program continues wherein $7,000 has been granted enabling as many as 10 Legal Aid Program attorneys to attend our Summer School Course encompassing reimbursement of reasonable travel expenses. Furthermore, TexasBarCLE has graciously augmented this Grant by awarding all such attendees scholarships covering course registration fees.
Funding has also been provided to the Texas Opportunity & Justice Incubator (“TOJI”) Program intended to promote the growth and continuing success of attorneys committed to diligently serving 80% of Texans who fill the “Access-to-Justice” gap, i.e., for serving low- and modest-income citizens in need of legal assistance addressing civil legal matters. Established in the fall of 2016, TOJI has arisen as a supportive environment for attorneys to build and grow their law practice, emphasizing innovative and affordable client-focused legal services ―thereby providing not only justice for our fellow Texans but also facilitating opportunities for our fellow Texas lawyers.
Awards
Chaired by Nathaniel St. Clair, Awards Committee members Sara Dysart, Roland Johnson, and Stephen Naylor worked diligently to select this year’s award recipients. Justice John Browning received the Franklin Jones Best CLE Article Award entitled Let’s Chat About ChatGPT. Judge Christine Weems received the Steven G. Condos Award for Outstanding New Member. The Bar’s Tracy Nuckols received the Merianne Gaston Award for Excellence in Legal Support. Kathy Mills received the Jim Bowmer Professionalism Award. Judge Roy B. Ferguson received the Patrick A. Nester Outstanding Achievement in CLE Award. Congratulations to each of these truly outstanding, highly-regarded award recipients!
Communications
Chaired by Daniel Hernandez, the Communications Committee: Damon Edwards, Megan Goor-Peters, Frank Stevenson, and Tom Vick continues to excel in publishing the TBC Member Bulletins featuring special member articles, a member spotlight, and new developments. Website content and social media presence also continue to be enhanced, including LinkedIn, Facebook, and X event pages encompassing Summer School CLE and posts facilitating College membership.
Diversity
Chaired by Judge Tina Clinton, the Diversity Committee: Langston Adams, Justice Erin Nowell, Ann-Marie Saleh, Jessica Phillips, and Brandy Wingate Voss effectively promotes TBC membership at various events, including the Asian Pacific Interest Section CLE, Texas Minority Counsel Program, and TMCP Save-the-Date Receptions featuring various TBC-sponsored giveaways and door prizes. Enthusiastic board member participation has been appreciated and productive!
Paralegal Update
TBC Paralegal participation has steadily increased under the exceptional leadership of Chair, Megan Goor-Peters and her committee.
As I wrap up my tenure on the board, I’m thrilled to share that the Texas Bar College is now offering distinguished lapel pins to our esteemed members. I encourage you to stop by and see Katherine Korrodi at our exhibit table during State Bar of Texas CLE events. Pick up your pin and wear it with pride, knowing you belong to the preeminent society of legal scholars in the great state of Texas! ♦
Al Harrison | Texas Bar College Board Officer and 15-Year College Fellow
Al Harrison of Harrison Law Office, P.C. practices in the areas of business, technology, and intellectual property. Mr. Harrison has served on the Board of the Houston Intellectual Property Law Association, has served as President of the Houston Area League of PC Users. He is a Life Fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation and a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, has served as Chair of the State Bar of Texas Computer and Technology Section and received its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007 and the Garland Walker Inn Innes MacKillop Outstanding Service Award in 2023. Mr. Harrison was Chair of the Privacy, Data Security, and eCommerce Committee of the Business Law Section, has served on the State Bar’s Professionalism and Law Practice Management Committees, and most recently served as Chair of the Advertising Review Committee. He was honored as a recipient of Houston Bar Association’s President’s Award in 1989-1990 for providing exceptional service and dedication to the Houston legal community and legal profession. He has served as Chair of the HBA Law Practice Management Section and Chair of the Computer & Online Law Section. Al has published numerous articles pertaining to various aspects of technology and intellectual property law and has been a featured speaker, presenter and panelist dozens of times on technology and intellectual property topics.
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