Office of Minority Affairs

The State Bar of Texas reaffirmed its commitment to the inclusion of all in the legal profession with the creation of the Office of Minority Affairs in 1991. Under the direction of the Minority Affairs Director, this office has three primary goals:

• To serve minority and women attorneys and organizations in Texas
• To enhance employment and economic opportunities for
  minority and women attorneys in the legal profession
• To increase involvement by minorities and women in the State
  Bar

The Office of Minority Affairs works together with several State Bar committees and sections dedicated to working on minority and women's issues in the legal profession. In addition to establishing goals and objectives, the Office of Minority Affairs' work includes the development of outreach programs specifically related to minority and women lawyers in Texas.

Programs

Texas Minority Counsel Program
The Texas Minority Counsel Program (TMCP) was formed in 1993 as an effort to bolster the amount and significance of legal work obtained by minority and women attorneys.  Since its inception, the TMCP has been instrumental in enhancing the employment and economic opportunities for minority and women attorneys throughout the state of Texas.

Texas Minority Attorney Program
The Texas Minority Attorney Program (TMAP) is a one-day CLE seminar and networking event geared towards minority and women solo and small firm practitioners. Participants have the opportunity to learn more about the issues facing solo and small firms, discuss various client development strategies, and network with area judges and other legal professionals.

Other Programs
TheOffice of Minority Affairs coordinates several diversity projects in conjunction with other State bar programs. These leadership summits and diversity forums provide opportunities for key groups to discuss the future of diversity in the legal profession and collaborate ideas for improvement.

Outreach

Minority and Women's Bar Associations
Meetings of local bar leaders are held periodically to provide a forum to discuss increasing minority and women attorney involvement at the local and state level.

Texas Spectrum Newsletter
Published bi-annually, the Texas Spectrum is the official newsletter of the Office of Minority Affairs.

Committees & Sections

Racial Diversity in the Profession Committee
This committee examines the historical and current status of minorities in the profession and makes recommendations on how the Bar can take action to enhance opportunities for minorities in the profession, and increase involvement by minorities in the Bar.

Women in the Profession Committee
This committee assesses the status of women in the legal profession and identifies barriers that prevent women lawyers from advancing in the profession.

Minority Sections
Sections are voluntary groups within the State Bar organized by interest or specialized field of law. The five minority sections are:

•African-American Lawyers Section
• American Indian Law Section
• Asian Pacific Interest Section
• Hispanic Issues Section
• Sexual Orientation and Gender Identification Issues Section
• Women and the Law Section

Demographics

There are approximately 83,713 lawyers licensed to practice in Texas (as of December 31, 2008, the mid-point of the Bar's fiscal year). Minorities represent approximately 16 percent of the lawyers in Texas, with 7 percent being Hispanic, 4 percent African American, 2 percent Asian American, less than 1 percent Native American and 1 percent other races/ethnicities. The breakdown by gender shows that 32 percent of the attorneys in Texas are female, while 68 percent are male.