Texas Bar Journal • July/August 2025

Beating the Odds

State Bar of Texas President Santos Vargas on surviving and thriving—and practicing without fear.

Interview by Patricia Busa McConnico

Santo Vargas has been surviving from an early age. When he was 6 months old, his aunt fainted while driving him and his 2-year-old cousin to her home. The car veered off the road straight into a canal and quickly began sinking. His aunt tried to open the door as the car began to sink but could not and screamed for help. Two refinery workers answered the call just as the car became no longer visible. They dove into the water and pulled everyone out one by one. Vargas and his cousin and aunt were rushed to the hospital, where after it was determined they would be all right, a local reporter covering the incident asked Vargas what he did when the car plunged into the water. Vargas waved his arms up and down like he was trying to swim.¹ “I’ve had the odds stacked against me and been counted out more times than I can remember,” Vargas told the Texas Bar Journal. “But I’ve always found a way to survive and thrive.”

Above from left: Santos Vargas (right) and his aunt and cousin featured in a Port Arthur newspaper article after a car they were in plunged into a canal; Vargas (middle) with his father, Benito Vargas, and mother, Laura Vargas, in Ruidoso, New Mexico, during Vargas’ year at New Mexico Military Institute in 1995-1996. Newspaper photo by Ray Sanford; photo courtesy of Santos Vargas.

Vargas was born and raised in Port Arthur, about 90 miles east of Houston near the Gulf Coast. His family— including his extended family—was very close and spent Sundays at his grandparents’ house, where cousins would play, aunts would cook, and his father and uncles would tell stories about growing up back in his father’s village in Michoacán, Mexico. While he was growing up, Vargas’ father introduced him to his lawyer, Mike Cichowski, and would take Vargas with him to occasional meetings. Before Vargas met Cichowski, his perception of lawyers had been based on what he had seen on television or in movies. However, the traits he saw in Cichowski—intelligence, professionalism, and kindness—resonated with him and the type of person he wanted to be. It was then that Vargas realized he wanted to become a lawyer. In high school, some people told Vargas that college wasn’t a likely option for him, so he decided that to continue to grow, he needed to leave home and strike out on his own. So, during his senior year when he received a post card from the New Mexico Military Institute, a junior college in Roswell, New Mexico, he didn’t think twice about filling out the card and requesting an application. The school not only accepted his application but also offered him an opportunity for a scholarship. “New Mexico Military Institute was exactly what I needed,” Vargas said. “The school instilled principles of honor, discipline, and diligence.” Once his time there was finished, Vargas transferred to St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, where he excelled at rigorous coursework, met lifelong friends, and learned about the importance of service to others.

Vargas attended Syracuse University College of Law in central New York, where he enjoyed his classes, especially the personal development that resulted from learning how to explain and defend every nuance of the course material to a room full of peers every day. He began his legal career at Cox Smith Matthews in San Antonio as an associate in its commercial litigation section and then ran his own practice for several years before joining Davis & Santos PLLC in 2011, where he is an equity partner and represents banking and financial institutions, business entities, individuals, and trusts and estates in complex litigation.

Above from left: Vargas with his wife, Patty, at their wedding reception at the Witte Museum in San Antonio in 2007; Vargas, his wife, Patty, and their children Laura and Santos bringing the youngest Vargas child, Lucia, home from the hospital. Photos courtesy of Santos Vargas.

On June 20, Vargas was sworn in as president of the State Bar of Texas at the bar’s Annual Meeting in San Antonio. Vargas recently spoke to the Texas Bar Journal about his practice, role model, and plans as president of the State Bar.

WHAT LESSON OR EXPERIENCE HAS MOST IMPACTED THE WAY YOU PRACTICE?
One of the lessons I learned very early on in my career is to practice without fear. I learned this lesson after a lawyer I knew had a scheduling conflict for an upcoming jury trial. The lawyer asked me if I would agree to sit second chair for the trial if a more seasoned lawyer agreed to first chair the jury trial.

This would be my first jury trial and I only knew the most basic facts of the case, but I agreed because I was eager for trial experience. Halfway through voir dire, the lawyer handling the trial as first chair left to go to the restroom and never came back. After a few minutes of stalling, the judge ordered us to start back up since we had a panel waiting. I went on to try the case alone and ended up winning on both liability and damages.

I never received an explanation as to why the first chair lawyer never came back. However, that lawyer unwittingly taught me an important lesson: “be competent, confident, and practice without fear.”

WHO IS YOUR LEGAL ROLE MODEL OR MENTOR AND WHAT IMPRESSES YOU MOST ABOUT HIM OR HER?
My legal role model and mentor is my dear friend, Sara Dysart. Sara exemplifies what every lawyer should strive to be, both an excellent practitioner and an outstanding member of our bar and community.

Sara’s legal reputation is second to none, but what truly sets Sara apart is her dedication to our profession and community. Sara has dedicated a significant portion of her professional career to mentoring and lifting other lawyers up, including me. She has also served on countless boards including the State Bar of Texas and the Texas Bar Foundation, where her contributions have been invaluable. Sara is a true jewel in our legal community, and I aspire to be half the lawyer and servant Sara is.

WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND MOST CHALLENGING ABOUT BEING A LAWYER? MOST REWARDING?
For me, the most challenging and rewarding aspects of being a lawyer are one and the same—the constant learning. As lawyers, we’re obligated to stay abreast of the current state of the law and the rules for our respective practice areas. However, as our practices develop and become busier, it can oftentimes become a challenge to find time for CLE. However, early in my career, I decided to embrace the need to constantly learn. The more I learn, the more competent I feel, and the more confident I become both in and out of the courtroom.

WHAT AREAS WILL YOU BE FOCUSING ON THIS YEAR AS STATE BAR PRESIDENT?
My primary focus as State Bar president will be raising funds and volunteers for access to justice. Many of our fellow Texans lack access to basic legal services, which often leads to inequitable outcomes to some of the most vulnerable members of society. Far too many veterans lose their homes, far too many women endure abusive relationships, and the health and security of far too many children are endangered due to a lack of access to legal services. I plan to use my platform as State Bar president to not only bring attention to access to justice efforts, but also to help our bar continue to address it.

I also plan to focus on working to address burnout issues facing members of our profession. Lawyers are particularly susceptible to burnout because of: (1) the secondary trauma we carry from dealing with our clients’ problems; (2) the constant expectations of perfectionism; and (3) the incredibly long hours that are oftentimes not physically, mentally, nor emotionally sustainable. The State Bar of Texas has tools to help Texas lawyers deal with burnout, and I hope to bring awareness of those tools to lawyers across the state.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE LEGAL PROFESSION WILL LOOK LIKE 50 YEARS FROM NOW?
I firmly believe that 50 years from now lawyers will still be performing the most crucial aspects of our jobs: (1) legal analysis, (2) advocacy, (3) critical thinking, and (4) providing counsel to our clients. I also firmly believe that technology will continue to revolutionize how lawyers deal with certain aspects of our jobs such as formatting, drafting, document review, and practice management. We don’t need to look ahead 50 years, because the revolution has already begun. There are countless legal technology tools already available to help lawyers maximize their time, streamline their practices, and realize greater efficiencies for their clients. The State Bar’s newly created Emerging Technology Committee will play a crucial role in helping Texas lawyers navigate this ever-evolving landscape.

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED?
The best piece of advice I have ever received is: “You can’t win if you don’t play.” In other words, put yourself out there; take the risk; try the case; do the deal; and if you get asked to run for State Bar president, say yes! You can’t be afraid to lose, because you never know, you just might win!