State Bar Board Update • September 2025

State Bar of Texas Unveils AI Toolkit, Wins National Award For Attorney Succession Planning

Written by Lowell Brown

The State Bar of Texas unveiled a new toolkit to help attorneys navigate the use of artificial intelligence and received a national award for its efforts to support attorneys preparing for the end of their practices.

The State Bar Board of Directors heard updates on these and other projects on June 19 in San Antonio, during the board’s last meeting of the 2024-2025 bar year.

AI Toolkit for Attorneys

The State Bar of Texas AI Toolkit is available now at texasbarpractice.com, the bar’s online hub for law practice management resources. The bar’s Taskforce for Responsible AI in the Law developed the toolkit to help Texas attorneys keep abreast of developments in the use of artificial intelligence, said Steve Benesh, 2024-2025 State Bar president.

“This toolkit is the first of its kind in the country; no other state bar has created a similar resource,” Benesh told the board. “It is one of the ways that the State Bar of Texas is leading the nation in embracing AI advancements while upholding the highest ethical standards of the profession.” The toolkit’s key features include:

  • Ethical considerations for the use of AI in legal contexts

  • Guidance on evaluating AI tools and vendors

  • Tips for ensuring data privacy and compliance with regulatory standards

  • Practical examples of AI applications in legal workflows

  • Sample forms for client disclosures and checklists for evaluating AI tools

The toolkit includes a link to Opinion 705 of the Professional Ethics Committee for the State Bar of Texas, which addresses ethical issues lawyers must consider when using AI tools. Access the toolkit at texasbarpractice.com/artificial-intelligence-toolkit/.

Succession Planning Initiative

State Bar Executive Director Trey Apffel announced the bar’s Law Practice Management Committee won the 2025 Solo and Small Firm Project Award from the American Bar Association Solo, Small Firm and General Practice Division. The award recognizes Texas’ work on succession planning, sudden cessation custodianships, and the Succession Planning Toolkit, which is available at texasbar.com/succession.

While several states have provided information to lawyers on succession planning and others have implemented rule changes, Texas forged an innovative path, Apffel said. It combined succession planning information and rule creation with an online portal to quickly and easily designate one or more custodian attorneys who could wind down an attorney’s practice if the need arose. “As Past President Laura Gibson said upon implementation, there’s not an easier process anywhere in the country to designate a custodian,” Apffel said.

With the portal, the committee sought to provide a user- friendly resource with checklists, forms, and “how-to” articles for identifying and implementing a succession plan that fits the needs of the lawyer, their family, and their clients, Apffel said. The committee also created an outreach plan to reach as many lawyers as possible—especially in rural areas—by partnering with local bar associations, State Bar sections, and other attorney groups for CLE programs.

Apffel acknowledged Chair Greg Sampson and the members of the committee; Gibson, who helped start the initiative during her term as State Bar president in 2022-2023; and staff members Sharon Sandle, Trish McAllister, Dean Schaffer, and Kevin Henderson for their work on the project.

Strategic Plan Update

The board adopted revised performance measures based on the 2025-2030 State Bar of Texas Strategic Plan, which the board approved in January. The documents are available at texasbar.com/governingdocuments.

Building Committee Renewed

The board continued the Building Planning Special Committee for a one-year term ending June 2026 and granted the committee authority to work with bar staff regarding remodeling, repairs, and uses of space at 1415 Lavaca St. in Austin. The State Bar plans to build a legal education and conference center on the site, which is adjacent to the bar’s headquarters.

Leadership Changes

The board met on June 20 to swear in new members and hear additional reports. Rockwall attorney G. David Smith took the oath of office as the State Bar’s 2025-2026 presidentelect, while Dallas attorney Britney E. Harrison succeeded Paul K. Stafford as chair of the board. Supreme Court of Texas Senior Justice Debra Lehrmann administered the oath of office to new officers, directors, section representatives, and board liaisons.

Awards and Recognitions

Benesh presented presidential citations, which recognize exceptional service, to At-Large Director Elizabeth Sandoval Cantu, of Edinburg; Public Member Forrest Huddleston, of Grand Prairie; and 2024-2025 Immediate Past President Cindy Tisdale, of Granbury.

Stafford presented the Outstanding Third-Year Director Award to Cantu and the Public Member Award to Jason Charbonnet, of Fort Worth.

Apffel presented Staff Excellence Awards to Trina Purcell, the bar’s archives director, and Keely Drummond, records management specialist.

Watch the meetings at texasbar.com/board under “Board Meeting Videos. Meeting materials are available at texasbar.com/bodmaterials.