PRESIDENT’S PAGE January 2022
New Year, New Opportunities
Happy New Year! I hope you and your loved ones had a beautiful, fulfilling, and reenergizing holiday season. As we enter a new year full of hope and promise, I would like to take stock of how far we have come and lay out what is coming in 2022.
The State Bar Act requires the board of directors to “from time to time
reapportion the state into bar districts for electing directors ...” The
State Bar Board of Directors in September approved a task force to
review the apportionment of the bar’s 17 districts to ensure all Texas
attorneys are adequately represented by the board. This is an incredibly
important process, and the task force will be chaired by President-elect
Laura Gibson. You can read more about the effort, its background, its
complexities, and the process on page
17.
As a result of strong fiscal management, the State Bar was able to take
advantage of the opportunity to purchase the building located
immediately adjacent to the Texas Law Center. The building at 1415
Lavaca Street in Austin will be used to further the mission of the bar
and increase services to members and the public. To that end, the
Building Planning Special Committee, created by the board in September,
is working with bar staff to evaluate options for remodeling, repairs,
and uses for the building. The committee will seek input from members as
they move forward formulating their plans. I am excited to see their
plans in the coming months.
The Task Force on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion issued its report to
the board of directors in June and continues to pursue its recommended
changes. At the quarterly board meeting set for January 28 in McAllen, I
will ask the board to consider a recommendation to fortify the task
force’s efforts through the creation of a committee to help coordinate
diversity efforts across the bar.
Meanwhile, the bar is moving forward with two of the DEI Task Force
recommendations: 1) creating a submission process that allows speakers
who train specifically in the DEI space to sign up to be part of a
curated list of experts; and 2) building an online directory of law
school pipeline programs that provide support and opportunities to young
people considering legal careers.
The task force also suggested changes to the Texas Lawyer’s Creed,
promulgated by the Texas Supreme Court and the Texas Court of Criminal
Appeals in 1989. In 2007, the mission of the State Bar was amended to
include, “… and promote diversity in the administration of justice and
the practice of law.” The proposed updates include statements in support
of diversity and inclusion in the administration of justice and the
practice of law to align the Texas Lawyer’s Creed with the bar’s mission
statement. Of course, any proposed changes to the document ultimately
need to be approved by the courts.
Last, but certainly not least, as we enter this new year, let’s consider
refocusing on civility and wellness in our lives. The legal profession,
as we all know, is immensely stressful and demanding. The often
promised-and-then-broken New Year’s resolutions deserve their
appropriate chuckles, but perhaps now is the perfect time to consider
serious recommitment to being kinder and more professional to each
other.
The State Bar’s life-saving Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program is
continuing its Wellness Wednesday webinars series at noon on the fourth
Wednesday of each month. The series, born out of the pandemic, engages
attorneys where they are, providing education and outreach on a variety
of wellness topics. Beyond the webinars, myriad resources can be found
at texasbar.com/tlapsupporttoolbox.
Let’s enter 2022 with a renewed commitment to being the best we can be
professionally and personally, and to be mindful and support one another
as we soldier through the challenges we know are ahead.
Sylvia Borunda Firth
President, 2021-2022
State Bar of Texas
Sylvia Borunda Firth can be reached by email at sylvia.firth@texasbar.com..TBJ
