News From Around The Bar
April 2022
Texas Bar Foundation Honors
Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht
Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice
Nathan L. Hecht will receive the Samuel Pessarra Outstanding Jurist
Award from the Texas Bar Foundation at the Texas Bar Foundation Annual
Dinner on June 10 at the Marriott Marquis in Houston. The award
recognizes an active federal or state judge who exudes a reputation for
competency, efficiency, and integrity. SMU Dedman School of Law will
receive a $1,000 scholarship donation in Hecht’s honor. Hecht is the
27th chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court. He’s been elected to the
court seven times, first as a justice in 1988, and as chief justice in
2014 and 2020. Not only is Hecht the longest-serving member of the court
in Texas history, but he is also the longest-tenured judge in active
service statewide. He has overseen revisions to the rules of
administration, practice, and procedure in Texas courts and is active in
efforts to assure that Texans living below the poverty level have access
to basic civil legal services. The award was named after Samuel
Pessarra, a Baylor University graduate who was a member of the Brazoria
County Bar Association, where he served as president, director, and
secretary. For more information about the Texas Bar Foundation, go to www.txbf.org.
John G. Browning Receives
State Bar Litigation Section’s Highest Honor
John G. Browning, a partner in Spencer
Fane in Plano and a visiting associate professor of law at Faulkner
University in Montgomery, Alabama, received the Luther (Luke) H. Soules
III Award for Outstanding Service to the Practice Award. The award by
the State Bar of Texas Litigation Section recognizes an attorney “who
embodies excellence in the practice of law and exemplary service to the
State Bar.” Browning has spent 32 years as a litigator and served as an
appellate justice on the 5th District Court of Appeals in Dallas. He is
a noted legal author and bar leader and volunteer. Nominators pointed to
Browning’s work in honoring the legacies of members of underrepresented
communities. In 2020, his efforts led to the posthumous bar admission of
J.H. Williams, a Black man who was denied a law license in 1882 on
racial grounds. Browning has been involved in similar campaigns around
the country. As part of the award, a $1,500 stipend is provided to a
charity of the recipient’s choice. Browning has chosen the Texas Access
to Justice Foundation.
Justice for All Campaign
Supports Legal Services Provided to the Poor
The statewide Justice for All Campaign supports legal services provided to the poor through local programs funded by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation and the Texas Bar Foundation. Each year, lawyers are asked to make a $150 access to justice contribution on their dues statement. Last year, more than 10,500 lawyers donated more than $1.5 million in access to justice contributions. For thousands of Texans, these donations can secure legal assistance for basic human needs, like safe housing or protection from an abuser. Justice for all is not an abstract ideal—it’s a way of life. Show your strong support by donating at donate.texasatj.org. For more information, contact Trish McAllister at 512-427-1862 or tmcallister@texasatj.org.
Justice Patricia O’Connell Alvarez
and Rebecca K. Lively Inducted to Hall of Fame
The San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame announced its 2022 class. Among the list of authors, educators, doctors, and more are Justice Patricia O’Connell Alvarez and Rebecca K. Lively. Alvarez, who was elected in 2012 to Place 3 of the 4th Court of Appeals in San Antonio, was recognized in the Hall of Fame’s law category. She spent 26 years as a trial attorney in South Texas. A renowned lecturer and author, Alvarez has presented legal topics across the globe. She has served on boards of state and national organizations. Lively, an attorney experienced in acquisition methods supporting cyber operations, was recognized in the technology category. She is an Air Force civilian serving as the 90th Cyberspace Operations Squadron deputy director. Lively delivers cyberspace software capabilities, tools, and solutions to the U.S. Cyber Command. She has been an attorney for the Sixteenth Air Force, Twenty-Fourth Air Force, and the 67th Cyberspace Wing. Founded in 1984, the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame has recognized and honored women for service and contributions to the community. The organization provides funding to support local women’s college education. For more information, go to sawomenshalloffame.org.
Legal Services Corporation
Notice of Grant Funds Available
The Legal Services Corporation, or LSC, announces the availability of grant funds to provide civil legal services to eligible clients during calendar year 2023. In accordance with LSC’s multiyear funding policy, grants are available for only specified service areas. The list of service areas (and their descriptions) where grant opportunities are open are available at https://www.lsc.gov/grants/basic-field-grant/lsc-service-areas/2023-service-areas-subject-competition. The Request for Proposals, which includes instructions for preparing the grant proposal, will be published at https://www.lsc.gov/grants-grantee-resources/our-grant-programs/basic-field-grant on or around April 11, 2022. Applicants must file a pre-application and the grant application through GrantEase: LSC’s grants management system. Go to https://www.lsc.gov/grants/basic-field-grant for filing dates, applicant eligibility, submission requirements, and updates regarding the LSC grants process. Please email inquiries pertaining to the LSC grants process to LSCGrants@lsc.gov.TBJ
