STATE BAR BOARD UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2022
Board Creates New Standing Committee on Diversity, Equity,
and Inclusion
Written by Lowell Brown
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: Texas Supreme Court Justice Debra Lehrmann, the
court’s liaison to the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors,
administers the oath of office to President-elect Cindy V. Tisdale and
Board Chair Chad Baruch.
Photos by Lowell Brown
A new standing committee will work to develop and promote strategies and
best practices for the State Bar of Texas in the areas of diversity,
equity, and inclusion.
The board of directors voted June 8 to create the Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion Committee and asked 2022-2023 State Bar President Laura Gibson
to submit a roster of proposed committee members for approval at the
board’s next scheduled meeting on September 30.
The committee will identify opportunities within the State Bar to create
an environment conducive to diversity, equity, and inclusion; assist in
the creation of measurable goals; and periodically report on progress
toward achieving the goals set by the board of directors, according to
the resolution creating the committee.
The committee grew out of 2021-2022 President Sylvia Borunda Firth’s
Task Force on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, said director Adam T.
Schramek, the outgoing chair of the board’s Policy Manual Subcommittee,
which brought the resolution to the board. The committee “will continue
the work of the task force—the very important work that was started,” he
said.
The 15-member committee will include a representative from each of the
following State Bar standing committees and sections: Disability Rights
and Issues Committee, Diversity in the Profession Committee, Women in
the Profession Committee, African American Lawyers Section, Asian
Pacific Interest Section, Hispanic Issues Section, LGBT Law Section,
Native American Law Section, and Women and the Law Section.
The board also voted to continue the Building Planning Special Committee
for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. The board created the committee in
September 2021 to advise the State Bar on decisions related to
remodeling, repairs, and uses of the bar’s building and property at 1415
Lavaca St. in Austin.
Leadership Changes
Granbury family law attorney Cindy V. Tisdale was sworn in as
president-elect during the board’s June 9 meeting. Chad Baruch, a Dallas
civil appellate lawyer, succeeded Santos Vargas as chair of the board.
Texas Supreme Court Justice Debra Lehrmann administered the oath to new
officers, directors, section representatives, and liaisons to the
board.
Awards
Borunda Firth presented presidential citations to Roland and Cindy
Johnson, of Fort Worth, for their work facilitating the LeadershipSBOT
program and to Punam Kaji, of Dallas, for her service on the Task Force
on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She also presented a presidential
commendation in honor of 1978-1979 State Bar President Cullen Smith Jr.,
who died on April 16 at the age of 96.
Vargas, the outgoing board chair, presented the Public Member Award to
director G. Michael Vasquez, of Austin, and the Outstanding Third-Year
Director Award to Andrés E. Almanzán, of El Paso, and Adam T. Schramek,
of Austin.
State Bar Executive Director Trey Apffel presented a Staff Excellence
Award to Virginia Izaguirre, the director of program planning for
TexasBarCLE.
Watch the meetings at texasbar.com/board
under “Board Meeting Videos.” Materials from the meetings can be viewed
at texasbar.com/bodmaterials.TBJ
