Texas Bar Journal • March 2025

Celebrating a Milestone

The Texas Opportunity & Justice Incubator welcomes its 10th cohort.

Written by Joshua Weaver

The Texas Opportunity & Justice Incubator (TOJI) is preparing to welcome its 10th cohort in early spring 2025—a significant milestone for a program that continues to prove its value for new attorneys and the Texans they serve. Launched under the visionary leadership of past State Bar of Texas President Frank Stevenson, built up by former TOJI Director Anne-Marie Rábago, and now under the direction of Joshua Weaver, TOJI has helped shape a new generation of solo and small-firm practitioners who are innovating the practice of law and expanding access to justice across the state. As the program prepares to celebrate its latest cohort, we look back on its successes and its impact and turn toward the promise it holds for the future of the legal profession in Texas.

A BOLD VISION TAKES SHAPE
TOJI was established to address two critical needs: supporting lawyers in building sustainable, community- centered practices and providing underserved communities with legal resources. Since its founding, the incubator has pursued these goals by offering mentorship, education, and a collaborative environment for attorneys aiming to create or refine their own firms. The program emphasizes innovative thinking and client-focused solutions, fostering legal practices that are responsive to the realities of everyday Texans.

PROOF OF CONCEPT: IMPACT AND GROWTH
The numbers speak volumes about TOJI’s success. Over the course of its existence, more than 130 law practices have been launched through the program, many of whom have remained in the communities they initially set out to serve. In just a few short years, these TOJI-connected practices have collectively created over $5 million in “access to justice value,” providing legal services and resources to Texans who may never have otherwise found the help they needed.

Thousands of individuals and families—facing challenges such as housing disputes, family law matters, immigration status questions, and other legal hurdles—have been guided through the legal system thanks to these TOJI lawyers. These numbers represent real people with real problems who have been empowered by the presence of affordable, empathetic, and often tech-savvy lawyers.

REACHING TEXANS WHERE THEY ARE
TOJI participants are not confined to major metropolitan areas. In fact, many have set up their practices in rural parts of the state, addressing the phenomenon known as “legal deserts” in which entire counties have few, if any, practicing attorneys. By putting attorneys on the ground in these underserved regions, TOJI dramatically increases the likelihood that residents will be able to access basic legal services. In some instances, a single TOJI lawyer may be responsible for meeting the legal needs of multiple counties—a testament to the program’s commitment to bridging gaps in legal access no matter where Texans reside.

THE 10TH COHORT
As the incubator recruits its 10th cohort, TOJI continues to hold a high standard for admission. Prospective participants go through a rigorous application and interview process to ensure that each new member of the program aligns with TOJI’s mission and is prepared to make the most of the resources offered. Once selected, participants gain access to mentorship from experienced attorneys, business training to help sustain and grow their practices, and a supportive community that fosters collaboration.

The forthcoming cohort will start in early spring, ready to carry the torch forward. The continuous refinement of the program curriculum ensures that these new participants will have the best tools at their disposal: knowledge of emerging practice areas, training in technology solutions, and strategies for successful community outreach.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND LOOKING AHEAD
The success of TOJI would not have been possible without the foresight of Stevenson, who recognized the pressing need for such a program, and the leadership of Rábago, who built and guided TOJI to its current prominence. The support of the State Bar of Texas and its board has also been instrumental in making TOJI a cornerstone of innovation in legal services and a thought leader within the access to justice and entrepreneurship legal spaces.

With the 10th cohort on the horizon, it is clear that TOJI’s impact will only continue to grow. By nurturing the next generation of attorneys—equipped with practical skills, compassionate approaches, and a commitment to public service—the Texas Opportunity & Justice Incubator remains at the forefront of expanding access to justice and shaping the future of legal practice in Texas.

JOSHUA WEAVER is a coach, attorney, and technologist currently serving as the director of innovation and the director of the Texas Opportunity & Justice Incubator (TOJI) for the State Bar of Texas. At TOJI, Weaver leverages his background in law and technology to help attorneys build sustainable practices for underserved communities. As a legal innovator, he is dedicated to improving the practice of law by helping attorneys leverage better tools and strategies.