Texas Bar Journal • April 2025

The Issues: State Bar of Texas Election 2025

The Texas Bar Journal asked 2025-2026 president-elect candidates Deborah L. Cordova and G. David Smith to share their perspectives on issues facing the bar. Vote online from April 1 to 5 p.m. CDT April 30, 2025. For more information, go to texasbar.com/elections.

IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES FACING THE LEGAL PROFESSION AND WHAT ROLE DO YOU BELIEVE THE STATE BAR SHOULD PLAY IN ADDRESSING THEM?
CORDOVA: The key issues facing the legal profession are: access to justice, AI, attorney wellness, and engagement. The State Bar is playing a role to address the justice gap; however, we must continue to strengthen that role by educating our members and increasing the number of its volunteer partners. All of our members should be aware that the State Bar’s Legal Access Department offers “support, training, publications, resource materials, and more to legal services programs and pro bono volunteers.” Further, the State Bar should continue its analysis of the recommendations provided in the Taskforce for Responsible AI in the Law 2023-24 Year-End Report to determine whether additional research and collaboration will be necessary to implement such recommendations. Attorney wellness is a priority of the State Bar, and the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program has been an available resource for its members. The State Bar should continue to communicate the recently added therapy partnership benefit to its members and focus on increasing attorney wellness resources. Engagement is vital to any member-based organization. Building on strengthening communication to increase engagement leads to a collective impact and a stronger legal profession.

SMITH: I have witnessed a disturbing erosion of civility in the practice of law. A key tenet of the legal profession is vigorous yet respectful advocacy. The vitriol and antagonism I see in court and in communications between attorneys invades the art of advocacy, taking it from a pedestal to the floor. The bar must take the lead in promoting civil discourse even in divisive areas of legal dispute. Bar leadership needs to show by example and by rule that passionate advocacy can remain civil, even in adversarial circumstances.

The legal profession cannot let this divisive discourse challenge the rule of law. Jurisprudence and the profession are marginalized if this conduct is directed toward supplanting established precedent. The bar must lead and resist such attempts. Our bar is an independent bar and a mandatory bar. We must remain neutral in all aspects of promoting adherence to the rule of law. By so doing, we stand for just application of legal principles and rules of conduct. This combats those improper challenges. It reminds us that every person is entitled to fairness and equal treatment under the law. This leadership promotes a level playing field for all lawyers.

AI IS IMPACTING THE PRACTICE OF LAW IN MANY WAYS. WHAT ROLE SHOULD THE STATE BAR PLAY IN REGULATING ITS USE AND EDUCATING LAWYERS ABOUT ITS POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS?
CORDOVA: The Taskforce for Responsible AI in the Law 2023-24 Year-End Report outlines substantive recommendations. The State Bar already offers access to Vincent AI, vLex’s AI research assistant. There are additional roles the State Bar should play in educating lawyers about AI’s applications. The State Bar should provide additional CLE trainings on AI and cybersecurity and continue to communicate the responsibility of utilizing AI ethically. The State Bar should also create a new standing committee that is focused on technology and its intersection with the practice of law. Building a business/ technology mentor program among our members is also a great way to educate lawyers about its applications. Finally, learning about AI starts in law school. I recommend connecting with the law schools and discussing the impact of AI in the legal profession and how law schools can help facilitate educating the law students on AI.

SMITH: The problem is AI is evolving so rapidly that most answers to this question will be outdated before they are published. That means that any meaningful approach is going to have to be proactive to be relevant. The bar has already taken those proactive steps to address concerns about AI. Past President Cindy Tisdale wisely created the Taskforce for Responsible AI in the Law (TRAIL), which issued a comprehensive interim report addressing AI issues. The report provides recommendations for rules and procedures to help Texas lawyers successfully navigate the use of AI. I fully support the TRAIL findings and recommendations. AI is a great resource and will affect everyone’s practice in a positive manner as long as it is used responsibly. The task force recommendations are the right step for making the best use of AI in our practice. I strongly urge all to read the TRAIL reports online at texasbar.com/ trail.

WHAT CAN THE STATE BAR AND INDIVIDUAL LAWYERS DO TO ENSURE ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR TEXANS, PART OF THE STATE BAR’S MISSION?
CORDOVA: From the State Bar’s Legal Access Department to the pro bono training and events to the Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans and the Pro Bono College, the State Bar is building on ensuring access to justice for Texans; however, the justice gap remains and as the legal profession, we must collectively work together to close the justice gap. Communication is key. The State Bar must continue communicating to its members about all of the resources available to help attorneys take on pro bono cases. The State Bar should consider initiating a district director access to justice program, which would involve district directors communicating with their local bar members about the tools, resources, and support available to volunteers. Further, encouraging all volunteers to report their pro bono hours is important so the State Bar has a better accounting of the pro bono work being serviced by the legal profession.

SMITH: My office recently performed a survey that found that many solo and small firm lawyers provide substantial hours of free services without reporting the hours spent. In larger firms, there are formalized pro bono committees and volunteers who provide vital services. The reporting is better, but it could be improved. The bar can increase reporting and participation by giving incentives, such as discounted CLE courses or CLE course credit for work performed. Additionally, there are many fine programs that provide free or low-cost legal services. The problem is getting the services to those who need them. I advocate for the bar, working with the Access to Justice Commission, TYLA, and other groups, such as the Houston Bar Foundation, to create a clearinghouse for service providers that would give those in need a single location to seek and be matched with service providers.

ANOTHER PART OF THE STATE BAR’S MISSION IS TO HELP ITS MEMBERS TO BETTER SERVE THEIR CLIENTS AND THE PUBLIC. WHAT SHOULD THE BAR FOCUS ON TO ENSURE IT IS SUCCEEDING IN THIS AREA?
CORDOVA: The State Bar has so many different resources available to its members and the public. By strengthening its communication with local bar associations, the State Bar increases the dissemination of resources to the local bar members, which leads to fostering a stronger legal community. The Local Bar Leaders Conference is also another opportunity for the State Bar to gain some additional input from its bar members by inquiring how the State Bar can help its members to better serve their clients and the public. The LeadershipSBOT program is designed to recruit, train, and retain Texas lawyers for leadership positions. The LeadershipSBOT program is another pipeline to strengthening the State Bar’s communication with its local bar leaders and local bar associations. As communication is strengthened, the members of the State Bar become aware of the different resources the State Bar has to offer so we can better serve our clients.

SMITH: The bar has made progress in assisting its members. But there is room for improvement. Lawyers need practice tools to manage their workload, thus reducing stress. The bar has programs that address these needs—practice aids and assistance, free research tools, accounting software, the Attorney Ethics Helpline, and the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program. While these are great, there is room for more, such as more competitive insurance programs and preventative mental health options. The biggest problem is making these programs known to our members. I have proposed that we put bar education into law school third-year curriculum, and some law school deans say they support this concept. We need to expand our footprint in social media so more lawyers are connected. Having 10-minute videos at our CLE programs would help. The more we connect, the better we serve lawyers, which results in better service to the public we all represent.

PUBLIC PROTECTION IS CENTRAL TO THE STATE BAR’S PURPOSE AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY OF THE STATE’S JUDICIAL BRANCH. WHAT CAN THE BAR DO TO BETTER EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND ATTORNEYS ABOUT THE LAWYER DISCIPLINE SYSTEM AND HOW IT WORKS?
CORDOVA: The State Bar has a concise outline on how the disciplinary process works on its website. The State Bar should create an updated free CLE on the process and offer it to all of its members. The State Bar can also incorporate the outline into its free CLE held quarterly before the State Bar board meetings. The State Bar has numerous resources for the public, and it should incorporate educating the public about the lawyer discipline system and how it works within the list of resources being communicated to the public.

SMITH: The lawyer discipline system has made vast improvements on both sides (attorney and public) in the past 10 years. While onversations should continue about further changes, there is not enough conversation about the system and how it now operates. We need a nuts-and-bolts class on the discipline system in the curriculum of every law school third-year class. The effective use of social media can make information about the system more readily available to practicing lawyers and the public. Infusing the nuts-and-bolts class into ethics CLE at major CLE events would help as well. Most attorneys do not want to hear about discipline until they get a letter. By getting the word out early in law school and then through CLE and social media, the lesson is more easily learned and over time becomes preventative, not just instructive.

WHAT SHOULD THE BAR DO TO GUIDE AND PREPARE THE NEXT GENERATION OF LAWYERS?
CORDOVA: The next generation of lawyers will come into the profession equipped with the latest technological advancements. The State Bar needs to continue its research on the effective but ethical tools for the legal profession and continue its focus on technological resources. One of the recommendations from the Taskforce for Responsible AI in the Law was collaborating with legal education institutions to enhance the practical aspects of legal education with AI technology. In addition to AI, the State Bar should generally collaborate with law school deans to help foster the pathway to a legal career. The State Bar should consider having a roundtable discussion with the law school deans to gather feedback on how the State Bar can further assist to guide and prepare the next generation of lawyers. The next generation of lawyers can also benefit from a mentoring program that starts at the law school level.

SMITH: When I got out of law school, the only things I knew for certain about the bar were that I paid them a check every year and I did not want to get a letter from them. We need to change that perception, which could start with a collaborative effort between the bar and law schools. We need bar education. That education needs to include information about what the bar does to help lawyers, not just the disciplinary system. Once out and practicing, young lawyers need mentoring. I was fortunate to have a town full of mentors when I started practicing. New and early year lawyers need that same help. Our sections should be aggressively promoted to young lawyers entering our profession. Many sections provide varying forms of access and interaction between members, which are great. It would be helpful for that to be available in all section practice areas.

THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS IS CONSIDERED A NATIONAL LEADER AMONG BAR ASSOCIATIONS IN MULTIPLE AREAS. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE STATE BAR DOES WELL?
CORDOVA: The State Bar of Texas, through its strong leadership team, pivots, finds solutions, and offers some of the best services and resources to help its members better serve their clients and the public. From powerful legal research tools to the Texas Bar Career Center to the Law Practice Management Program to the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program, the State Bar of Texas continues to grow its understanding of our members’ needs. The State Bar of Texas has also negotiated benefits from insurance, technology, office tools, travel, and professional liability insurance, which are all essential to our legal practice.

SMITH: The bar is a well-oiled machine due to a great executive team and staff. I think the bar makes great services available to attorneys, which in turn enhance their law practices. The attorney-focused benefits of bar membership are great—free legal research, benefits such as travel discounts, free accounting software, practice support materials, insurance options, free counseling, TLAP, and the best CLE in the nation are just some of the benefits we as lawyers have available through the bar. Our bar sections, due to the tireless efforts of volunteer leaders, provide great support and practice area specific information to the section members. Our standing committees, through the volunteer efforts of the members and chairs, strive to make our practice better in many different areas. These committees are constantly working on improving rules and practice assistance for lawyers. These are but a few of the things the bar does well.

YOU HAVE SERVED THE PROFESSION IN A NUMBER OF CAPACITIES. WHICH OF THESE EXPERIENCES HAS BEST PREPARED YOU TO LEAD THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS?
CORDOVA: Serving on the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors as a section representative was an amazing experience that best prepared me to lead the State Bar of Texas. Not only did I get the opportunity to connect and grow with all of our section chairs, I was also a representative and a voice on the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors for all sections and attorneys engaged in specialized fields of law. Serving on the State Bar of Texas board opened up the opportunity to serve on committees such as the Executive Committee, Policy Manual Subcommittee, the Audit and Finance Committee, and many, many more. My service on committees while serving on the board, coupled with my prior leadership roles, deepened my understanding of the operations, processes, and resources of the State Bar of Texas. I am ready to lead the State Bar of Texas.

SMITH: I have striven to serve honorably as a practicing attorney for 42 years. My practice has included multiple areas, such as criminal, family, personal injury, and business litigation. Trials have taken me across the state—Marfa, Kermit, Odessa, Midland, Big Spring, Lubbock, Abilene, Austin, Lockhart, Houston, Eastland, Fort Worth, Dallas, Rockwall, and other venues. I have argued appeals in El Paso, Eastland, Dallas, Texarkana, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. I feel that I understand the rigors of practicing law. That, coupled with my service on numerous bar committees and the State Bar Board of Directors, gives me a unique insight to the needs of attorneys and how the bar can best work to serve us all. These experiences collectively have prepared me and, more importantly, they have inspired my passion to give back and pay forward to this bar that has served me so well.

HOW IMPORTANT ARE YOUR COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES IN SHAPING YOUR LIFE AS A LAWYER? WHICH HAS AFFECTED YOU THE MOST?
CORDOVA: My community involvement started early on in my legal career and helped me grow personally and professionally. I developed strong leadership skills such as communication, strategic thinking, creativity, conflict resolution, mentorship, feedback, and delegation. There are numerous organizations that have impacted my life, including the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Partnership Chamber of Commerce. Created in 1944, the RGV Partnership drives advancement in the Rio Grande Valley by unifying stakeholders in the spirit of collaboration and regional progress and by being an influential advocate for the region. Sixty-nine years later, I became the first woman to chair the RGV Partnership and continue my advocacy for economic development, education, transportation, international trade, and investment in the health care industry. During my term as the chair of the organization, we implemented the Rio Grande Valley Leadership Class, a program I am extremely proud of and a pipeline of the next leaders of the RGV.

SMITH: Working with an affordable housing agency and a free medical clinic for those in need has enriched my life. My community is a great place. We may not agree on certain issues, but we have always been able to sit down, have difficult conversations, and end up doing the right thing for those less fortunate in our community. That work has been rewarding. Getting our clinic building donated? That was rewarding. We filed an administrative action to revoke the license of a private utility that was charging a low-income neighborhood twice what city residents paid—the city stepped in and took over the utility, reducing the residents’ bills by half. That was rewarding. Giving a family living in their car a place to live? Very rewarding. I have learned that we all share basic common beliefs. When we focus on those and have those necessary conversations, we accomplish great things.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK, TV, OR FILM REPRESENTATION OF A LAWYER? WHY?
CORDOVA: To Kill a Mockingbird because it addresses racial injustice, empathy, integrity, and resiliency.

SMITH: My youngest son’s middle name is Atticus. Guess that lets the cat out of the bag. Most of us have read To Kill a Mockingbird, and we all admire how Atticus stood up for the oppressed and did his best, yet fell short in the face of the prejudices of the rural South in the 1950s. As a child, I witnessed that segregation and prejudice. I was extremely fortunate to have a mother who knew no race or other barriers. She taught me what unconditional love is all about. So, when I read about Atticus for the first time, I got it. My mom was an Atticus, or better yet, Atticus was my mom. Both have been my heroes throughout my life. I do my best to honor their examples of how we should treat each other and hope that it rubs off on those around me.

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