State Bar Director Spotlight • October 2026

Amy Rod

HOMETOWN: EL CAMPO
POSITION: FOUNDER OF AND SOLO PRACTITIONER IN THE LAW OFFICE OF AMY ROD, P.C., IN EL CAMPO
BOARD MEMBER: DISTRICT 5 SINCE 2024

INTERVIEW BY WILL KORN
PHOTO COURTESY OF AMY ROD

WHEN I WAS YOUNG, MY PARENTS TOLD ME THAT I ENJOYED ARGUING WITH THEM SO MUCH I SHOULD CONSIDER BEING A LAWYER AS A CAREER. As I got older, I realized that being an attorney would possibly be something I could be good at and it offered the added bonus of being able to help people.

MY FIRST JOB OUT OF LAW SCHOOL WAS WITH AN ATTORNEY WHO DID A GOOD AMOUNT OF FAMILY LAW. After one particularly nasty divorce case, he looked at me and told me he was not going to take family law cases anymore, so those would go to me. As I handled more cases independently, I realized that my personality is suited to family law and I really enjoyed the ability to help clients through what often is a very difficult time in their lives.

DISTRICT 5 ENCOMPASSES 10 COUNTIES, MOST OF WHICH ARE RURAL. As a rural attorney myself, I thought it would be great to represent all of the lawyers in my district, highlight their particular strengths, and try to address their challenges.

I DID NOT HAVE ANY IDEA HOW HARD THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS DIRECTORS WORK TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE STATE BAR ARE REPRESENTED. I also did not realize how many benefits our members have access to—and these are facilitated through the board. This group really works hard to provide a variety of services to help our members.

I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR STATE BAR OF TEXAS DIRECTORS TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE MEMBERSHIP IS VARIED, BOTH INDIVIDUALLY AND IN OUR PRACTICE AREAS AND WORK ENVIRONMENTS. We need to try to help everyone: solo and small firm practitioners, big firm lawyers, government attorneys, and public interest lawyers.

I THINK THAT TEXAS ATTORNEYS ARE CHALLENGED BY THE SAME THINGS THAT CHALLENGE OUR CLIENTS—FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONCERNS, AS WELL AS MAINTAINING AND PROTECTING THE RULE OF LAW. I think that the Board of Directors can keep the basic needs of our members front of mind and try to anticipate and plan for challenges that are on the horizon.

I HOPE THAT OUR WILLINGNESS TO VOLUNTEER TO HELP OUR MEMBERS AND BEING WILLING TO WORK HARD ON THEIR BEHALF DEMONSTRATES TO TEXAS LAWYERS THAT THEY HAVE SUPPORT. Being an attorney is extremely rewarding but also tremendously challenging. I think that the State Bar of Texas directors are improving the legal profession by continuing to maintain our self-governance and provide assistance to our members through our numerous programs and initiatives.

I WOULD TELL A LAW STUDENT OR YOUNG LAWYER TO FIRST, REMEMBER THAT HOW YOU TREAT PEOPLE MATTERS, WHETHER THEY ARE CLIENTS, OPPOSING COUNSEL, CLERKS, OR JUDGES. I hope the people I encounter think I am a good lawyer, but I really hope they think I am a good person. Secondly, keep your sense of humor.