Created in 2008 by then State Bar President Harper Estes, LeadershipSBOT is designed to increase leadership participation within the legal community through the nomination of lawyers who possess both the desire and the potential to assume leadership roles in their communities and the State Bar of Texas. Central to the program’s mission is ensuring that participants represent the demographics of the State of Texas.
LeadershipSBOT participants will examine what is expected of leaders and, with the advice and guidance of current leaders, discover how to best engage in public involvement to be effective in the profession and in the community. The yearlong program consists of two training sessions and concludes with the presentation of group projects during the State Bar Annual Meeting.
Thank You to our 2024-2025 Sponsors!
Head of the Class
Locke Lord
LLP
Lynch, Chappell
& Alsup
Patterson
Law Group
Varghese
Summersett
Honor Roll
Harriet Miers
Texas Lawyers’
Insurance Exchange (TLIE)
Class Members
Class of 2024-2025
Anyssa Barbosa, Uvalde
Chevera A. Blakemore, Cedar Hill
Isaac J. Blanco, El Paso
Trevor Deason, Houston
Alanna Dominguez, San Antonio
Catrina L. Guerrero, Corpus Christi
Jack Hurd, Abilene
Sean McLaughlin, Houston
Hoa Nguyen, Dallas
Marisa Porras, El Paso
Tomas Porras-Acosta, El Paso
Shellie Smith, Pharr
Jay Spring, Dallas
Katie Suarez, Richardson
L. D. Thomas, Dallas
Andrew Tisdale, Fort Worth
Kristen L. Vela, Edinburg
Abigail Ventress, Round Rock
Daniela Peinado Welsh, Austin
Emily Wilkinson, Dallas
Nomination Information
2025-2026 Nominations
LeadershipSBOT Nomination Form
In the News
Let’s Talk Leadership – Texas Bar Journal, May 2024
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Virtual [to] Reality - A transitional—and successful—year for LeadershipSBOT. - Texas Bar Journal, December 2021
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Forging New Leaders, Texas Bar Journal, December 2011.
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Appetite for Deconstruction, Texas Bar Journal, December 2010.
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LeadershipSBOT Class Meets in South Texas, Texas Bar Journal, May 2010.
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Building Bears, Rebuilding Lives, Texas Bar Journal, May 2009.
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State Bar and TYLA Launch Leadership Academy, Texas Bar Journal, December 2008.