State Bar of Texas
Annual Report 2024 -
2025
It is my pleasure to present to you the 2024-2025 State Bar of Texas Annual Report.
I am pleased to present the 2024-2025 State Bar of Texas Annual Report and to reflect on a year marked by forward momentum, fresh ideas, and a deep commitment to Texas lawyers and the clients they serve.
The year’s highlights include the release of our AI Toolkit, a pioneering resource designed to help attorneys navigate the fast-changing intersection of law and artificial intelligence. Created by the State Bar’s Taskforce for Responsible AI in the Law, the toolkit equips lawyers with guidance on evaluating technology, maintaining data security, and remaining within ethical boundaries—all while leveraging AI to streamline legal work.
Another major achievement came in the area of succession planning. The State Bar of Texas received a national award for our Succession Planning Toolkit that includes helpful forms and checklists and our user-friendly online portal that allows lawyers to designate a custodian attorney. A project of the Law Practice Management Committee, this initiative is making it easier for attorneys across Texas—especially solo and small-firm practitioners—to plan for the future and protect their clients and practices.
Throughout the year, State Bar President Steve Benesh and the State Bar Board of Directors focused on initiatives to improve the practice of law and promote the administration of justice. After President Benesh identified the need, the Austin Bar Foundation launched a crisis assistance pilot program to help area attorneys who temporarily step away for mental health, substance use treatment, or an illness. Meanwhile, the State Bar Board of Directors established an Emerging Technology Committee to continue the State Bar’s important work around law and innovation.
We also marked the 50th anniversaries of two landmark programs: the Client Security Fund, which has granted more than $25 million to clients harmed by attorney misconduct, and the National Trial Competition, which brought top law school teams back to Houston, where the competition began in 1975.
The state of our bar remains strong because of our volunteers and professional staff, who work tirelessly to fulfill the State Bar’s mission and statutory purposes. Together, we are shaping the future of our profession, and I look forward to what we will accomplish together in the years ahead.
Sincerely,
Trey Apffel
Executive Director, State Bar of Texas
