State Bar of Texas Podcast Legal Talk Network

A new set of laws has just been enacted by the 88th Texas Legislature, and the September 2023 edition of the Texas Bar Journal is chock full of informative articles on these changes. To look at some of these laws in greater detail, Rocky Dhir welcomes Kristal Thomson and Jerry Bullard to discuss their articles on the areas of family law and civil litigation/appellate law, respectively. Tune in to keep ahead of the latest updates! Kristal explains what did and didn’t change for the Texas Family Code and other updates for family lawyers, and Jerry offers pertinent information for civil trial and appellate practitioners.
Kristal C. Thomson is a partner in the family law practice group of the firm Langley & Banack in San Antonio.
Jerry D. Bullard is a shareholder in the Grapevine firm of Adams, Lynch & Loftin.

Keeping an appellate perspective in mind as you prepare for a trial can do a lot to keep your case on track and avoid future headaches. Rocky Dhir talks with Elana Einhorn and Melissa Lorber, authors of the article, Help Us Help You: Top 10 Appellate Mistakes in the Trial Courts, which appeared in the July/August Texas Bar Journal. Elana and Melissa give an overview of the article and share their top tips for success in trial court. 
Elana Einhorn practices appellate law at Enoch Kever. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law and a former Supreme Court of Texas staff attorney.
Melissa Lorber is a founding member of Enoch Kever and is certified in civil appellate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

State Bar President Cindy Tisdale and Texas Young Lawyers Association President Laura Pratt were sworn in at the annual meeting in Austin this June. Rocky Dhir sits down with both to discuss their plans for their presidencies in the coming year. Cindy shares her intention to study AI, focus on civility, and continue to develop more wellness tools for Texas attorneys. Laura discusses TYLA’s focus on public service, her plans to improve and update previous TYLA projects, and her developing website devoted to helping young people with everyday “adulting” topics. 
Cindy Tisdale is a board certified family law attorney and 2023-24 President of the State Bar of Texas.
Laura Pratt is a commercial litigator at Sprouse Shrader Smith PLLC and 2023-24 President of TYLA.

Tune in as Rocky Dhir talks with William Barr about his personal life, stories from his stints as Attorney General, and thoughts on the future of our nation. Mr. Barr opens up about his family and career and shares advice for others as they navigate both personal and professional life choices. They also discuss Mr. Barr’s recently published book, One Damn Thing After Another: Memoirs of an Attorney General. 
William Pelham Barr is an American attorney who served as the 77th and 85th United States attorney general in the administrations of Presidents George H. W. Bush and Donald Trump.

Rocky Dhir welcomes Daytripper host Chet Garner to chat about his many explorations of the great state of Texas. Chet visits towns of all shapes and sizes to find the beauty and adventure in every location. Tune in for their conversation highlighting the impressive diversity, history, nature, and community Texas has to offer. 
Chet Garner is the creator, executive producer, writer, and host of The Daytripper, a Texas travel show on PBS.

Pandemic-era legal proceedings taught Texas lawyers and judges that alternative methods can be extremely effective in a variety of court processes. And now that we have entered into the post-pandemic era, these tech-fueled advancements are still front and center in Texas courts. Judge Roy Ferguson, Megan LaVoie, Michelle Casady, and Jennifer Doan discuss their session on what legal professionals need to know to incorporate the latest options for court proceedings into their practice. 
Roy Ferguson is a judge of the Texas 394th District Court, presiding over the largest judicial district in the state of Texas. 
Megan LaVoie serves as the Administrative Director for the Texas Office of Court Administration and Executive Director of the Texas Judicial Council. 
Michelle Casady is a reporter at The Texas Lawbook.
Jennifer Haltom Doan is a founding partner with Haltom & Doan, a boutique trial and appellate firm located in Texarkana, TX-AR.