Rocky Dhir

Rocky Dhir

Host of State Bar of Texas Podcast

In 1999, Rocky Dhir did the unthinkable: he became a lawyer.

In 2021, he did the unforgivable: he became a stand-up comedian.

Rocky is the founder and CEO (Chief Executive Officer) at Atlas Legal Research, LP — a company that provides legal research and legal writing to law firms and corporate legal departments.  Yes, that’s right — Rocky empowers lawyers to keep being lawyers.  He has even practiced law himself, acting as outside general counsel to several start-up companies and representing clients in complex business litigation disputes.

Rocky is also the CEO (Comedy Evil Overlord) at Oh Dhir, LLC, where he performs corporate comedy shows and uses his comedy experience to teach executives and professionals how to use comedy structure and comedic technique to make written and verbal communications more impactful.  Alongside corporate venues, you can find Rocky performing stand-up at comedy clubs, bars, living rooms, and music concerts all across the country.

Rocky is always ready to grab a mic, be it performing comedy, presenting a CLE, or recording an episode of the State Bar of Texas Podcast.  So just grab his details and hire him to make your legal briefs or your next event extraordinary.

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Recent Episodes
November 7, 2024

Pharma Fallout: How Harrington v. Purdue Pharma Will Impact Bankruptcy Law

In the wake of the incredible harm caused by the opioid crisis, the outcome of the Purdue Pharma case argued in the United States Supreme Court garnered national attention. What impacts might...

October 3, 2024

How to Navigate Legal Mistakes with Integrity and Transparency

At the 2024 State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting, Scott C. Skelton’s session on the ethical handling of mistakes in legal practice was immensely helpful to attendees. Rocky Dhir welcomes Scott to...

September 5, 2024

What Really Happens After a Trial: Taking A Closer Look at Post-Conviction Law with Professor Lee Kovarsky

There is no way to truly prepare a client for life following a criminal conviction, and the aftermath of a defendant’s guilty verdict can be incredibly complex. Rocky Dhir welcomes Professor Lee...

August 1, 2024

The Untold Stories of Attorney Clarence Darrow

Lawyers long considered the legendary Clarence Darrow to be an attorney to emulate, but closer examination of his career shows a condemnable pattern of unethical tactics and empty courtroom arguments. To debunk...

July 11, 2024

Breaking the Stress Cycle: Tips for Becoming a Happier, Healthier Lawyer

Many segments of the legal profession operate as adversarial systems at their core, with colleagues becoming combatants as they fight for their clients and handle difficult situations day in and day out....

July 9, 2024

Keynote Speaker Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2024)

Rocky Dhir welcomes Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez to discuss highlights from her keynote address and her passion for improving representation within the legal world. Rocky gets the details on Judge Ramirez’s landmark...

July 8, 2024

IP Law: Black Mirror Perspectives: Ethical Questions Arising from Technology, Innovation, and Social Media (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2024)

What can we learn about law from a sci-fi TV show? Rocky Dhir welcomes Leela Madan, Hope Shimabuku, and Catherine Rifai to talk about Netflix’s “Black Mirror” and the potential ethical implications...

July 5, 2024

Rap on Trial (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2024)

Should rap lyrics as evidence be allowed in criminal prosecutions? Rocky Dhir talks with Chad Baruch about his session titled, “Hip Hop on Trial: Texas Courts Confront the Use of Rap Lyrics...

July 4, 2024

Leadership Vision for 2024-25 (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2024)

Incoming Bar President Steve Benesh and TYLA President Hisham Masri join Rocky Dhir to discuss their leadership priorities and plans for the coming year. Steve shares his interest in standardizing court filings,...

July 3, 2024

Keynote Speaker David Grenardo (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2024)

Civility is one of the cornerstones of the practice of law, ensuring an efficient justice system and improving the lives of both legal professionals and clients. Rocky Dhir welcomes David Grenardo to...

July 2, 2024

NYU’s Civil Jury Project (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2024)

Data shows that jury trials are declining rapidly, but what is causing this tendency? Rocky Dhir hosts Judge Mark Drummond to learn more about the factors involved in this decrease and what...

July 1, 2024

Remembering Hernandez v. Texas (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2024)

The 1954 case Hernandez v. Texas was the first and only Mexican-American civil rights case heard and decided by the United States Supreme Court. In 1951, a criminal case that arose from...

June 28, 2024

Managing the Client Relationship – Family Law (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2024)

Emotions can run high in family law cases, but creating realistic expectations can help your client effectively navigate the ups and downs of their legal issue. Rocky Dhir welcomes Britney Harrison to...

June 27, 2024

What’s the Spread? Legislating Sports Betting & Fantasy Sports in TX (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2024)

Currently, all sports betting in Texas is illegal, despite the fact that many people believe there is a gray area around app-based betting. In reality, Texas does not yet allow for sports...

June 26, 2024

Navigating Texas Business Courts (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2024)

Both the governor and legislature of Texas have hoped to drive more business to Texas, but previously, businesses have expressed concerns over the potential for difficulties in navigating courts across Texas’s 254...

June 25, 2024

Keynote Speaker Camille Vasquez (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2024)

Camille Vasquez joins Rocky Dhir to talk about her path to becoming a lawyer and what led to her involvement in the highly publicized defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard....

June 24, 2024

The Intricacies of AI Policy and Governance (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2024)

Lawyers have been getting into ethical hot water over both the use and misuse of AI, failing in their duties of competence, diligence, and more, so where do we go from here?...

June 20, 2024

Smokeball Bill: The Free Perk for Texas Lawyers

Free trust accounting and billing software for Texas Lawyers

June 6, 2024

What Texas Attorneys Need to Know About Vacation Letters, Artificial Intelligence, Mental Health & This Year’s Annual Meeting

The State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting is just around the corner, happening June 20-21 in Dallas! With this meeting comes a change of leadership for the Bar, but great progress has...

May 2, 2024

Texas’ Mental Health Court Programs

Should our criminal courts exist to punish or reform those who have broken the law? Every case is unique, but in those involving mental health, a rehabilitative approach may be beneficial. Rocky Dhir talks...

April 11, 2024

State Bar of Texas 2024-25 President-elect Candidate Forum

The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors approved the nominations of Denise Scofield, of Houston, and Santos Vargas, of San Antonio, as president-elect candidates at its meeting on September 30, 2023....

March 12, 2024

Rules Vote 2024: 12 Proposed Changes to the Texas Disciplinary Rules

Since its inception in 2017, the Committee on Disciplinary Rules and Referenda has been charged with the examination of Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct and Rules of Disciplinary Procedure to determine...

February 1, 2024

Demystifying the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act

The Texas legislature recently enacted the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act, which goes into effect on July 1, 2024. Lawyers have an urgent need to understand this new legislation and its...

January 11, 2024

AI and the Practice of Law: Insights for Attorneys and Paralegals

AI has been around for a very long time, but 2023 was its renaissance, with ChatGPT and other AI technologies suddenly speeding forward with exponential growth. Attorneys and paralegals should be focused...

December 28, 2023

Year in Review — Texas Real Estate Law Changes in 2023

There were a number of real estate cases in 2023, but only a few were notable enough to be of importance to all practitioners in this area of the law. Rocky Dhir...

October 31, 2023

Mentors Make All the Difference

Mentorships can be very impactful in the lives of attorneys, leading to better lawyering and stronger law firms. As a profession, there is so much we can do to develop and encourage...

September 7, 2023

Examining New Laws from the 88th Texas Legislature

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...

August 10, 2023

Help Us Help You: Top 10 Appellate Mistakes in the Trial Courts

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...

July 13, 2023

New Leadership: Cindy Tisdale and Laura Pratt (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2023)

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...

July 7, 2023

Keynote Speaker William Barr (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2023)

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...

July 6, 2023

The Daytripper’s Chet Garner at the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2023

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...

July 5, 2023

Post-Pandemic Court Proceedings (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2023)

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...

July 4, 2023

Radical Ways to Improve Law Firm Culture (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2023)

Culture can make or break your law firm, and it is absolutely essential to nurture a positive, supportive environment to truly have a successful firm. Senior law firm leaders Holly Draper, Hannah...

July 3, 2023

Understanding Professional Sports Leagues’ Personal Conduct Policies and Disciplinary Processes (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2023)

The way athletes conduct themselves has the potential to majorly impact them, their team, and their sport as a whole. With such high stakes and the added influence of social media, personal...

July 3, 2023

Bench Bar Breakfast (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2023)

Rocky Dhir chats with Bench Bar Breakfast speakers Justice Debra Lehrmann and Timothy Berg about the mission and efforts of the Uniform Law Commission. They explain what the ULC does, the processes...

June 30, 2023

From the Bench: Effective Advocacy (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2023)

Harnessing the power of technology with competence and confidence is now a top consideration for lawyers as they advocate for their clients. How should this look in your legal practice? Rocky Dhir...

June 1, 2023

Sneak Peeks for the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2023

Rocky Dhir welcomes Laura Gibson and Trey Apffel to hear all about what to expect at the June 22 & 23 State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2023. They talk through the...

May 4, 2023

Demystifying Cryptocurrency for Lawyers

Ever since cryptocurrency made its debut, many have repeatedly questioned its validity. Is it legal tender? A scam? Well, in today’s digital ether, both exist en masse, and lawyers need to understand...

April 6, 2023

State Bar of Texas 2023-24 President-Elect Candidate Forum

On March 10, Rocky Dhir welcomed president-elect candidates Jerry Alexander and Steve Benesh to give Texas attorneys the opportunity to learn about their campaigns and particular goals for the presidency. They discussed...

March 6, 2023

Current Law for Cross-Examination in Student Sexual Misconduct Hearings

How do institutions of higher education handle allegations of student-on-student sexual misconduct? Sean Flammer joins Rocky Dhir to talk through this legal process as outlined in his article in the March edition...

February 2, 2023

Estate Planning and Probate for Same-Sex Couples

The legal community is, at times, either uninformed or ill-equipped for dealing with the unique needs of LGBTQ+ clientele. Rocky Dhir welcomes Liz Brenner to discuss her article in the February 2023...

January 5, 2023

Highlights from the State Bar of Texas’ 2022 Year in Review

Each December, the Texas Bar Journal features the year’s developments in the profession through a series of articles written by Texas legal experts. Rocky Dhir talks with three of 2022’s authors to...

December 1, 2022

What The Rest of Us Need to Know About Bankruptcy Practice

Even though bankruptcy touches so many areas of the law, many attorneys outside bankruptcy practice lack an adequate understanding of how it all works. Rocky Dhir brings on experts Catherine Curtis and...

November 3, 2022

The Lisa Torry Smith Act: New Stop and Yield Law for Texas Drivers

On an October morning in 2017, Lisa Torry Smith was walking her son to school when they were struck by a car while in a crosswalk. Lisa died at the scene, her...

October 6, 2022

Fully Acknowledging Human Damages with Randy Sorrels

A surprising shift has swept through Texas courts since COVID-19, likely traceable to the public’s collective new awareness of suffering due to pandemic-era hardships. In recent months, there has seemed to be...

September 1, 2022

Sustainable Law: The Texas Opportunity & Justice Incubator’s Efforts to Close the Justice Gap

An individual’s use of the justice system shouldn’t solely be based on a cost-benefit analysis, but for many, it is just that. With such a major hurdle in access to justice, a...

August 4, 2022

Keri Blakinger’s Insights into Mass Incarceration

As a follow-up to her panel discussion at the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2022, Keri Blakinger joins Rocky Dhir to share more of her personal story and her perspectives on...

July 7, 2022

SpaceX and the Future of Aerospace Law

Space innovation is ramping up in Brownsville, Texas. The city experienced rapid change in the past decade after SpaceX set up operations, and many lawyers are excited to have a front row...

June 13, 2022

From Derogation to Reclamation: The Power Of Reclaiming ‘Racist’ Slurs with Simon Tam

Should We Be Able to Reclaim a Racist Slur – as a Registered Trademark? In this special State Bar of Texas podcast, host Rocky Dihr welcomes Simon Tam, a musician, author, activist,...

June 13, 2022

Our Court System in a Post-COVID World (State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting 2022)

Courtroom Transparency - How the COVID-19 Pandemic Altered Court Accessibility and What Transparency Looks Like in a Post - COVID World