State Bar of Texas Podcast |
The State Bar of Texas Podcast is a monthly show featuring news and discussions relevant to the legal profession, from the latest industry trends and caselaw to practice tips and State Bar programs. Host Rocky Dhir, attorney and CEO of Dallas-based Atlas Legal Research, invites thought leaders and innovators to share their insight and knowledge on what matters to practitioners.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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....
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?...
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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...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
As a group, first generation law students and lawyers tend to encounter common issues. Saumya Kuriakose, Nadda Rungruangphol, and Alysia Huskey give highlights from their panel focused on the experiences of first...
AI has been helping lawyers for many years, but new tools powered by ChatGPT have even more exciting possibilities for the future of legal practice. Korin Munsterman discusses recent developments in legal...
Diversity, equity, and inclusion should be central to your law firm’s mission, but how do you go about building a welcoming workplace? John G. Browning gives tips from his session at the...
Tune in for highlights from the State Bar of Texas’ Annual Meeting! During the conference, Laurence Colletti talked with presenter Dyane O’Leary about her session on how a modern mindset helps lawyers...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
In 1999, Rocky Dhir did the unthinkable: he became a lawyer. In 2021, he did the unforgivable:...
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