Tarrant County Bar Association December Bar Bulltin

1 www.tarrantbar.org ■ December 2015

December 2015

Thursday, December 10 • 5:00pm-7:00pmThank you to Studio 80 for allowing us to use their facilities for our Holiday Party photo shoot.


by David E. Keltner

David

Our holiday party is just a few days away. On December

10, 2015, at 5:00 p.m., we will celebrate the holidays. This year’s party sports a 1980s theme. So, if you have Guess jeans & leg warmers that still fi t—wear them. The holiday party is one of

the highlights of the Bar year. i al-ways enjoy it because i see people that i don’t see throughout the year. equally important, i always seem to meet new people at the party and look forward to keeping up those friendships.

Texas A&M University School of Law The lawyer population in Tarrant County continues to grow, along with the population. Fort Worth has been one of the fastest growing cities in the united States. Of course, the success of the Texas A&M university School of law has added many new local lawyers. The law school is a real success story. While the law school did well under the Texas Wesleyan banner, Texas A&M has brought new resources that are making a difference. in all cat-egories, the law school continues to climb. The average lSAT and grade point average of incoming classes are not only increasing, but overtaking other law schools. Also, applications are continuing to climb, while appli-cations at other schools decline.

Dean Andy Morriss and his staff have big plans. They have raised signifi cant amounts of money and intend to ex-pand the Texas A&M campus in Fort Worth. There were a lot of anxious moments when Texas A&M took over the school because of the fear that the law school might move from Fort Worth. But Texas A&M is committed to Fort Worth and has plans to expand its downtown campus. The law school’s future is bright. Dean Morriss has added impressive new faculty members that compliment an already impressive group. expect llM offerings in the near future. The law school’s success is important to our legal community.

The Bar’s Continued Progress under Trisha Graham’s direction, our Bar Association continues its successes. Our pro bono effort is one of the most celebrated in the State. Megan Cooley heads our ef-forts, and she has recruited the largest crop of volunteer law-yers ever. As a result, the TlTV and TVAS programs continue to grow. The State Bar of Texas and other organizations have recognized the strength of our pro bono programs and con-tinue to give us grants to aid our efforts.

New Technology An anonymous donor made a gift to the Tarrant County Bar Foundation to increase our computer capability. This will help in our pro bono effort and will also help in our online publication of this Bar Bulletin. We have received a lot of compliments on the Bar Bulle-tin, but also some complaints. The complaints center around the electronic publication and the diffi culty in download-ing both content and advertising. Our computer upgrades, together with other advances, will make the online Bulletin more accessible. For example, advertisers will be able to re-direct readers to their websites. This will be more useful to advertisers and ought to increase advertiser revenue. Addi-tionally, the Bulletin can be printed from its electronic ver-sion with much better quality than ever before. Of course, you can always pay the additional $20.00 for a printed ver-sion. ■

President’s page

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas


Tarrant County Bar Association817.338.4092 ■ Fax 817.335.9238website: www.tarrantbar.orgemail: [email protected]

2015-2016 OfficersPresident . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David e. KeltnerPresident-elect . . . . . . . . . . . Robert G. WestVice President . . . . . . . . . . .Dabney D. BasselSecretary-Treasurer . . . . . . . . . nick Bettinger

DirectorsTerm Ends 2016

leslie BarrowsJohn Caycelance evans

Term Ends 2017Tawana Gray

Gary l. MedlinJason C. n. Smith

2015-2016 Appointed DirectorsGeffrey AndersonDwayne W. Smith

Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association President2015 Fall

Amber Altemose2016 Springerin Cofer

Immediate Past PresidentMichael J. Henry

Executive DirectorPatricia Graham, PlS, ClAS

Ex-Officio MembersState Bar Of Texas, Directors

J. Benjamin BarlowGary l. nickelson

ABA DelegateJanna Clarke

Bar BulletinJohn F. Murphy, editor

H. Dennis Kelly, Assistant editorApril Holland, Staff editor

Graphics/ProductionPark Place enterprises, inc.

[email protected] • 817.877.8901The Tarrant County Bar Bulletin is a monthly publication of the Tarrant County Bar Association. Articles, photos, events for the calendar, suggestions, or comments should be directed to:1315 Calhoun Street • Fort Worth, Texas 76102-6504Deadline for submission is the 1st day of the month, one month prior the date of the issue (e.g. April 1 for the May issue). items for publication may be emailed to [email protected] in Word format.Articles published in the Bar Bulletin do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Tarrant County Bar Association, its officers, or the Board of Directors. Calendar listings, classifieds, advertisements, and feature articles should not be considered an endorsement of any service, product, program, seminar or event.

Contents

Features

Departments

3 Holiday Party

4 Advocates for Justice luncheonThank You to Sponsors

1 President’s Page

3 legalline

5 YlA Snapshot

5 Benefits of Membership

5 lawyers on the Move & in the news

6 it’s All Happening at the Bar

9 new Members

10 100 Club

11 Texas lawyers for Texas Veterans - Tarrant County Chapter

12 in Memoriam - Dee J. Kelly

14 lawyer Referral and information Service news

17 Tarrant County Volunteer Attorney Services

18 Snippets

20 Transition to Practice

22 TCBA Member Benefits Vendor list

24 Other Associations’ news & information

9 Judicial ProfilesJudge Tim Menikos

15 Diversity SpotlightThe Law Firm of Dowell, Pham,& Harrison, LLP

12

5

9

11


*there are still available opportunities for sponsorship

You are invited to the TCBA

80s Holiday PartyThursday, December 10, 2015

5:00pm-7:00pmTarrant County Bar Center

Come join us for a night fi lled with the sights and sounds of the 80s.Come straight from the offi ce or come dressed in your 80’s attire.This is a party you don’t want to miss, from the food, the drinks,the photo booth, the games, the door prizes and so much more.

Don’t forget to bring a stuffed animal forNational Adoption Day and Tarrant County Family Courts

This event is sponsored by:

Dinner served at 5:30pm for all volunteers! • Bring a friend - We always need volunteers.

Please consider donating two hours of your time the 2nd and 4th Thursday, January through november from 6 to 8pm. legalline is a valuable community service outreach program that

needs your time and skills. if you are interested in volunteering or sponsoring, please contact Carolina at 817.338.4092 or email [email protected].

Thank you to these volunteers:10/08/2015Joe ColvinSylvia DuarteClayton everettBryce KingGeorge lockwoodScott PhillipsCarey ThompsonSandra Thompsonlaurie WeirStaff Carolina ibarra

10/22/2015norma BazánJoe ColvinBryce KingFranklin MooreScott PhillipsStaff Carolina ibarra

11/12/2015nick BettingerBill BowersJoe ColvinSylvia DuarteBryce KingFranklin MooreScott Phillips Sandra ThompsonStaff Carolina ibarra

Meals provided by theTarrant County Bar Foundation


Amber

YLASnapshotIt’s offi cially holiday season, which means it

will be a busy month full of holiday parties hosted by clients, fi rms, friends, and fami-

lies. TCYlA will be hosting a fantastic holiday party for its members on December 3. it will be a great opportunity for members to unwind from the holiday chaos and join friends and colleagues for cocktails and heavy hor d’ourves. Please join us on December 3 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Fixture on West Magnolia. it will be a great event to kickoff the holiday season! Throughout the month of December, the Texas Young lawyers Association is challenging all young lawyer affi li-ates to raise money for the Texas lawyers Assistance Pro-gram (TlAP). TCYlA is stepping up to this challenge and will be collecting donations for TlAP during the month of December. You may mail in your donations or drop them off with Cindy Rankin at the Tarrant County Bar Center. Checks should be made payable to the Texas lawyers Assistance Program. TlAP provides confi dential help for lawyers, law students, and judges who have problems with substance abuse or mental-health issues. if you have a substance-abuse problem or mental-health issues, please reach out to TlAP at 1.800.343.8527. You may also fi nd more information about

TlAP by visiting the State Bar of Texas website: www.texasbar.com. TCYlA has teamed up with Texas A&M School of law to pro-vide a professionalism program for all law students at Texas A&M. The program is centered on the idea of round-table discussions. last month several TCYlA Board members par-ticipated in the fi rst professionalism event. The discussion included topics on managing stress, creating work-life bal-ance, and responding to challenging assignments as a new attorney. i want to thank Vice Dean Aric Short and Michael Schneider, a 3l at A&M and TCYlA’s law-school liaison, for moderating the event. TCYlA will have more opportunities for members to participate in future events, so be sure to check the newsletter for more details. ■

Benefi ts of Membership

1) The TCBA has eighteen Substantive Law Sections offering CLE and networking with members interested in the same areas of law;

2) Reduced rates on CLE (Brown Bags, Luncheons, Section meetings, Last Tuesday CLE)3) Reduced rates on room rental at the TCBA Bar Center;4) Monthly Bar Bulletin (by email or mail) and updates on upcoming events by email;5) Community Service Opportunities through the Foundation: LegalLine, Texas Lawyers

for Texas Veterans, Tarrant Volunteer Services; and through community service com-mittees: People’s Law School, Annual Food Drive, Blood Drive, Elder Law Committee, and others;

6) Reduced rates on advertising in the Bar Bulletin and on the TCBA website;7) Mentoring or being mentored through the Transition to Practice program;8) Reduced rates on offi ce supplies, Sprint, UPS, shredding documents, and the Fort

Worth Zoo; and9) The all-important fun networking opportunities.

So the next time someone asks you why join the TCBA, please let them know. We thank you for your continued membership. This Bar Association is great because of its members like YOu! if you have any questions regarding your member-ship, please contact Cindy at the bar offi ce or email her at cindy@ tarrantbar.org. ■

Why be a member of the Tarrant County Bar Associa-tion? Besides wonderful networking opportunities and ca-maraderie in the legal community, membership has other benefi ts.

Lawyers on theMove & in the NewsBen E. Keith Company (www.benekeith.com) announced that Craig Woodcook has been named General Counsel, Secretary, and Vice President of legal Affairs for Ben e. Keith Company. Mr. Woodcook began his career with the Company in 1997 and has worked in numerous roles from Warehouseman to Financial Analyst. He can be contacted at 817.877.5700 or [email protected].

Torrie Taylor Poehls has joined The Blum Firm, P.C. in Fort Worth. Prior to joining The Blum Firm, Poehls was an associate at Kelly Hart & Hallman. Poehls received her J.D., cum laude, from Texas Tech university School of law and her bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Texas Tech university. She can be contacted at 817.334.0066 or TPoehls@theblumfi rm.com

Anna Patterson announces her move to Patterson Law Group, focusing her practice on Personal injury and Plain-tiffs’ Work. She can be contacted at Patterson law Group, 2310 W. interstate 20, Suite 101, Arlington, Texas 76017, 817.461.5500 or [email protected] ■

It’s All Happening at the Bar

Nov LegalLine

Women Attorneys Mixer



It’s All Happening at the Bar

Oct Solo & Small Firm Mixer

Nov Luncheon

December 2015 ■ TCBA BulleTin 7


parkerlawfirm.com2317 Plaza Parkway, Suite 100,

Bedford, Texas 76021

When a serious injury needs serious attention, trust your client to a friend. You can be confident that I will give your referral my utmost attention. My firm returns every call, same day, and prepares your case for trial. In other words, we’ll treat your client like you would treat your client.

Refer your clients to a friend

Changing your perception of personal injury lawyers.

Wrongful Death • Serious Personal Injury • Trucking and Auto Accidents • Bad Faith Insurance Practice

Board Certified • Personal Injury Trial Law Texas Board of Legal Specialization

O: 817.503.9200 C: 817.925.2272

Call me


By Perry Cockerell

ProfilesJudicial

Presiding in the 323rd District Court is a longtime career accom-plishment for the Honor-able Tim Menikos, who succeeded the Honorable Jean Boyd, who retired from the bench last year.

Menikos was born in Patchogue, new York, but his family moved to Fort Worth when he was young and his father was transferred to the General Dynamics plant in west Fort Worth. Menikos graduated from West-ern Hills High School in

1975, and after one year at uTA, he transferred to north Texas State university. in 1981, he completed a BBA degree in Banking and Finance. After graduation he set his sights on law school and was accepted to Texas Tech School of law. His life changed dramatically in lubbock when he and his wife, Tricia, were married and became foster parents. After graduation from law school in 1984, he and Tricia moved to Arlington, where he began his legal practice with George Kredell, a criminal attorney. in 1987, Kredell was elected to the 213th Criminal District Court, and Menikos began his solo practice. He assumed Kredell’s practice and began a diverse practice including business litigation, wills, uncontested divorces, and juvenile delinquency cases. His offi ce was only minutes from his home in Mansfi eld, where he and Tricia had settled. His solo practice was short lived because, in 1992, Judge Scott Moore, who presided in the 323rd District Court, rec-ognized his talents and tapped him as his Associate Judge behind Judge Jean Boyd. He served as an Associate Judge for the court for the next twenty-four years. in 1994, he be-came Senior Associate Judge when Judge Moore retired and Judge Boyd was elected District Judge. When the district bench became open 2014, he successfully ran for election, marking another successful career progression. Practicing in his court requires a certain skill set because “it is an odd combination of law and procedure where the civil and criminal codes are merged. A case can be diffi cult and it is a challenge. You want to handle them in the most professional manner,” Judge Menikos said. He also said that 85 to 95% of the cases in his court are appointed attorneys who are paid at the end of the case by either appearance or through the hourly basis for their time served. He approves all fees and expenses from the attorneys.

Judge Tim Menikos

His advice to attorneys practicing in his court is to “be prepared by having talked with your clients before going to court.” He said that “every hearing we have in the court is by a special setting. The court does not have a general docket, so at 8:30 we are ready to go to hear your case.” Attorneys who plan to practice or who have never prac-ticed in the juvenile family court should pay a visit to the Honorable Scott Moore Juvenile Facility located in north Fort Worth at 2701 Kimbo Road. The 323rd District Court is quite busy with three Associate Judges assigned to the court, the most for any family district court. Judge Menikos advises new attorneys to “hang out to see how they do things in 323rd District Court. The court is welcoming to all, and the staff is very helpful.” Judge Menikos and Tricia have two grown children and one grandson. ■

Medi8withHughes.comJohn W. Hughes

8 1 7 . 2 9 1 . 4 1 4 7

One of the nation’smost experienced and respected mediators.

NewMembers

TCBA Welcomes Its

AttorneysBuffi e CampbellCaroline CyrierJohn PhairStephen PocsikRyan RoperGregg M. RosenbergBeth Thurman

AssociatesKim BuckChrissie CoreyRick DeveroCaitlin northrop

StudentsJonathan BerrySamuel Creceliusellen Dickersoneric DouglasPaul ManigrassoBryan MayAriel Santillan

To be eligible for the 100 Club, any law fi rm, government agency, law school, or corporate legal department that has four or more attorneys and attains 100% TCBA membership compliance for the 2015-2016 bar year qualifi es for “The 100 Club”! The fi rms/organi-zations listed (above) have already paid their membership dues and qualify for 100 Club membership for the new bar year. Any fi rm/or-

ganization that qualifi es in the future will have its name published in every issue of the Bar Bulletin for this bar year. TCBA is proud of the participation of these law fi rms and other groups! The new bar year began July 1, so if you missed your renewal invoice in your email, contact Membership Director Cindy Rankin at 817.338.4092 or email her at [email protected].

100 ClubMembers of the 2015-2016

100 ClubAdams Lynch & Loftin P.C.

Albert Neely & Kuhlmann LLPAnderson & Riddle, LLP

Baker Monroe PLLCBakutis McCully & Sawyer PCBarlow Garsek & Simon, LLP

The Barrows Firm, P.C.The Berenson Firm P.C.

Blaies & Hightower, L.L.P.Bourland, Wall & Wenzel, PC

Brackett & Ellis, P.C.Broude Smith & Jennings PC

Brown, Dean, Wiseman, Proctor, Hart & Howell, LLPCantey Hanger LLP

City Attorney’s Offi ce-City of Fort WorthCook Children’s Health Care System

Curnutt & Hafer, L.L.P.Decker Jones, P.C.

Dowell, Pham & Harrison, LLPEdison, McDowell & Hetherington, LLP

Fillmore Law Firm, L.L.P.Forshey & Prostok, L.L.P.Friedman, Suder & CookeGriffi th, Jay, & Michel, LLP

Harrison Steck P.C.Haynes and Boone, L.L.P.

Holland Johns & Penny LLPJackson Walker, L.L.P.Jim Ross & Associates

Johnston Legal Group, P.C.Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP

KoonsFuller, P.C.

Lacy Lyster Malone & Steppick, PLLCLaw, Snakard & Gambill, P.C.

Lively & Associates, LLPLoe, Warren, Rosenfi eld, Kaitcer, Hibbs,

Windsor, Lawrence & Wolffarth, PCMartinez Hsu, P.C.

McDonald Sanders Law FirmMellina & Larson, P.C.

Moses, Palmer & Howell, L.L.P.Murphy Mahon Keffl er Farrier, LLPNaman Howell Smith & Lee, PLLC

Noteboom Law FirmPadfi eld & Stout, LLP

Law Offi ces of Paup, Shutt& Associates, P.C.Phelps Dunbar LLPPlains Capital BankSchneider Law Firm

Second Court of AppealsShannon, Gracey, Ratliff & Miller, LLP

Stephens, Anderson & CummingsSuzanne I. Calvert & Associates

Tarrant County CDA’s Offi ceTaylor Olson Adkins Sralla & Elam, LLPTexas A&M University School of Law

The Wolf Law Firm, P.C.Thompson & Knight, LLP

Underwood Law FirmVarghese Summersett, PLLC

Watson Caraway Midkiff & Luningham L.L.PWhitaker Chalk Swindle & Schwartz PLLC

Wick Phillips Gould & Martin LLPWinstead PC



Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans Tarrant County Chapter

On november 11, 2015, Texas lawyers for Texas Vet-erans–Tarrant County Chapter (TlTV) held a pro bono legal clinic at Catholic Charities with legal

Aid of northwest Texas (lAnWT) and Texas A&M univer-sity School of law’s Veterans Project (TAMu). At the clinic, TlTV volunteers, lAnWT attorneys, and TAMu students assisted veterans from Catholic Charities’ community pro-grams.

The clinic was held as part of Texas Veterans legal Aid Week, a statewide effort in honor of Veterans Day coordi-nated by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation. During the week of november 9–13, legal aid programs, bar associa-tions, law schools, and pro bono volunteers provided civil legal services for qualifi ed Texas veterans across the state. According to the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, “Texas has the second-highest population of veterans in the nation. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ annual survey of homeless and formerly homeless veterans, legal issues account for three of the top 10 unmet needs of home-less veterans.” Recently, the Texas Access to Justice Founda-tion announced grants for veteran legal aid services, total-ing more than $3.5 million, to 15 nonprofi t organizations, which will help fund legal aid services for Texas veterans. The 84th Texas legislature provided $3 million in funding for basic civil legal services for veterans and their families over the next two years. The Texas Access to Justice Founda-tion grant recipients include TlTV, lAnWT, and TAMu.

TLTV Holds Veterans Day Clinicat Catholic Charities in Connectionwith Texas Veterans Legal Aid Week

Mark Your Calendars for 2016 TLTV ClinicsTlTV held its last legal clinic on Friday, november 20 at the Veterans Administration Outpatient Facility in Fort Worth. TlTV’s legal clinics will be held on the following dates; loca-tions will be announced next year:

if you are interested in volunteering at a clinic or spon-soring a clinic, please contact Megan Cooley at [email protected]. ■

January 15February 19April 15May 20June 17

July 15August 19September 16October 21November 18

Save the Datefor the

Rodeo GatheringJanuary 14, 2016

5:30pm – 7:30pm

Reata Restaurant, Downtown Fort WorthWear your boots and spurs

to this Western event to kick offthe Fort Worth Rodeo Season.

Food, Fun & Friends.Silent Auction & Door Prizes.


Dee J. Kelly, one of Fort Worth/Tarrant County’s best-known attorneys, died unexpectedly in Fort Worth on October 2, 2015, after collapsing at Shady Oaks

Country Club. He was 86. Mr. Kelly rose from modest roots to establish and grow Kelly Hart & Hallman llP into the largest law fi rm in Tarrant County, with offi ces in Austin, Midland, and new Orleans. He became a trusted advisor to some of the nation’s most prominent and powerful citizens, and he was known as a powerful behind-the-scenes force in Texas politics. His lifelong involvement in politics led him to relationships with virtually every major contemporary political fi gure in Texas.

I do not know if Mr. Kelly studied Greek, but he sure understood the

ancient proverb, “A society grows great when men plant trees whose shade they know they will never sit in.” Our bar association and bar foundation’s best friend for the future was Mr. Kelly and his unparalleled generosity.” Roland K. Johnson, Past President Tarrant Coun-ty Bar Association & Past Chair Tar-rant County Bar Foundation

In Memory of

Dee J. Kelly3/7/1929 – 10/2/2015

Born March 7, 1929, in Bonham, Texas, Mr. Kelly grew up as an only child. His father sold insurance and his mother worked in a cotton mill. He credited his parents for instilling in him a strong code of values, the differ-ence between right and wrong. A child of the Depression, Mr. Kelly believed in effort and persistence above all else, and as a result, his work ethic be-came legendary.

Dee was a born leader. He did not make people be better. He made them want to be better.” Dan Settle Jr., Partner, Kelly Hart & Hall-man LLP

After graduating from Bonham High School, he attended Texas Christian university, where he served as student president. He graduated i n 1950 from TCu and moved to Washington D.C., where he had the opportunity to work for Sam Rayburn, the legendary Speaker of the u.S. House, who shared Mr. Kelly’s Fannin County roots. Mr. Kelly attended law school at night at George Washington university.

Dee was not very technically oriented, especially in the early years. Once, on a Saturday morning in about 1976, he called me, very

upset, to inform me that the Xerox machine was not printing, and that it had made 30 blank copies. I went into the machine room, raised the cover on the machine, and pointed out that the copies would be much bet-ter if the original was placed face down on the glass rather than face up.” William Hallman, Partner, Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP

By the time he was 25, he had a received a degree from TCu, and a law degree from George Washington university. He served two years in the u.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged as a First lieutenant. Mr. Kelly was later named a Distinguished Alumni from both universities. TCu later named the Alumni Center after Mr. Kelly, and George Washington university recently named its law School learning Center in his honor. He continued to serve family, friends, community, and others until his death.

Dee Kelly was not very big on fanfare, but he was serious about suc-cess. If Dee Kelly was your friend, you did not need another because

he always had your back.” David Keltner, Partner, Kelly Hart & Hall-man LLP & President, Tarrant County Bar Association

numerous families and children across Texas have been deeply impact-ed by Mr. Kelly’s service to leading philanthropic families such as the Bass, Moncrief, Fortson, Justin, Geren, Marion, and many others of Fort Worth and their generous gifts. He was also directly involved with establishing the now-Moncrief Cancer institution, and he served on the fi rst board of the Cancer Prevention and Research institute of Texas. Mr. Kelly was a recipient of numerous awards, including Fort Worth’s Outstanding Citizen Award, the city’s Outstanding Business executive, the Horatio Alger Award, and the Blackstone Award, which is given by the Tar-rant County Bar Association to the year’s outstanding lawyer. He has been included on the Woodward/White’s Best lawyers in America list since 1990. The longhorn Council of the Boy Scouts of America named him Citi-zen of the year in 2003. in 2013, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce gave Mr. Kelly and his fi rm the Spirit of enterprise Award, the fi rst time it was ever given to a law fi rm. The Texas Bar Foundation named him one of the

Dee J. Kelly

“

“

“

“


In Memoriam In Memoriam In Memoriam

outstanding 50-year lawyers in Texas. The Texas lawbook named him one of the 50 lions of the Texas bar. in 1999, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram named Mr. Kelly one of the ten most infl uential leaders in Tarrant County during the second half of the twentieth century.

Over the past twenty-three years, I had the privilege of working with Mr. Kelly in several capacities and

on numerous projects. One memorable project with him was the Fifth Circuit’s conference in Fort Worth; fi ve U.S. Supreme Court Justices attended. It was an opportunity of a lifetime for all of us. Mr. Kelly was an outstanding leader and steadfast supporter of the Tarrant County Bar Foundation by serving on its board for over ten years. While serving as Chair, he orchestrated the renovation of the Bar Center, which resulted in a beautiful home for the Bar Association/Foundation. Mr. Kelly was always one of the fi rst to support the activities of the Bar Association and Foundation. He was a great mentor and friend, and he will always have a special place in my heart.” Patricia Graham, Executive Director, Tarrant County Bar As-sociation/Bar Foundation

Mr. Kelly is survived by his wife of sixty-one years, Jan-ice leBlanc Kelly; his daughter Cynthia Kelly Barnes; his sons, Dee J. Kelly Jr. and his wife, Dana, and Craig l. Kelly and his wife, Robyn; and his seven grandchildren, Ben F. Barnes ii and his wife Shelby, Kelly Barnes, Cate Kelly, lynn Kelly, Camille Kelly, Patrick Kelly, and Ryan Kelly.

There will never be another man like my father. I will miss him dearly, but the lessons he taught me

will stay with me as long as I live. My family will never forget the outpouring of love from this community after his death. I know he’s smiling down on all of us.” Dee Kelly Jr., Managing Partner, Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP

As a special tribute to Mr. Kelly, the following quotes have been provided by many of his law partners and others:

“Dee’s mother lived in their hometown in Bonham for most, if not all, of her life. He visited her regularly and she phoned him often. One day she called the offi ce to proudly announce that she was being interviewed by the local news-paper because she had become one of the eldest women in town. As i recall it she was ninety years old at the time. She was very spunky and commanded that Dee sit with her during the interview. He traveled to Bonham, and when the reporter asked Mrs. Kelly how old she was, she said she was eighty-nine. Dee quickly corrected her and told the reporter she was ninety. A spirited discussion between mother and son ended with Dee storming into the house to retrieve the old, old-family Bible. Dee poked with pride at the entry that logged her birth date. The ancient record supported Dee,

and he was just beginning to crow a little to the reporter when his mother declared, accusingly: “Somebody’s been messin’ with my Bible.” Dee uncharacteristically conceded the argument. neither judge nor opposing counsel ever shut Dee down as quickly. Mother was eighty-nine, and there would be no appeal.” Glen Johnson, Partner, Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP

“Mr. Kelly was focused like no one else i ever have known. i had been working with him for only a couple of weeks when i rode with him from our offi ce to the federal courthouse. He was impatient with the red lights we kept encounter-ing, so every time we came to a red light, he just turned the corner to avoid it. The only problem was that most of the streets were one way and going the other direction! He was so intent on getting to his destination, though, that he didn’t seem to notice. When we got to the courthouse, i jumped out of the car and said, “Are you aware that we just went the wrong way down every street between our offi ce and here?” He looked completely surprised by my question. He recovered quickly, though, and, with a little smile, said, “Well what do you want me to do? Sit around and wait for someone’s permission? We don’t have time for that!’” Mari-anne Auld, Partner, Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP

“in my thirty-three years of practice, i have never met quite such a force to be reckoned with. Dee Kelly was, in a word, amazing: a brilliant lawyer, a fi erce advocate, a supportive mentor, and a good-to-the bone individual.” Sharon Mil-lians, Partner, Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP

“Dee was everything that Bill Tucker, Sid Bass, and Dee Jr. said of him at his service–dedicated, focused, loyal, and de-manding in the best sense of that word. ‘He was a man. Take him for his all in all. i shall not look upon his like again.” Bob Grable, Partner, Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP

“Dee Kelly was an encourager. As busy as he was, he took the time to call or send an email simply to praise.” Sharen Wilson, Criminal District Attorney, Tarrant County

“i had the privilege of going to work for Dee Kelly, Mark Hart, and Bill Hallman in 1980, shortly after Kelly Hart & Hallman was formed. From that fi rst day until the day he died, Mr. Kelly was an incredible role model—personifying hard work, loyalty to clients, and straightforward, no-non-sense communication. At a time when women lawyers were a rare breed in Fort Worth law fi rms, he had no double stan-dards, just high expectations. He understood the imperative of political, civic, and philanthropic engagement to benefi t our community and beyond—and whenever he engaged on any issue, you could be sure it was not halfway. He was a force of nature with far-fl ung infl uence, but to me he was a remarkable advisor, mentor, and friend.” Pati Meadows, Partner, Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP ■

Dee J. Kelly

�

“

“


NewsLawyer Referral andInformation Service

News

Update on LawyerReferral Service

LRIS Director, Cindy Rankin, just returned from the ABA’s lawyer Referral & information Service

Annual meeting. This is always a boost for the staff, and ev-ery year she brings home new ideas to improve the Service. A couple of new things are coming down, so lRiS members need to watch their emails and future Bar Bulletin articles on the implementation. The lRiS has received right at $60,000 on referral fees alone since July 1! Special thanks to those of our members who have paid referral fees since the last report: Monty Buhrow, Wes Dauphinot, Matthew Davidson, Wayne Fowler, lacie Friday, Phillip Hall, earl Hargrave, Michael Johnston, Stephen lawrence, MJ nachawati, Dustin Payne, eric Rans-leben, leigh Ann Schenk, Joyce Stevens, and Roger Wood. Thank you all. We wouldn’t b e here without you! ■

Member SIPC

During this holiday season and every day of the year, we wish you all the best.

www.edwardjones.com

Robert J Holman, CFP®Financial Advisor.

3426 S University DrFt Worth, TX 76109817-922-8934

Merry Christmas

MKT-1920A-A-AD

Law Offi ces of Jason Smith

Board Certifi ed Civil Appellate Law

Amerian Board of Trial Advocates

Trials and AppealsEmployment, Personal Injury, Insurance

letsgotocourt.com

Jason Smith817.334.0880

600 8th AveueFort Worth, TX 76104

15 www.tarrantbar.org � December 2015

This month’s Spotlight on Diversity features the law fi rm of Dowell Pham Har-rison LLP. Brad Dowell,

Lu Pham, and Caroline Harrison formed Dowell Pham Harrison LLP in July 2015. DPH comprises six full-time at-torneys: Brad Dowell, Lu Pham, Caroline Harrison, Jennifer Sweeny, Antonio Allen, and Lauren McDonald. In addition, DPH recently added Maureen Moore, formerly Associate General Counsel with Xerox, as Of Counsel. DPH lawyers actively work with their clients on the for-mulation of policies that comply with the myriad regulations and laws with which employers must comply and protec-tion from unfair competition. They also deal with restraint of trade, government investigations, wage and hour disputes, and all varieties of wrongful termination or discrimination/retaliation claims. DPH is proud to have an attorney and staff base that refl ects the diversity of the world in which they operate. Di-versity and inclusion are part of the fabric of their fi rm. Sup-porting diversity demands the careful cultivation of relation-ships, both within and outside the fi rm, built on respect and dialogue. Their defi nition of diversity reaches beyond race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and other statutorily defi ned groups. They bring people together, lawyers and non-lawyers, of a variety of abilities, skills, experiences, and backgrounds to enable superior results and work product. The fi rm is continuously growing their areas of practice and network of connections to best meet the evolving needs of their myriad clients. They have earned a reputation for pro-viding relevant, cost-effi cient, and proactive legal services in the dynamic and competitive legal industry, and will con-tinue to meet that challenge. The Partnership of the fi rm is

sixty-six percent women and minorities. One hundred percent of their non-partner attorneys are minority or female. They are proud to have a distinct team that refl ects the diversity and values of the clients they represent. Attorneys at the fi rm collaborate and frequently work hand-in-hand with in-house counsel to best suit the needs of the client. Most of the attorneys at the fi rm have been in Fort Worth or Tarrant County for generations, and all have deep ties to Texas. The fi rm comprises highly talented, published, and experienced attorneys. They develop long-term, person-al relationships with their clients, who trust and appreciate their contribution to their enterprise. DPH gets get involved with their clients and the organizations they support. They are proud of their strong team spirit, both within the fi rm and collaboratively with the clients they represent. They focus on the following areas of labor and employ-ment law:

1) Discrimination 2) Employment Counseling 3) FSLA/Wage and Hour 4) Labor Relations 5) Litigation 6) Non-compete agreements 7) Partnership Disputes 8) Policy Drafting and Implementation

9) Retaliation 10) Union Avoidance Training \

and Audits 11) Labor Relations Training

for HR Professionals 12) Union Campaigns and Elections 13) Negotiations 14) Arbitrations

Diversity Spotlight

Article submitted by Lauren McDonald, Dowell, Pham, & Harrison LLP.

16 www.tarrantbar.org ■ December 201516 www.tarrantbar.org ■ December 2015


Thanks to all of its volunteers and supporters, Tarrant County Volunteer Attorney Services (TVAS) has en-joyed a productive and meaningful year assisting low-

income families and individuals in Tarrant County. High-lights of this year include:

• Pro bono legal representation of approximately thirty individuals in uncontested divorces;

• A successful simple wills and estate planning legal clin-ic, where widows, retired individuals on fi xed income, and veterans received free legal representation;

• TVAS’s fi rst general advice clinic held at Presbyterian Night Shelter Shelter, which assisted assisted more than thirty homeless residents and involved over twenty-fi ve volunteer attorneys, law students, and paralegals;

• TVAS’s fi rst guardianship pro bono clinic with Tarrant County’s Probate Court #1 that assisted low income par-ents secure guardianships of their young adult children with intellectual disabilities or other incapacities;

• A corporate counsel pro bono initiative that has en-gaged corporate counsel and legal departments in the provision of pro bono legal services;

• Providing TCBA members and volunteers with free CLE opportunities;

• Statewide recognition of the TVAS program and vol-unteers through the Texas Access for Justice Commis-sion’s Corporate Counsel Award (to incoming TVAS Co-Chair Aaron Young, American Airlines Federal Credit Union) and the Pro Bono Project Award (for TVAS’s pilot guardianship clinic);

• Pro bono representation and fi nancial support of eligible foster families participating in Tarrant County’s National Adoption Day; and

• Partnerships and collaborations with Tarrant County community organizations, including Legal Aid of North-west Texas, Tarrant County’s National Adoption Day, ACH Child and Family Services, and Presbyterian Night Shelter.

TVAS could not do it without you. TVAS looks forward to maintaining its current programs and developing new programs to address the need for legal services and infor-mation in the next year. TVAS welcomes and needs your involvement. if you are interested in joining the committee, serving as a mentor in a particular area, volunteering as a pro bono attorney, or serving as a volunteer in any capacity, please contact Megan Cooley at [email protected]. ■

TVAS Ready toRing in a Productive New Year

Cheers to 2015!

Contact Debara Herring ■ [email protected]

505 Pecan Street, Suite 101 ■ Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Space For Leasein the historic

Tindall Square O� ce Complexin Downtown Fort Worth

O� ce Space and Record Storage SpaceAvailable Immediately

■ Parking available■ Up to 10,000 square feet of o� ce space available

with rates starting at $18.50 psf.■ Current o� ce tenant base includes attorneys,

private investment � rms and accountants.■ Executive suites for attorneys available,

call for details.■ Secure record storage facility conveniently

located on site with rates as low as $120/month■ Within walking distance to local restaurants and

Sundance Square

Mike Yarber, President

TLIExperience

512.480.9074 / [email protected] / WWW.TLIE.ORG

Because of our 35 years in the business, Texas Lawyers’ Insurance Exchange has been voted best professional liability insurance company in Texas four years in a row by Texas Lawyer magazine. That same experience and our exceptional employees are why TLIE is also a Preferred Provider of the State Bar of Texas. Not to mention, we have returned over $36,550,000 to our policyholders. See why experience makes the difference.

@TLIE_ facebook.com/TLIE01


Civil and Criminalby Judge Bob McCoy ■ County Criminal Court No. 3

Snippets

Moses

RamsesRamses

Co-EditorLin Morrisett

Associate JudgeProbate Court

No. 2

Who’s That Street Named After?Overton Crest, Overton Ridge, etc.—W. H. Overton was an alderman in 1874. He and the edwards family owned the ed-wards Ranch, a huge area in southwest Fort Worth. —From Werner Magnus, Who was Hulen? An Attempt to Find the Origins of Street Names in Fort Worth.

Ask Judge Bob Judge Bob, is the “possibility of control” evidence of a “right to control”?no. “We ‘have never concluded that a general contractor ac-tually exercised control . . . [when] there was no prior knowl-edge of a dangerous condition and no specifi c approval of any dangerous act.’” And the “possibility of control is not evidence of a ‘right to control’ actually retained or exercised.”Gonzalez v. Ramirez, 463 S.W.3d 499, 506 (Tex. 2015).

ASK THE DANESRamses and Moses, do the police get training in dealing with dogs?Yes. “excluding those related to hunting and agriculture, there were approximately 60 animal-related bills fi led dur-

ing the 2015 legislative session. HB593 creates mandatory uniform training for many Texas peace offi cers while pre-paring them for a safe, non-confronta-tional outcome. As a result of the bill’s passage, the Texas Commission on law enforcement will adopt an accredited curriculum and will have oversight to measure its success. The one time, four-hour course will occur during ba-sic training or within two years of being licensed.”Shelby Bobosky, Animal Law, Texas Bar Journal, Oct. 2015, at 700.

The Danes’ Quote Of The Month“if you are a dog and your owner suggests that you wear a sweater . . . suggest that he wear a tail. —Fran lebowitz, Pointers for Pets

Criminal Items Of Interest1. Mistrial “A mistrial is a device used to halt trial proceedings

when error is so prejudicial that expenditure of further time and expense would be wasteful and futile. . . . When a party requesting a mistrial does not fi rst seek a

lesser remedy, a reviewing court cannot reverse the trial court’s judgment if the alleged error could have been cured by a less drastic alternative.”

Crayton v. State, 463 S.W.3d 531, 537 (Tex. App.—Hous-ton [14th Dist.] 2015).

2 Disabled juror “A juror is disabled if she has a ‘physical illness, mental

condition, or emotional state’ which hinders her ability to perform her duties as a juror. The determination as to whether a juror is disabled is within the discretion of the trial court, and absent an abuse of that discretion, no reversible error will be found.”

Lamon v. State, 463 S.W.3d 655, 658 (Tex. App.—Texar-kana 2015).

3. Insanity “The test for determining insanity is whether, at the time

of the conduct charged, the defendant—as a result of a severe mental disease or defect—did not know that his conduct was wrong. . . . Thus, the question for deciding insanity becomes as follows: Does the defendant fac-tually know that society considers this conduct against the law, even though the defendant, due to his mental disease or defect, may think that the conduct is morally justifi ed?”

Pham v. State, 463 S.W.3d 660, 671 (Tex. App.—Ama-rillo 2015).

4. Consent after an illegal search “To establish the voluntariness of consent after an il-

legal search, the State must prove by clear and convinc-ing evidence that the taint inherent in the illegality had dissipated by the time consent was given. in making the determination, we consider the following factors: (1) the temporal proximity between the unlawful search and the given consent; (2) whether the warrantless search brought about police observation of the particular object for which consent was sought; (3) whether the search resulted from fl agrant police misconduct; (4) whether the consent was volunteered or requested; (5) whether appellant was made fully aware of the right to refuse consent; and (6) whether the police purpose underlying the illegality was to obtain the consent.”

State v. Pena, 464 S.W.3d 389, 399 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi 2015.

5. Reasonable suspicion “We examine the reasonableness of a temporary inves-

tigative detention in light of the totality of the circum-stances to determine whether an offi cer had an objec-


tively justifi able basis for the detention. Reasonable suspicion may exist even if the conduct of the person detained is ‘as consistent with innocent activity as with criminal activity.’”Rocha v. State, 464 S.W.3d 410, 417 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2015).

Civil Items Of Interest1. Property owner not liable for its own contempo-

raneous negligence to independent contractors “Chapter 95 [Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code] applies to a

claim against a property owner for an independent con-tractor’s personal injury, death, or property damage caused by negligence. The legislature did not distinguish between negligence claims based on contemporaneous activity or otherwise, and neither shall we.”Abutahoun v. Dow Chem. Co., 463 S.W. 3d 42, 48 (Tex. 2015).

2. Billboard can be a fi xture, even if agency has a right to remove

“When an improvement to land, whether a building or a sign, cannot be removed except in useless pieces, it is almost certainly a fi xture under logan’s fi rst factor, even if the tenant has a legal right to the pieces. . . . Moreover, logan establishes that an improvement can be a fi xture even if removal is physically possible. in that case, we concluded that a railroad tank car imbedded in a creek as a culvert under a roadway was a fi xture, even though it could be, and actually had been, removed.”

Texas v. Clear Channel Outdoor Inc., 463 S.W.3d 488, 493–94 (Tex. 2015) (citing Logan v. Mullis, 686 S.W.2d 605, 607–08 (Tex.1985)).

3. Decedent’s spouse can’t be forced to take other half of community property homestead as her distribution of estate

“[n]either Chase nor any court may partition the home-stead between (i) [Decedent’s spouse] and (ii) [Dece-dent’s] estate or the heirs whether under Section 380 of the Texas Probate Code or otherwise, without [the spouse’s] consent, as long as it is her homestead.”

Wassum v. Hooper, 463 S.W.3d 513, 530 (Tex. App—el Paso 2015).

4. Attorney immunity “Merely labeling an attorney’s conduct ‘fraudulent’ does

not and should not remove it from the scope of client rep-resentation or render it “foreign to the duties of an attor-ney. . . . ‘[A]n attorney’s conduct may be wrongful but still fall within the scope of client representation.’”

Cantey Hanger v. Byrd, 467 S.W.3d 477, 483, 485 (Tex. 2014).

5. No “discovery rule” with unambiguous deed “A grantor who signs an unambiguous deed is presumed

as a matter of law to have immediate knowledge of ma-terial omissions. . . . A plainly evident omission on an unambiguous deed’s face is not a type of injury for which the discovery rule is available.”

Cosgrove v. Cade, 468 S.W.3d 32, 34-35, 36 (Tex. 2015). “The Court concedes that ‘[a] claim for breach of contract

accrues when the contract is breached.’ it then proceeds to completely ignore that truth and never once addresses the question of when Ms. Cosgrove breached the closing agreement. instead, in the very next sentence, the Court concludes that ‘[t]he Cades’s breach of contract claim ac-crued when the deed was executed,’ without making any effort to explain how the execution of the deed could con-stitute or cause a breach of the closing agreement.” Cosgrove v. Cade, 468 S.W.3d 32, 44 (Tex. 2015) (Boyd, J., dissenting).

Quote Of The Month “There is no expedient to which a man will not go to avoid the labor of thinking.”—Thomas edison.

Legal Quote Of The Month “let us reform our schools, and we shall fi nd little reform needed in our prisons.”—John Ruskin

Old NewsDr. Robert liston, operating in the pre-anesthetic, pre-antisep-tic era, was famous for his ability to operate swiftly, which was then necessary to preserve the life of the patient. How-ever, doing so in one case had unfortunate, unforeseen con-sequences.

liston was able to amputate the leg of the patient and com-plete the closure in two and a half minutes. However, in op-erating at this speed, he accidently amputated 3 fi ngers of his assistant. He also slashed though the coattails of a surgical spectator, who, seeing the blood, and thinking he had been slashed in his vitals, died of a heart attack. The assistant later died of a blood infection, and the patient succumbed to gan-grene. Thus liston has the dubious honor of being the only doctor to have a 300% mortality rate from a single procedure.

The legend of the surgery with the 300% mortality rate, (Octo-ber 28, 2015), http://io9.com/the-legend-of-the-surgery-with-the-300-mortality-rate-1684894531. ■

Medi8withHughes.comJohn W. Hughes

8 1 7 . 2 9 1 . 4 1 4 7

One of the nation’smost experienced and respected mediators.

Please visit our website for acomplete list of upcoming events.

www.tarrantbar.orgalendar of EventsC


Stay CONNECTED to Us

The Transition to Practice mentoring group has completed its sixth year

of mentoring young lawyers. The group will start up again for 2016 on Wednesday, Janu-ary 20. if you are a member of the TCBA, a young lawyer practicing three years or less, and you are interested in par-ticipating, please email [email protected] with your con-tact information and what area of law you are interested in. Assignments to mentors will be made this month. Also, if you are an attorney who has been practicing ten years or more and interested in helping mentor young law-yers, please volunteer to be a me ntor in 2016. The program doesn’t work without you! ■

Get Ready for Transition to Practice 2016

Thank you againto our 2015 mentors!

Gerald Bates

Edwin Bell

Kevin Clark

John Corbin

Zoe Courtney

Jennifer Covington

Todd Duncan

Steven Eargle

Walter Fortney III

Paul Gianni

The program would not be possible without THEM!!

Mark Barnett French

Stephanie Gonzalez

Wendy Hackler

Earl Hargrave

Frank Jacobini II

Frank Jelinek III

Terry Leach

Thomas Mastin IV

Kenneth McAlister

Michael McBride

Gary Medlin

Stephen Mosher

St. Clair Newbern III

Wayne Olson

Richard Price

David Pritchard

Gerald Pruitt

Kevin J. Schmid

Brad Shaw

Diane Wanger

Tarrant County Bar Association - Fort WorthTarrant County Volunteer Attorney ServicesTexas Lawyers for Texas Veterans - Tarrant County Chapter


The Association of Legal Administrators ( ALA ) was founded in 1971 to provide support to profes-sionals involved in the management of law firms, corporate legal departments and government le-gal agencies. It provides members with advice, resources, expert guidance and connections for all aspects of legal management. Membership in ALA offers opportunities for:

Knowledge sharing and networking ( locally, regionally, nationally and internationally ) Professional recognition Chapter and leadership support ( substantive educational tools, idea exchanges and work-

shops to educate chapter members ) For membership information, please contact Lisa Boyd at [email protected] or Lisa Grigar at [email protected]. Thank you!

The members of ALA Fort Worth Chapter wish to thank our 2015 Business Partners for their sup-port this year. These companies provide much needed services that keep our firms operating smoothly on a daily basis and their sponsorships support the education opportunities that help each of us become better legal managers.


Whether you’re looking to upgrade, build or consolidate, your perfect house should have the perfect loan, including great service from someone who will be available to serve you long after the papers are signed and the last moving

box has been unpacked.

With more than 15 years of experience, I will make sure your mortgage loan experience is prompt, efficient and hassle-free.

Condo • Construction • Conventional • Cash-out Refinance Home Equity • Jumbo • Owelty Liens

Dina RoblesOffice: (817) 367-4623Cell: (817) 808-7632

NMLS #[email protected]/dinarobles

Lending More Than a Helping Hand

Certain restrictions may apply. Loans subject to credit approval.

Office: (817) 367-4623Cell: (817) 808-7632

NMLS #[email protected]/dinarobles

More Than a Helping Hand

ABA Retirement Funds program provides full-service 401(k) plans to benefi t the legal community. To learn more, contact local rep. Jacob Millican at 817.451.5020 or visit www.abaretirement.com.

AMO Offi ce Supply offers TCBA members the lowest price guaranteed on offi ce supplies, with next-day deliv-ery and free shipping! Call 800.420.6421.

Falcon Litigation Solutions offers discounts on copying, litigation displays, trial boards, etc. Call 817.870.0330.

Fort Worth JSB Co., Inc., offers a 10% discount to TCBA members on printed materials—business cards, letterhead, envelopes, business forms, brochures, fl yers, and more. For a quote, call 817.577.0572.

Fort Worth Zoo, discount tickets - $9.50 adult, $6.50 for child or senior. For tickets, contact [email protected] or 817.338.4092. if mailing or charging tickets, add 50 cents.

Sprint offers 15% off the monthly service. For info, contact [email protected] or 817.338.4092.

UPS - TCBA has signed an agreement with uPS for TCBA members to receive discounts on shipping. The discounts vary according to the type of shipment, but check out uPS for your needs. www.ups.com or 1.800.PiCK.uPS.

For IT help:

Juris Fabrilis-Cool Tools for lawyers offers members discounted rates on web-based tools to help you manage your law practice. 817.481.1573 ext. 101.

For Shredding and Document Disposal:

Magic Shred is a secure shredding business that shreds your documents on-site. Magic Shred offers a 10% discount to TCBA members.

Expanco is n.A.i.D. AAA-Certifi ed document-destruc-tion service offering 40% off to TCBA members. Call TCBA offi ce for details on both.

TCBA Member Benefi ts Vendor ListTCBA members may take advantage of discounts

provided by the following vendors:


On Injured Reserve?SM

Trustworthy Counsel to get you back in the game.SM

817.926.1003 / Fax [email protected]

201 Main Street / Suite 600 / Fort Worth, Texas 76102


Trusted Experienced Dependable

Honorable Respected

Honest Reliable

Fair Reasonable

Impartial Objective

Proven Bald

3333333333333

Medi8withHughes.com

With more than 6000 Mediations, John Hughes is one of the nation’s most experienced and respected mediators. So whether it’s complicated oil and gas, business, construction or probate conflicts, when your client needs a knowledgeable mediator — there’s just no substitute for experience.

More Experience… Less Hair.

MEDIATE BEFORE YOU LITIGATE©

For more information visit Medi8withHughes.com

or call me at 817.291.4147

John W. Hughes

Other Associations’

Arlington Bar AssociationMeets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. President, larry Gaydos. For location & information, email [email protected] or call 214.651.5622.Black Women Lawyers AssociationFor meetings and information, contact Sue Allen, President, at 817.926.5005 or [email protected] J. Kelly Law Library Welcomes Bar Members! For the latest Texas A&M university School of law library hours and information, please visit http://law.tamu.edu, or call 817.212.3800.Fort Worth Chapter Association of Legal AdministratorsMeets on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at the City Club, 301 Commerce Street, Fort Worth, 76102. For more information, contact lisa Boyd, 817.339.2478 or [email protected] Worth Paralegal Association - General Membership Meetings are held at noon every 4th Thursday of the month at Joe T. Garcia’s, 2201 n. Commerce. FWPA Board of Directors meets at noon every 1st Tuesday of the month at the Bar Center. For more information, go to www.fwpa.org.L. Clifford Davis Legal Association (f/k/a TarrantCounty Black Bar Association) holds its meetings on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. For more information, contact President Crystal Gayden at 817.496.8408 or by email at [email protected] (Mexican American Bar Association)Meets on the last Thursday of each month at Rivas Mexican Restaurant, 5442 River Oaks Blvd., River Oaks 76114. For more information, contact President eloy Sepulveda at 817.332.1285.Northeast Tarrant County Bar Association (neTCBA) Meets for Cle luncheons on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at la Hacienda Restaurant, Hwy. 121. Contact President leslie Barrows at 817.481.1583, lbarrows@barrowsfi rm.com.Tarrant County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (TCCDlA) Meets every 2nd Thursday at Joe T. Garcia’s, 2201 n. Commerce. For more information, contact President Randy Bowers at 817.348.8094 or [email protected] County Family Law Bar AssociationMeets at noon on the 4th Tuesday of each month at Family law Center Assembly Room on the 2nd fl oor. For more information, contact President David Kulesz at 817.226.1100 or [email protected] County Probate Bar AssociationMeets on the 1st Thursday of each month at the Petroleum Club—members free, guests $30. For more information, contact Tena Fox, 817.280.0811 or [email protected] County Trial Lawyers AssociationMeets on the 4th Wednesday of each month at Joe T. Garcia’s. For more information, contact John S. Jose at 817.288.8988.Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association 2015-2016 new Bar Year began September 1, 2015. if you need an application or meeting information, call 817.338.4092, email [email protected], or go to the website at tcyla.org.Texas Association of Defense CounselMeets for lunch every 4th Wednesday at Angelo’s. Contact George Haratsis, McDonald Sanders, 817.336.8651 for more information.

News & Information

Advertisers’ IndexALA FORT WORTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21EDWARD JONES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14JURIS FABRILIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14JOHN W. HUGHES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9, 19, 24KOONSFULLER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . INSIDE FRONT COVERTHE LAW OFFICE OF GREG JACKSON P.L.L.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23LAW OFFICES OF JASON SMITH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14LAW OFFICES OF STEVEN C. LAIRD, P.C. . . . . . . . . . INSIDE BACK COVERLAWPAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20LEXISNEXIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16PARKER LAW FIRM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8SOUTHSIDE BANK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22STEPHENS ANDERSON & CUMMINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BACK COVERTEXAS LAWYERS’ INSURANCE EXCHANGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17TINDALL SQUARE OFFICE COMPLEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

U. S. POSTAGE PAIDFORT WORTH, TX

PERMIT 1807

BAR BULLETIN • December 2015Tarrant County Bar Association1315 Calhoun StreetFort Worth, Texas 76102-6504

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

if any of your contact information is incorrect, please submit your corrected information to the TCBA office at 817.338.4092, fax to817.335.9238 or e-mail to [email protected]

Classifi edAdvertising

NOTICEClassifi ed ads will no longer

appear in the Bulletin,

but can be found on the website

www.tarrantbar.org

Stay CONNECTED to Us

Twitter@TarrantBar • @TLTVinTarrant @TVASFW

Facebook:Tarrant County Bar Association - Fort WorthTarrant County Volunteer Attorney Services

Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans - Tarrant County Chapter

Tarrant County Bar Association December Bar Bulltin

Documents

Transcript of Tarrant County Bar Association December Bar Bulltin