Take Note

Rebekah Steely Brooker, TYLA President

Click here to view the TYLA President's Opinion.
 

 

 

Texas Bar Private Insurance Exchange Open Enrollment Period
The national open-enrollment period for health insurance coverage for 2015 is Nov. 15, 2014, through Feb. 15, 2015. During this period, insurance carriers offering coverage must guarantee acceptance into
Affordable Care Act (ACA)-compliant health insurance plans without limitations on pre-existing conditions. If you haven't already prepared for the 2015 open-enrollment period, visit the Texas Bar Private Insurance Exchange Web page now.
 

Legal Research
The State Bar of Texas is the first and only bar association to offer its members free access to both Fastcase and Casemaker, giving members unprecedented access to two nationwide legal research services. Firms of 11 lawyers or more have free access to Fastcase’s extensive Texas Plan, while solo practitioners and firms of 10 lawyers or fewer have access to Fastcase’s Premium plan. All State Bar of Texas members have access to Fastcase’s intuitive legal research tools, training webinars and tutorials, mobile apps, and live customer support. The free member benefit has no restrictions on time or number of transactions and includes unlimited printing, unlimited reference assistance, and unlimited customer service. Casemaker’s expanded offerings include access to premium services at no cost for all members. Casemaker has also added its new Subsequent History  and Statute Annotator features for Texas attorneys. The Subsequent History feature allows researchers to determine writ and petition history while the Statute Annotator feature displays how the courts have cited, applied, interpreted, and construed each statute. Click here for more information.

 

Texas Bar Today
Texas Bar Today is an online media network featuring curated news and commentary from Texas legal professionals. The site, TexasBarToday.com, is updated weekdays with selected blog and video posts and Texas legal headlines, which are also promoted on the Texas Bar Today Twitter account.

Texas lawyers who want to include their blog or video or submit a guest post on Texas Bar Today can send an email request to jherzik@texasbar.com. The State Bar of Texas has full editorial discretion regarding which blogs are linked, and all opinions and statements in blogs are those of their authors and not the State Bar. All attorney websites, including blogs, must comply with State Bar of Texas advertising guidelines.

 

Member Discounts
The State Bar Member Discount Program offers discounts for home, office, vacation, and other purchases. There are more than 200 discount providers, and members can save up to 25 percent or more. In addition to the member discounts program, professional liability insurance is offered at special rates by USI Affinity and Texas Lawyers’ Insurance Exchange.

 

Texas Bar Career Center
If you are looking for job opportunities, try the Texas Bar Career Center. The Texas Bar Career Center posts job openings across the state. Every other week, you will receive an electronic Job Flash email highlighting the latest postings. Click here now to search for jobs.

 

Stay Connected
TexasBar.com connects you to information and resources offered by the State Bar of Texas, TexasBarCLE, and other entities. One example is the online Resource Guides section, which includes information on trust accounts, ethics, services for new lawyers, and mentoring. You can also access your My Bar Page to update your contact information, keep track of your MCLE credits, join a section, report pro bono hours, make access-to-justice contributions, and request documents all in one place.

TexasBar.com also keeps you connected with information pertaining to the bar 24/7. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to receive timely announcements on lawyers in the news, reminders about your membership, links to special articles, and information about events. Follow the Texas Bar Blog for more information about special events, award recipients, Texas Bar Journal summaries, and attorney profiles. Finally, the bar launched a YouTube channel, Texas Bar TV, to bring you interviews with experts on the latest legal trends and hot topics.

 

Ethics Resources
The State Bar offers numerous ethics resources for Texas attorneys, judges, and legal professionals. The Ethics Helpline at (800) 532-3947 offers guidance on ethical questions from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The TexasBarCLE Online Library offers more than 19,000 CLE articles, and State Bar members have free access to more than 1,500 ethics-related articles. Additional online resources include links to the Texas Lawyer's Creed and applicable disciplinary rules and procedures, along with answers to frequently asked questions regarding solicitation and barratry.

 

The Texas Bar Journal Wants to Hear From You!
Have you received an honor or recognition? Have you recently accepted a new position or moved? Keep the Texas legal community informed by submitting your news at texasbar.com/tbjsubmissions. Your news could appear in an issue of the Texas Bar Journal.

 

TYLA Local Leader Directory
Please email the TYLA office if there are any changes to your local affiliate's contact information.

If your affiliate has an upcoming event that you would like featured in eNews, please forward the information to Bree Trevino or contact eNews Chair Sally Pretorius.

Ten Minute Mentor
Ten Minute Mentor debuted in 2004 to share concise and practical advice from leading lawyers in their area of expertise through an online collection of video presentations. Today, more than 2,000 segments are viewed each month and more than 50,000 people have visited the Web page proving its enduring appeal as one of TYLA’s most successful projects. For more information on Ten Minute Mentor, click here.


Support Pro Bono Legal Services and Let Everyone Know It!
TYLA needs your help to support and promote free legal services for indigent Texans by purchasing a specialty license plate. The license plate proudly states that you support "Justice for All" and costs only $35 per year, or $70 for a personalized plate.

Each plate purchased provides $25 to support legal services to the poor.  To buy your plate, simply fill out an application and send your check, payable to the Texas Department of Transportation, to:

Vehicle Titles and Registration Division (SPB)
Texas Department of Transportation
Austin, TX 78779-0001
To pay online click here.

 

TYLA Annual Report 2013-2014
Want to know how TYLA is serving its members and the community? Be sure to read the Annual Report, which details the activities of TYLA during the 2013-2014 bar year. Click here for a copy or call (800) 204-2222, ext. 1529 and we'll send one.

Views and opinions expressed in eNews are those of their authors and not necessarily those of the Texas Young Lawyers Association or the State Bar of Texas.