TYLA Officers
   

Rebekah Steely Brooker, President
   

Dustin M. Howell, Chair
   

Sam Houston, Vice President
   

Baili B. Rhodes, Secretary
   

John W. Shaw, Treasurer
   

C. Barrett Thomas, President-elect
   

Priscilla D. Camacho, Chair-elect
   

Kristy Blanchard, Immediate Past President

TYLA Directors
   

Amanda A. Abraham, District 1
   

Sharesa Y. Alexander, Minority At-Large Director
   

Raymond J. Baeza, District 14
    Aaron J. Burke, District 5, Place 1
   

Aaron T. Capps, District 5, Place 2
   

D. Lance Currie, District 5, Place 3
   

Laura W. Docker, District 10, Place 1
    Andrew Dornburg, District 21
    John W. Ellis, District 8, Place 2
    Zeke Fortenberry, District 4
   

Bill Gardner, District 5, Place 4
   

Morgan L. Gaskin, District 6, Place 5
    Nick Guinn, District 18, Place 1
   

Adam C. Harden, District 6, Place 6
   

Amber L. James, District 17
   

Curtis W. Lucas, District 9
    Rudolph K. Metayer, District 8, Palce 1
   

Laura Pratt, District 3
    Sally Pretorius, District 8, Place 2
   

Baili B. Rhodes, District 2
   

Alex B. Roberts, District 6, Place 3
    Eduardo Romero, District 19
    Michelle P. Scheffler, District 6, Place 2
   

John W. Shaw, District 10, Place 2
    Nicole Soussan, District 6, Place 4
    L. Brook Stuntebeck, District 11
   

C. Barrett Thomas, District 15
    Judge Amanda N. Torres, Minority At-Large Director
   

Shannon Steel White, District 12
    Brandy Wingate Voss, District 13
    Veronica S. Wolfe, District 18, Place 2
   

Baylor Wortham, District 7
    Alex Yarbrough, District 16

   

Justice Paul W. Green, Supreme Court Liaison
   

Jenny Smith, Access To Justice Liaison
   

Brandon Crisp, ABA YLD District 25 Representative
   

Travis Patterson, ABA/YLD District 26 Representative
   

Assistant Dean Jill Nikirk, Law School Liaison
   

Belashia Wallace, Law Student Liaison

 

 
TYLA Office

Tracy Brown, Director of Administration
Bree Trevino, Project Coordinator
Michelle Palacios, Office Manager
General Questions: tyla@texasbar.com

Mailing Address

P.O. Box 12487, Capitol Station
Austin, Texas 78711-2487
(800) 204-2222 ext. 1529
FAX: (512) 427-4117

Street Address

1414 Colorado, 4th Floor
Austin, Texas 78701
(512) 427-1529

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feature TYLA Affiliate

Feature TYLA Affiliate

Legal Seminar for Parents of Children with Special Needs
By:  Craig Tahaney

On April 24, 2014, the Jefferson County Young Lawyers Association hosted a legal workshop for parents of children with autism and other special needs.  The workshop was held at The Shorkey Center, 855 S. Eighth St., Beaumont, Texas from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.  This workshop was open to the public, and free babysitting services were provided to parents who did not have child care available.  The event was made possible by a grant from the Jefferson County Bar Association.

 

The workshop featured Galveston attorney Dorene Philpot and Beaumont attorney Harvey Warren. Ms. Philpot represents children with special needs and their parents in Texas as well as Indiana. Mr. Warren represents numerous parents with special needs children in estate planning matters.  Ms. Philpot presented an overview of the basic principles of special education law, including a discussion of the basic rights afforded to all children with special needs and how to properly advocate for those rights.  Mr. Warren presented an overview of the basic principles of guardianship and estate issues that are specific to parents with special needs children.  Both speakers spoke for about 45 minutes to an hour on their topic, and audience members were allowed to ask questions of the two attorneys.

 

 

The seminar had a significant impact on the community by benefiting the parents, family members, educators, and others who work with children with special needs. Over 90 individuals attended the seminar and many in the community are requesting another seminar in the future. The seminar provided parents, educators, and others with information to ensure that their children receive a “free and appropriate” education in the public schools.  Also, the workshop provided the opportunity for parents of children with special needs to seek advice on appropriate estate planning decisions.