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Krista Torralva

Krista Torralva covers pro bono, public service, and diversity matters in the Texas legal market.

Krista Torralva

Krista Torralva covers pro bono, public service, and diversity for the Texas Lawbook Foundation and The Texas Lawbook. Previously, she covered courts for The Dallas Morning News. Krista has spent the bulk of her decade-plus-long career covering criminal courts in Texas and Florida. Her reporting includes the high profile federal terrorism trial against the Pulse nightclub shooter’s widow in Orlando, which ended in a rare acquittal. Her civil courts coverage has included the long-winding Texas voter ID lawsuit, legal battles over local Covid-19 mandates and school board disputes. Krista's work has been recognized by the State Bar of Texas' Gavel Awards, the Texas Association Press Managing Editors, the National Headliner Awards program and various local chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists.

The daughter of a Naval officer, Krista grew up traveling every few years but calls Corpus Christi home and talks about the Texas Gulf Coast every chance she gets. She lives in Dallas’ North Oak Cliff with her husband, Fares Sabawi.

Krista graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Pro Bono Work Can be a Bulwark Against Burnout, Business Litigator Says in Return to Practice

There was a point in Jeffrey Price’s litigation career when he got a bad case of burnout. He left both his job and Dallas, ultimately turning to volunteer work with The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program, where he represented former military service members before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. After more than a year of volunteering, Price joined the National Veterans Legal Services Program as an appellate attorney. It was through pro bono work on behalf of veterans that Price found the sense of purpose he had sought. Now, Price is returning to business litigation, joining Stinson as of counsel with a renewed perspective on the profession and a continued commitment to veterans pro bono work. He also hopes to encourage fellow lawyers to seek out pro bono opportunities that genuinely resonate — something he believes might have helped prevent his own burnout had he done so earlier. 

Krista Torralva

P.S. — Austin Bar Foundation Honors Legal Leaders, Witherite Law Brings Holiday Cheer 

The Austin Bar Foundation has announced the recipients of its annual gala awards, which will be held Jan. 24 in Austin. Proceeds from the gala benefit the Austin Bar Foundation, a nonprofit that funds law-related community initiatives aimed at expanding access to legal services, promoting public legal education and supporting attorney well-being. 

Meanwhile, The Witherite Law Group and 1-800TruckWreck recently made a $30,000 donation to Minnie’s Food Pantry and supported its Dec. 20 Christmas Food and Toy Giveaway in Plano. 

The Texas Lawbook's Krista Torralva has that and more in this edition of P.S.

Krista Torralva

Troutman Pepper Locke Leads Pro Bono Nuisance Suit Against Fort Worth Motel

A pair of Fort Worth residents face “imminent and irreparable harm” if the nuisance caused by a long-beleaguered motel is not stopped, a pro bono legal team from Troutman Pepper Locke and the Dallas-based nonprofit Advocates for Community Transformation are arguing in Tarrant County. The lawsuit, brought by two residents of the West Meadowbrook neighborhood, follows other suits brought by the city of Fort Worth and the state of Texas.

Krista Torralva

P.S. — At 35, Texas Center for Legal Ethics Faces New Era of Lawyer Engagement — and its New Leader Says the Mission is as Urgent as Ever

In this edition of P.S., we bring you an exclusive interview with the Texas Center for Legal Ethics’ new executive director, Brad Johnson. Johnson spoke one-on-one with The Texas Lawbook in October, when he was about four months into the job. He said he entered the helm at a significant moment for the center, which recently marked its 35th anniversary.

Krista Torralva

Haynes Boone Duo Wins $973K Pro Bono Fraud Verdict in Trial Debut 

Haynes Boone associates Ashley Koos and Sean Lewis secured a $973,000 pro bono verdict for gospel singer and minister Wintley Phipps in their first-ever trial, convincing a Harris County jury that a longtime acquaintance and former business partner defrauded Phipps. Their performance, firm leaders say, reflects both the professional development the academy is designed to foster and the essential role pro bono cases play in giving young attorneys real courtroom experience while expanding access to justice.

Krista Torralva

P.S. — Baker Botts Launches Women’s Summit for Senior In-House Counsel 

In this edition of P.S., Baker Botts launched a new women’s summit, which convened leading women general counsel for cross-industry dialogue and professional development. The law firm, which boasts a strong pipeline of alumni who advance to senior in-house roles, plans to make the summit a recurring flagship event.

We also report on significant pro bono and public service recognitions, with the Texas Access to Justice Commission honoring South Texas College of Law Houston and standout students at the University of Texas and Texas A&M law schools and the Anti-Defamation League Texoma awarding its prestigious Larry Schoenbrun Jurisprudence Award to longtime First Amendment advocate Thomas Leatherbury.

Meanwhile, Haynes Boone attorneys statewide marked Pro Bono Week through a range of volunteer legal initiatives. This issue of P.S. closes out with a call for submissions for the 2025 DFW Outstanding Corporate Counsel Awards, which includes honors for excellence in pro bono, public service and diversity and inclusion among North Texas in-house lawyers.

Krista Torralva

Civil Rights Litigator Christina Jump Leaving Texas-Based Muslim Legal Fund of America to Launch Solo Practice 

Christina Jump, a longtime Dallas-based attorney who leads the civil litigation department of the Richardson-based Muslim Legal Fund of America’s Constitutional Law Center for Muslims in America, is leaving to launch a solo practice. A former president of the Dallas Women Lawyers Association, Jump says the move will give her the ability to “work each case more deeply and interact with each client more directly and often.”

Krista Torralva

P.S. — Pro Bono Work Helps “Level the Playing Field” for Veterans, Award Recipient Shares Ahead of Texas Veterans Legal Aid Week 

Also in this edition of P.S., the Good Apple Dinner celebrated Shell USA’s Travis Torrence, who delivered an inspirational speech to “stand tall.” The event raised a record $745,788 for the nonprofit public interest law center. And Jackson Walker launched its first firmwide “6-1-1 Day of Service,” uniting all six offices to prepare thousands of meals for Texas families — an effort that took on added meaning amid the federal government shutdown.   

Krista Torralva

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