After the devastating flood struck the Texas Hill Country over the 4th of July, Dykema associate Matt Maupin and his wife, Katie, returned to their hometown of Kerrville to aid in recovery efforts. Despite the physical and emotional toll, Maupin described the experience as the most fulfilling work of his life.
P.S. — New State Bar President Launches Campaign to Fund Legal Aid for Low-Income Texans
When speaking to fellow lawyers, Santos Vargas often asks them a question to illustrate a point. “How many of you could hire yourselves for a protracted legal dispute?” The point is that many people don’t have the financial means to hire a lawyer when faced with a legal problem, which is why the newly minted State Bar of Texas president is on a campaign to raise money for low-income Texans to access legal services. Vargas aims to raise $300,000, with July donations supporting victims of the recent Texas Hill Country flood.
Texas Lawyers Mobilize to Support Flood Victims
In the wake of devastating floods in the Texas Hill Country that claimed more than 100 lives, lawyers stand at the ready to help. The State Bar of Texas and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid are assessing legal needs that will arise in the days following the floods, and they encourage lawyers to sign up to volunteer or donate financial aid to these trusted resources. Also on Tuesday, the Texas Supreme Court issued an emergency order stating that flooding may impact court proceedings and that delays or modifications should be made “where reasonably necessary.”
P.S. — Pro Bono Work Honored at State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting
Advancing access to justice in rural Texas, advocating for domestic violence survivors and ensuring Spanish speakers aren’t left out are among the pro bono initiatives for which lawyers and a judge were honored during the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting in San Antonio.
Judge Declares Trump EO Against Susman Godfrey Unconstitutional and Retaliatory
A federal judge has declared that President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting Susman Godfrey is an illegal act of retaliation and violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The judge also permanently enjoined all federal officials from enforcing the order against the Texas-based law firm. U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan of Washington, D.C., in a 53-page opinion issued Friday, states that President Trump’s order issued in April “threatens the independence of the bar — a necessity for the rule of law.”
P.S. — Litigation Boutique Partner, Once a Teen Advocate for the Texas Dream Act, Now Fights to Save it in Court
He was once a Texas student with no more than a visa to be in the U.S. who coincidentally helped pass landmark tuition law. Now, Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann partner Andrés Correa is at the forefront of a legal battle to stop its repeal following a swift federal court ruling.
Dallas Associate Scores Split Decision in First SCOTUS Case
In a five-to-four decision, the U.S. Supreme Court handed Gibson Dunn senior associate Stephen Hammer a partial victory Thursday in a major immigration law dispute that divided the federal circuit courts of appeal and could impact thousands of asylum cases pending in the lower courts.
Trump Budget Proposal Would Eliminate Legal Services for Tens of Thousands of Veterans, Low-Income Texans
Legal aid activists in Texas are “deeply concerned” that President Donald Trump’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget calls for eliminating Legal Services Corporation, the federal nonprofit that provides funding to legal aid organizations across the state that help military veterans access rightful benefits, victims recover from natural disasters, survivors of domestic violence obtain protective orders and more. In Texas, the proposed elimination threatens more than $45 million in annual grants that help fund three major legal aid organizations: Lone Star Legal Aid, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid. Those grants account for approximately one-third of these organizations’ total funding.
P.S. — Attorneys Serving the Community Raises More Than $586K for POETIC, Voting Rights Act Commemorated
In this edition of P.S., Attorneys Serving the Community announced it raised more than $586K for POETIC, a nonprofit helping youth survivors of exploitation, with over $60,000 coming from its sold-out annual luncheon featuring Elizabeth Smart. Meanwhile, the Dallas Bar Association and J.L. Turner Legal Association are preparing to honor the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act with a special program featuring civil rights leaders and legal experts.
Leading Texas Lawyers Share Reflections for Commemorating Juneteenth
The Texas Lawbook asked top Black Texas lawyers how they commemorate Juneteenth and/or how they recommend their industry colleagues honor its significance. From visiting historic sites to engaging with insightful literature, here are some of their personal reflections and recommendations.