2010 - 2011 Litigation Section Committee Assignments

Executive Committee

COMMITTEE PURPOSE: To oversee the committees, finances and work of the Litigation Section, to make executive decisions regarding action items and to interface with the State Bar and its Board, relative to issues that affect the litigation section and its policies.

Walker Friedman (Chair)
Linda McDonald (Chair Elect)
Michael Smith (Vice Chair)
Christy Amuny (Treasurer)
Pat Long Weaver (Secretary)
Fred Bowers (Immediate Past Chair)

Finance Committee

COMMITTEE PURPOSE: To formulate and monitor the inflows and outflows of Litigation Section funds. The committee shall also be responsible for submission of required budgets to the State Bar of Texas in accordance with Bar policy.

Christy Amuny (Chair)
Fred Bowers
Walker Friedman
Linda McDonald
Michael Smith
Pat Long Weaver

Grants Committee

COMMITTEE PURPOSE: To evaluate and potentially award grants and funding for educational and non-profit entities to improve the administration of justice and advance public education and understanding of the judicial system. The grants committee seeks to support and promote programs which advance these causes through legal research, publications, institutes, services and forums.

Rose Reyna (Chair)
Christy Amuny
Carlos Cardenas
Viola Garza
Paula Hinton
Karen Johnson
Nina Perales

Pro Bono Committee

COMMITTEE PURPOSE: To promote equal access to justice by using the volunteer skills and financial resources of the Litigation Section to support pro bono services. The committee serves the Litigation Section and its members who cumulatively devote substantial volunteer time and money in assisting underprivileged Texans.

Paula Hinton (Chair)
Christy Amuny
Leon Carter
Linda McDonald
Rose Reyna

Litigation Update and CLE

COMMITTEE PURPOSE: To recommend topics, directors, speakers, authors and new formats and/or courses for continuing legal educational conferences to the Professional Development division of the State Bar of Texas.

Carlos Cardenas (Co-Chair)
Paula Hinton (Co-Chair)
Fred Bowers
Craig Enoch
Judge David Evans
Linda McDonald
Michael Smith

Website Committee

COMMITTEE PURPOSE: To create, maintain and constantly improve a website to communicate with section members, educate about current legal events, trends and procedures, keep members informed of Texas legislative initiatives, and provide tools and information for that will enhance the quality of the legal services they provide.

Tom Kurth (Chair)
Fred Hinojosa
Ladd Hirsch
Susan Nelson
Nina Perales
Thomas Wisinski

Membership Committee

COMMITTEE PURPOSE: To evaluate the statistical make-up of the Litigation Section and recommend programs or procedures which will directly benefit section members and to recognize other groups who would benefit from membership and educate them about the advantages of being involved in the Litigation Section. 

Karen Johnson (Chair)
Wes Christian
Craig Enoch
Jennifer Doan
Trey Martinez
Enid Wade

The Advocate

COMMITTEE PURPOSE: To select subject matter and qualified authors for The Advocate quarterly law journal and compile, edit and publish three symposium editions of the journal and an electronic version of the best articles from the State Bar Litigation Update course.

Lonny Hoffman (Editor)
Editorial Board

Legislative Committee

COMMITTEE PURPOSE: To track, review, analyze, and submit proposed Texas legislation and inform litigation section members of the pending bills and iniatives of the Texas Legislature.

Pat Long Weaver (Chair)
Carlos Cardenas
Judge Robin Darr
Craig Enoch
Tyron Lewis
Rose Reyna
Ken Wise

Law School Ethics and Mentoring Committee

COMMITTEE PURPOSE: To partner with the State Bar Law Student Division to organize and present mentoring discussions at hosting law schools throughout the state to allow law students to interact with practicing lawyers in an informal setting to discuss various aspects of litigation practice.

Law School Ethics Committee
Michael Smith (Chair)
Wes Christian
Viola Garza
Steve Hayes
Enid Wade
George P. Young

Law School Mentoring Committee
Nina Perales (Chair)
Carlos Cardenas
Leon Carter
Ty Griesenbeck
Paula Hinton
Elizabeth Mack

Annual Meeting Committee

COMMITTEE PURPOSE: To utilize the resources of the Litigation Section to recruit speakers and organize exceptional and outstanding CLE events at the State Bar Annual Meeting to increase attendance and participation in the event.

Linda McDonald (Co-Chair)
Craig Enoch (Co-Chair)
Fred Bowers
Alistair Dawson
Judge Xavier Rodriguez
Enid Wade

Nominations Committee

COMMITTEE PURPOSE: To interview, recruit and make recommendations for new litigation council members that strengthen the diversified goals of the litigation section, its committees, projects and work. 

Linda McDonald (Chair)
Wes Christian
Michael Smith

Luke Soules Award Committee

COMMITTEE PURPOSE: To accept nominations from across the State and choose an award recipient who embodies excellence in the practice of law, exemplary service to the Bar, demonstrates outstanding professionalism and has achieved a significant impact on his or her community.

Ken Wise (Chair)
Alistair Dawson
Tom Kurth
Susan Nelson
Judge Xavier Rodriguez
Pat Weaver

Council of Chairs

Craig Enoch

Texas Legends Project

Wes Christian (Chair)
Leon Carter
Fred Hinojosa
Susan Nelson
Harriet O’Neill
Ken Wise

News for the Bar Committee

COMMITTEE PURPOSE: To analyze and isolate important current legal events, trends and information, identify experts to author journalistic articles, and to publish and distribute a quarterly electronic newsletter for the benefit of section members.

Geoff Gannaway (Chair, Editor-in-Chief)
David Johnson
Karen Johnson
Elizabeth Mack
Editorial Board