| Committee Listing and Chairs | |
• HBA Committees
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Administration of Justice Committee
This committee reviews the operation of the courts in Harris County,
creates opportunities for communication between attorneys and the
judiciary, and works to facilitate the administration of justice through
organizing and implementing Bench/Bar Conferences annually.
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Co-Chair: Mr. David A. Chaumette
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Co-Chair: Ms. Macey Reasoner Stokes
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Adopt-a-School Committee
This committee maintains a partnership with Northwood Middle School to
improve the quality of education for students and faculty in this North
Forest ISD school. The committee implements programs, seeks donations
and recruits volunteers for projects at this "adopted" school.
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Co-Chair:
Mr. Philip A. Sellers
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AIDS Outreach Committee
This committee works to provide free legal services to persons with
HIV/AIDS.
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Co-Chair: Mr. Micheal A. Herman |
Co-Chair: Ms. Cisselon Nichols Hurd |
Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee
This committee assists and supports the operation and maintenance of the
Dispute Resolution Center, Inc., and related programs. The committee
makes recommendations to the HBA Board of Directors on the operation and
administration of these programs.
Chair: Mr. M. Carter Crow
Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.
1301 McKinney, Suite 5100
Houston, TX 77010
713-651-5218
Fax: 713-651-5246
mcrow@fulbright.com
Audit, Finance & Harvest Party Committee
This committee oversees the annual financial audit of the Houston Bar
Association, is responsible for assisting in the preparation of a
proposed yearly budget for the HBA, and overseas the annual fundraising
efforts of the Harvest Party, which benefits the programs of the Houston
Bar Foundation.
Chair: Ms. Denise Scofield
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
1000 Louisiana, Suite 4200
Houston, TX 77002
713-890-5000
dscofield@morganlewis.com
Campaign for the Homeless Committee
This committee coordinates an annual fall coat
drive and spring children’s clothing/diaper drive.
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Co-Chair: Mr. T. Mark Kelly
Co-Chair: Ms. Julie Baumgarten Pradel |
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Consumer Task Force
This committee plans and executes continuing legal education seminars,
institutes and special programs.
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Chair: Ms. Peggy O. Montgomery |
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Continuing Legal Education Committee
This committee plans and executes continuing legal education seminars,
institutes and special programs.
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Co-Chair: Mr. Joe W. Bailey |
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County Law Library Committee
This committee reviews the facilities of and the books in the Harris
County Law Library and makes recommendations to the HBA Board of
Directors on how the Bar can serve the library.
Chair: Mr. Mark C. Watler
Ross, Banks, May, Cron & Cavin, P.C.
2 Riverway, Suite 700
Houston, TX 77056
713-626-1200
mwatler@rossbanks.com
Elder Law Committee
Committee members volunteer to visit senior citizen sites bi-monthly to
provide legal advice to qualified senior citizens. Additionally, if
needed, the committee members assist in securing legal representation
for the senior by an HVLP volunteer attorney. The committee also
supervises the publication and distribution of the Elder Law Handbooks
and an coordinates annual Will-a-thon.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Angela Dixon |
Co-Chair: Mr. Michael Fuqua |
Fee Dispute Committee
This committee arbitrates disputes between attorneys and clients involving
legal fees.
Co-Chair: Mr. Gregory M. Hasley
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
1111 Louisiana, 44th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
713-220-5800
ghasley@akingump.com
Co-Chair: Mr. Michael K. Oldham
Gibbs & Bruns, L.L.P.
1100 Louisiana, Suite 5300
Houston, TX 77002
713-650-8805
moldham@gibbs-bruns.com
John J. Eikenburg Law Week
Fun Run Committee
This committee organizes an annual John J. Eikenburg Law Week fun run for
HBA members and the community that benefits the
Center
Serving Persons with Mental Retardation, Inc.
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Co-Chair: Mr. Wesley R. Ward |
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Gender Fairness Committee
This committee examines issues related to gender fairness in the legal
profession and develops programs that provide a forum for discussion of
issues related to gender fairness, including training and support for
attorneys. The committee promotes awareness of these issues within the
profession and encourages law firms and corporate legal departments to
set policies that promote gender fairness.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Eleanor H. Gilbane |
Co-Chair: Mr. Jamila Mensah
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Golf Tournament Committee
This committee plans and conducts an annual golf tournament for HBA
members. Proceeds from the event benefit the Houston Bar Foundation.
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Co-Chair:
Alistair B. Dawson Co-Chair: Mr. Ricky Raven |
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Habitat for Humanity Committee
This committee oversees the HBA’s participation in fundraising efforts and organizing
volunteer efforts for the building of the tenth Habitat for Humanity House.
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Co-Chair: Mr. Doug D'Arche Co-Chair: Mr. John Strasburger |
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Historical Committee
This committee is responsible for researching and preserving the history
of the association and its members.
Co-Chair: Mr. Jim Grace
Baker Botts L.L.P.
910 Louisiana St.
Houston, TX 77002
713-229-1234
jim.grace@bakerbotts.com
Co-Chair: Mr. Brent Benoit
Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP
600 Travis, Suite 3400
Houston, TX 77002
713-226-1200
bbenoit@lockelord.com
The Houston Lawyer Committee
The person appointed editor of The Houston Lawyer magazine chairs
this committee. The committee is responsible for the editing and
publishing of the magazine in cooperation with the HBA staff and sets
editorial policies and procedures as approved by the HBA Board of
Directors.
Chair: Mr. Ann D. Ziegler
Nelson S. Ebaugh, P.C.
1001 McKinney, Suite 550
Houston, TX 77002
713-752-0700
azeigler@ebaughlaw.com
Houston Lawyer Referral Service Committee
This committee serves as the Houston Bar Association Lawyer Referral
Service Board, and provides services to and support of the Lawyer
Referral Service as needed and approved by the HBA Board of Directors.
Chair: Mr. Todd Frankfort
Fullenweider Wilhite PC
4265 San Felipe, Suite 1400
Houston, TX 77027
713-624-4100
tmf@fullenweider.com
Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program Committee
This committee oversees the operation of the Houston Volunteer Lawyers
Program, which provides pro bono legal services to Houston citizens who
meet HVLP’s established financial guidelines.
Chair: Mr. John Spiller
Strasburger & Price LLP
1401 McKinney, Suite 2200
Houston, TX 77010
713-951-5600
john.spiller@strasburger.com
IDEA Committee
The committee coordinates the Interprofessional Drug Education Alliance
(IDEA), a cooperative effort between the HBA and the Harris County
Medical Society. Through IDEA, physician/lawyer teams volunteer to
educate fifth graders about the medical and legal consequences of drug
abuse.
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Co-Chair: Mr. John S. Black |
Co-Chair: Mr. Alex Defreitas |
Judicial Polls Committee
This committee develops and distributes, in election years, a judicial
candidate qualification and judicial preference poll, and in
non-election years, a judicial evaluation poll to HBA members. The
committee also is responsible for disseminating the results of these
polls to members and the public.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Ann M. Stephens |
Co-Chair: Mr. Benny Agosto, Jr. |
Juvenile Consequences Partnership
This program is a partnership of the Houston
Bar Association, the Harris County Probation Department, the Harris
County District Attorney’s Office and the Houston Police Department. The
program provides education about juvenile justice system to youth on
probation and their parents. The program is held once a month, from
6:00-8:00 p.m. in the Harris County Juvenile Center Training Room. Each
partner organization speaks for 30 minutes on their role in the juvenile
justice system. The goal of the program is keep youth out of the
system through an increase understanding of the juvenile justice system
and its consequences.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Laura Gibson |
Co-Chair: Mr. Bill Moore
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Law and the Media Committee
This committee plans and executes the yearly Law and the Media seminar, as
well as a media-training program, when requested, for the HBA Board of
Directors.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Jane Mumey Co-Chair: Ms. Keri Brown |
Co-Chair: Mr. Roy Reynolds |
Law Internship Approval Committee
This committee assists the President of the HBA in determining which
applications for law student internships should be approved under the
rules and regulations of the State Bar of Texas and the Texas Supreme
Court.
Chair: Alex Gomez
Andrews Kurth LLP
600 Travis. Suite 4200
Houston, TX 77002
713-220-4027
agomez@andrewskurth.com
Law Week Committee
This committee plans and implements a comprehensive program of activities
in commemoration of Law Day, May 1, a national holiday set aside to
recognize the importance of law in our society.
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Co-Chair: Mr. Warren W. Harris Co-Chair: Hon. Kem T. Frost
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Lawyers Against Waste
This committee works with the City of Houston and Keep Houston Beautiful
to organize an annual trash clean-up project which commemorates Law Day
and Earth Day.
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Co-Chair: Mr. Francis Chin Co-Chair: Ms. Sameera Mahendru |
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Lawyers for Literacy Committee
Committee members assist in recruiting volunteer attorneys to act as
tutors for READ Commission projects and B.C. Elmore Middle School. The
committee coordinates the HBA's participation in the READ Commission's
Spelling Bee, and conducts an annual book drive for “gently-used” books.
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Co-Chair: Hon. David O. Fraga Co-Chair: Ms. Misty Hataway-Cone |
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Lawyers in Public Schools (LIPS)
This committee works with the Spring Branch Independent School District to
provide lawyers who volunteer to substitute in Spring Branch ISD middle schools,
which enables teachers to attend in-service training.
Chair: Ms. Shani Dennis
City of Houston Legal Department
900 Bagby, 3rd Floor
Houston, Texas 77002
832-393-6300
shani.dennis@cityofhouston.net
LegalLine Committee
This committee oversees the operation of the HBA's monthly call-in program
that provides free legal help for Houston citizens. The committee is
responsible for recruiting panels of volunteer attorneys to answer
questions from callers between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on the first and third
Wednesdays of each month.
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Co-Chair: Mr. Mitch Reid Co-Chair: Ms. Sara Longtain |
Co-Chair: Ms. Keri Brown Co-Chair: Mr. David Silbert Co-Chair: Mr. James R. Stevens |
Membership, Member Benefits and Pictorial Roster Committee
This committee works to
increase the membership of the HBA and makes recommendations to the HBA
Board of Directors on the timing and nature of membership drives.
The committee conducts at least one membership drive each year and
actively solicits members for the organization. The committee also
monitors the current membership benefits package, makes additional
member benefit recommendations to the HBA Board of Directors and
oversees the publication of the annual Pictorial Roster of HBA members.
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Chair: Ms. Daniella Landers |
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Minority Opportunities in the Legal Profession Committee
This committee will encourage and promote equal opportunities for, as well
as active involvement and participation by, minority lawyers in the
legal profession and in the Houston Bar Association by, inter alia,
developing and sponsoring educational programs, as well as service and
support projects, to attain the objectives of the committee as stated
above.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Jennifer Hasley Co-Chair: Mr. Christopher Lopez |
Co-chair: Ms. Phyllis Young
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Professionalism Committee
This committee works to promote professionalism within the legal community
and to encourage public awareness of the HBA's commitment to its mandate
on professionalism. The committee also coordinates the HBA Mentor
Program and Professionalism Day which is held annually in conjunction
with the three local law schools.
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Co-Chair: Mr. James J. Cooper Co-Chair: Ms. Marni Otjen |
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Senior Lawyers Committee
This committee is responsible for maintaining a list of members of the
association who are 55 years of age or older. Quarterly meetings will be
held by this committee to provide networking, mentoring and CLE
activities.
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Co-Chair: Ms. Marge O'Conner |
Co-Chair: Ms. Pamela Barnett |
Speakers Bureau Committee
This committee is responsible for maintaining a list of members of the
association who are willing to speak before schools, service clubs and
other civic organizations. The HBA office serves as a contact point for
citizens and organizations to request such speakers. This committee also
is responsible for recruiting lawyers to "teach" at two sessions of the
People's Law School, an effort that the HBA co-sponsors annually with
the University of Houston, Channel 13 and The Houston Chronicle.
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Co-Chair: Mr. Kevin White Co-Chair: Ms. Angela Wood |
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Special Olympics Committee
This committee coordinates and recruits volunteers in support of Texas
Special Olympics sports activities.
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Co-Chair: Mr. Scott Arrington |
Co-Chair: Ms. Jakki Hansen |