Dallas Bar Association
HEADNOTES
Focus Family Law
September 2016 Volume 41 Number 9
Alicia Hernandez Named Executive Director Ms. Hernandez has served the Bar for After a rigorous and comprehensive over 15 years. She has consistently shown national search, the DBA has named her service and leadership in the Bar and Alicia Hernandez as the sixth Executive understands the work and needs of lawDirector. She will succeed Cathy Maher, yers. She has a strong track record in the who after 38 years of service, will retire DBA and has been involved with almost every aspect of its programming. She has December 31, 2016. The Search Committee was chaired served as the Director of DVAP, which has by Kim Askew who said, “the Commit- grown to a $1 million program under her tee was diverse in every way, representing leadership. She also serves as the Director of the Lawyer Referral a broad spectrum of the DalService. Ms. Hernandez plans las legal community.” Other and coordinates many Commembers of the Commitmittee activities of the DBA tee included long-time DBA where she is known to many leaders, Jerry Alexander, lawyers, including the MinorRob Crain, Rhonda Hunter, ity Participation Committee, Michael K. Hurst, Laura Juvenile Justice CommitBenitez Geisler, Mark Sales, tee, Courthouse CommitVictor Corpuz, and Brad tee, Legal Ethics Committee, Weber. Several members of Morris Harrell Professionalthe Committee are active in ism Committee, Education the ABA and Metro Bar CauSymposium, and the Crimicus and have contacts with Alicia Hernandez nal Justice Committee. lawyers and bar leaders across Ms. Hernandez said, “I am honored to the state and country. In announcing the selection, Ms. have been selected to serve as the sixth Askew said, “the DBA is thrilled to be Executive Director of the DBA. The DBA entering into the next chapter in its long is nationally recognized as a premiere bar and rich history. We know that we will association in the country and I look formaintain the exceptional leadership and ward to working with the Association’s commitment that the DBA has shown leadership and its dedicated staff to conthroughout its many years of service. tinue the legacy of this Association.” Mr. Crain, who will serve as presiThrough this selection, the DBA looks forward to continuing to build its relation- dent of the Association in 2017 said, “I ships with the lawyers of Dallas and our have known Alicia for many years and I community.” continued on page 6 Staff Report
Dallas Bar Assoc
iation
Dear Fellow Dallas Are a Attorney: Thank you to all of our current Dallas Bar Ass ociation (DBA) members support! ; I appreciate your ong oing If you are not a curren t DBA member, I hope you enjoy this complim Headnotes publication entary issue of our mo and take advantage of nthly our special new memb er offer below! The following special is available to those of you who are not cur member. Newly joining rently or recently a DB members that join the A DBA online during the will receive up to 16 mo month of September nths of membership for the price of 12 month s. Join TODAY! Go to dal lasbar.org, click on the Membership tab and sele ct Join the DBA! You can see an extens ive list of our member ben efits on page 16, but a few important ones are : FREE CLE HOUR S – The Dallas Bar Ass ociation is the 2nd larg courses in the state of est provider of CLE Texas (See Page 2 for CLE courses). MAKING A DIFFER ENCE – Join one of our many Committees to wor who are committed to k with other lawyers providing legal servic es to the poor, volunt community, and mento eering within the ring other lawyers. DIVERSITY – Meet, mentor, and collaborate with lawyers of all age to strengthen the fabric s and backgrounds of our diverse legal com munity. COLLEGIALITY – Network with other law yer s specialized Section me who practice in you r field at our etings and attend CLE practice. courses that relate dire ctly to your As a DBA Member, you will be able to take adv learn, network and ma antage of these valuab ke a difference. To find le opportunities to out more about the ben member, please visit efits of being a DBA dallasbar.org, or con tact our Membership kwatson@dallasbar.org Director, Kim Watson, or (214) 220-7414. I hope you join today and look forward to seeing you soon at Belo Mansio n, DBA headquarters! And again thank you to all our current DBA me mbers for your continu ed support! Sincerely,
Jerry Alexander President Dallas Bar Association 2101 Ross Ave. ▪ Da
llas ▪ TX ▪ 75201 ▪
(214) 220-7414
Continuing the Tradition: Crain Lewis Brogdon Kicks Off 2017 EAJ Campaign By Alicia Hernandez
What do you get when you mix a future bar President, a criminal defense lawyer with over 200 jury trials, and a 25 year personal injury trial attorney? The law firm of Crain Lewis Brogdon, complete with its impressive trial, personal injury, and criminal defense practices as well as its commitment to the Dallas community and improving the lives of citizens of our state. And, with this, you get Crain Lewis Brogdon, the kick off donor to the 2017 Equal Access to Justice Campaign. With their $30,000 gift to this year’s campaign, benefitting the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program, the firm has donated more than $130,000 to legal aid for the poor since 2004. The firm’s gift makes it possible for the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program (DVAP) to continue to provide and enhance legal aid to the poor in Dallas, keeping the doors to the court and our overall justice system open to many more people in our community. Crain Lewis Brogdon’s commitment to access to justice is impressive and falls in line with Dallas’s longstanding and ever-growing commitment to narrowing the justice gap. Since 1982, DVAP has provided, recruited, trained, etc. pro bono lawyers to provide free legal aid to the poor in Dallas. Last year, a 15 member staff supported over 3,000 volunteers
Rob Crain, Chris Lewis, Quentin Brogdon
in their efforts to volunteer at legal clinics and advise and represent clients. Volunteers represented nearly 2,600 clients and donated over 23,600 hours in pro bono service in family (including child support, enforcement of visitation, grandparent rights, and child custody issues), consumer, housing, landlord tenant, expunctions, elder law, veterans issues, and more. In addition, the commitment of Dallas attorneys and the Dallas Bar Association (DBA) to the Equal Access to Justice
Inside 10 DBA Day of Civility & Professionalism 5 Cohabitation Agreements Can Protect Both Sides 1 9 Surrogacy Contracts and the Texas Family Code 1 5 Who’s Your…Parent? 2
Campaign is impressive. Since 1997, the DBA and Legal Aid have joined forces to raise money for the program; with Dallas lawyers donating almost $11 million. “We have always said, please give money or your time, or give both,” said Rob Crain, named partner in the law firm of Crain Lewis Brogdon, President-Elect of the DBA, and a recognized plaintiff’s attorney. “Lawyers in Dallas are doing that, and our participation is increasing annually. Dallas lawyers are leaders nationally, statewide, and locally in what we are doing with pro bono in Dallas. We have a lot to be proud of and a lot more work to do to narrow the justice gap.” The justice gap is incredible. In a country based on justice for all and access to our court system, over 25 percent of Dallas County residents live near the poverty level, and 42 percent have little chance of being able to afford an attorney. With annual poverty incomes of $30,375 for a family of four, justice is a luxury for low and moderate income families. Crain’s law partner of nearly a decade, Chris Lewis, understands the importance of access to justice through his daily work as a criminal justice attorney. “The Sixth Amendment provides for assistance of counsel in criminal defense cases, but there is no similar protection for civil matters,” said Mr. Lewis. “Without programs like DVAP, people are left to their
continued on page 10
2016 DBA COMMITTEE PREFERENCES Please take a minute to submit your committee preferences online. Submit your preferences by Friday, October 9. Please note, if you are on a 2015 Committee you must still sign up again if you wish to continue to serve on a Committee in 2016. You will not be automatically assigned to Committees. Sign up online here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Committees2016.