PRESIDENT'S PAGE

LU PHAM 2023-2024 TCBA President

Thank you for the privilege of serving as the 119th President of the Tarrant County Bar Association. I am grateful for the leadership of our immediate pastPresident, Karen Denney, and am honored to have worked side-by-side with Karen. I look forward to Karen’s guidance and mentoring as I navigate through my year of service to the TCBA and our members.

With 33 years of experience practicing law, the majority of which has been in Tarrant County, I consider myself fortunate to be part of a legal community that values collegiality and mutual support. The TCBA has provided me with countless opportunities to connect with fellow lawyers and judges, all of whom have been welcoming and instrumental in shaping my career in Fort Worth. Throughout my membership with TCBA, I have forged valuable friendships and received invaluable guidance from mentors, for whom I am immensely grateful.

My personal journey to becoming a lawyer has been one of overcoming challenges and seizing opportunities. As an immigrant and non-English speaker, the dream of attending college seemed distant, let alone pursuing a legal career. Growing up on the west side of Fort Worth, the legal profession appeared inaccessible to an “outsider” like me. However, everything changed when I had the chance to intern at the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office under the guidance of Ann Diamond, a devoted supporter of the TCBA. Ann became my first mentor, allowing me to shadow her at hearings and depositions. Through her and other attorneys at the DA’s office, I gained insight into the legal profession and experienced the collegiality that exists among lawyers. This experience sparked my passion for law, leading me to attend law school and ultimately return to Fort Worth to be part of a welcoming, collegial and professional Bar Association.

As President of the TCBA, my goal for this year is to encourage greater member involvement, create more networking opportunities, and establish mentorship programs for new lawyers. The TCBA is a gateway to numerous possibilities, and I want all our members to benefit from the same opportunities that have shaped my career. One program that I would like to highlight is Mentor Mondays, spearheaded by Steve Laird, who has generously dedicated his time, expertise and resources to this program. Mentor Mondays offers a platform for young lawyers to connect with experienced lawyers for professional guidance. We are grateful to Steve for his dedication to TCBA and his willingness to take on the important task of introducing new colleagues into our profession. I invite all members to consider joining our committees and participate in the various TCBA events throughout the year. The TCBA thrives on representation from diverse areas of practice, and your involvement will help create a stronger legal community.

In the coming year, we have planned an array of events for our members to network, reconnect, and forge new relationships. Furthermore, we look forward to facilitate interactions between lawyers and our esteemed judges in Tarrant County through our Bench Bar conference, CLE programs, and networking events. The TCBA remains committed to supporting our members in their practice and fostering a vibrant legal community. This commitment has been the foundation of my longstanding association with the TCBA, and I am dedicated to ensuring our members maximize their TCBA membership benefits.

I am privileged to work alongside a great Board of Directors and a fantastic staff, all of whom are committed to our mission. I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and the progress we can achieve together. I encourage you to reach out to any member of our Board with any ideas or suggestions you may have to improve the TCBA. We value your input and believe that collaboration is key to our success.

I am honored to be a part of the TCBA as we continue to build a strong legal community in Tarrant County. Let us seize this opportunity to connect, learn, and grow together. Remember, the TCBA is here to support you and ensure that the doors of opportunity remain open for all our members. Together, we can build a stronger legal community! g

Tarrant County Bar Association

1315 Calhoun Street

Fort Worth, TX 76102 817.338.4092 ▪ www.tarrantbar.org

2023-2024 Officers

President Lu Pham

President-Elect........................................Scott Lindsey

Vice President Marvina Robinson

Secretary-Treasurer John Brookman

Directors (Term Ends 2024)

Director......................................................Bryan Bruner

Director Lyndsay Newell

Director..................................................Angel Williams

Directors (Term Ends 2025)

Director Robert Blankenship

Director......................................................Joe Cleveland

Director Bill Ray

2023-2024 Appointed Directors

Appointed Director.........................Antoinette Bone

Appointed Director J. B. Strong

Tarrant

Fall 2022 President.........................Aulstin Gardiner

Fall 2023 President........................Elizabeth Haslam

State Bar of Texas Ex Officio Members

Director (Term Ends 2024).........Kimberly Naylor

Director (Term Ends 2025) Jeff Cochran

Bar Bulletin

Graphics/Production Elizabeth Banda

The Tarrant County Bar Bulletin is a bi-monthly publication of the Tarrant County Bar Association. Articles, photos, suggestions or comments should be directed to elizabeth@tarrantbar.org.

Articles published in the Bar Bulletin do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Tarrant County Bar Association, its officers or the Board of Directors. Advertisements and feature articles should not be considered an endorsement of any service, product, program, seminar or event.