Meeting of the Minds!

The Bar and AYLA are gearing up for the 31st Annual Bench Bar Conference, Friday, January 21, at Austin Country Club. This magnificent event brings our local judges and lawyers together. Your generous and long-standing support makes this rewarding experience happen. We hope your firm will join the Austin Bar Association in sponsoring Bench Bar. Our three levels of support include: Underwriters - $1000, Sponsors - $750, or Contributors - $500. Our three hundred available conference spaces are filled on a “first-come basis,” however, preference is given to attorneys whose firms sponsor the event. Learn more and register here.

SCHEDULE

8:30 – 9:00 a.m. Registration and Vendor Fair

9:00 – 9:15 a.m. Welcome and Introduction, Austin Bar President David Courreges and AYLA President Rachael Jones

9:15 – 9:30 a.m. Courthouse Update  Speaker: Judge Andy Hathcock

9:30 – 10:45 a.m. Justice in the Time of COVID Moderator: Judge Kim Williams; Speakers: Judge Robert Pitman, Judge Jan Soifer, Justice Gisela Triana, Judge Elisabeth Earle, Justice Brett Busby, Velva Price, Travis County District Clerk, Warren Vavra, District Court Administrator

10:45 – 11:00 a.m. Icebreaker 1

11:00 – 12:00 Virtual Practice Tips/Do’s and Don’ts Moderator: Drew Harris, Attorney General’s Office; Speakers: Judge Susan Hightower, Judge Catherine Mauzy, Judge Karen Sage, Jeff Rose, Rose Resolution Group, Sherrie Wirth, President, The Exhibit Company

12:00 – 12:20 p.m. Vendor Fair

12:20 – 1:30 p.m. Lunch Presentation: COVID and Jury Trials (Live and Virtual) Moderator: Greg Sapire, Soltero Saprire Murrell; Speakers: Judge Amy Clark Meachum, Judge Karin Crump, Judge Kim Williams, Tracy McCormack, UT and Rudy Metayer, Chamberlain McHaney

1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Reintegrating the Workplace Moderator: Mike Johnson, Thompson Coe; Speakers: Justice Darlene Byrne, Judge Jessica Mangrum, Sherine Thomas, County Attorney’s Office, and Scott Brutocao, Cornell Smith Mierl Brutocao Burton

2:30 – 2:45 p.m. Icebreaker 2  

2:45 – 3:30 p.m.  Legal Updates Moderator: Amy Meredith, Attorney General’s Office; Speakers: Judge Maya Guerra Gamble, Judge Brandy Mueller, Leslie Dippel, County Attorney’s Office, and Dan Dworin, Law Office of Dan Dworin

3:30 – 4:15 p.m. Meet DA and County Attorney: New Policies and Procedures Moderator: Judge Brad Urrutia; Speakers: Jose Garza, District Attorney, Delia Garza, County Attorney

4:15 – 5:15 p.m.  Happy Hour and Ethics Jeopardy; Speakers: Justice Chari Kelly, Adam Schramek, Norton Rose