Austin Bar Blog

Date: Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025

Time: 4:30 - 6 p.m.

Location: Playstreet Sunset Valley, 5601 Brodie Ln Ste 940, Sunset Valley, Texas, 78745

Register here

Immigration attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch will provide a timely overview of current border policies, mass detention practices, and accelerated deportation procedures affecting Texas communities. This free one-hour online CLE will equip attorneys from all practice areas with essential knowledge about how recent immigration enforcement changes impact their clients. The training includes practical guidance for identifying immigration issues across practice areas and opportunities for pro bono assistance.

Date: Feb. 10, 2025

Time: 12 - 1 p.m.

Location: Zoom and in-person, Frost Bank Tower, 401 Congress Ave., Suite 1170, 11th floor

Parking validation available, provide license plate number

In-person limited to 40 people, lunch provided

Register here

The Austin Bar is considering creating a new Insurance Section that would provide relevant CLE to insurance member attorneys (coverage and defense).

Interest has also been expressed in forming a Juvenile Law Section.

If you are interested in helping with the formation of either section, please email DeLaine Ward.

Click here to watch the videos honoring the 2025 Austin Bar Foundation Gala Award honorees David Armbrust, Denise Davis, Thomas R. Phillips, and Austin Kaplan. Congratulations, once again, to these deserving and inspiring attorneys!

Missed the Gala? Not to worry, the Foundation is just short of its $40,000 Fund-A-Need goal. You can still support the Fund-A-Need program through January 31, 2025!

Given the interest in our final auction item, we are offering ONE MORE Tank experience for $5,500. This package includes the opportunity to DRIVE A TANK and FIRE A FLAMETHROWER.

Email Debbie Kelly to purchase. First-come first-served.

We are hosting our first annual golf tournament on April 9, 2025, at the gorgeous and convenient Lions Municipal Golf Course in Austin. This is a first-come first-serve sponsor opportunity. Each hole sponsor will be allowed to put up a tent at the hole and hand out swag, snacks, and non-alcoholic drinks. We cannot wait to see you there!  More information on sponsorships is available below:

 $4,500 Shirt Sponsor – 1*

· 1 player registration

· Name on t-shirt

· Recognition on all promotional material and the day of the tournament

$3,500 Raffle Prize Sponsor – 1

· Sponsor of player Raffle Prizes given away at awards luncheon

$2,500 Golf Cart Sponsor – 1

· Signage on all golf carts used in tournament

$2,000 Hole Sponsorship – 16*

· 1 player registration

· Optional opportunity to set up at tee box of hole and speak to golfers about services provided and provide marketing materials

 If you are interested in sponsoring the golf tournament, please sign up here.

 If you are interested in playing in the golf tournament, please sign up here.

 *Sponsorship includes 1 player registration; additional players will need to register individually.

Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Time: 8 a.m. shotgun start

Location: Lions Municipal Golf Course, 2901 Enfield Road

Due to the forecasted winter weather conditions, Travis County Judge Andy Brown announced Travis County’s non-essential offices, services, and facilities will be closed on Tuesday, January 21, 2025. Essential emergency personnel will continue to report for duty. Travis County employees who have questions about their department can reach out to their immediate supervisor.

 Additionally, the Travis County Commissioners Court voting session scheduled for Tuesday, January 21, at 9 a.m. is cancelled.

 According to the National Weather Service (NWS), Travis County is under a winter storm warning from Monday night into Tuesday. Travis County urges residents to follow the NWS and local news outlets to stay weather aware and reconsider any travel plans they had Monday evening through Tuesday.

 For everyone’s safety, Travis County Judge Brown asks residents to follow these tips:

• Stay home if possible
• If you must go somewhere, dress in warm layers, drive carefully, slow down, and leave enough space between you and the cars arounds you
• Protect the 4 Ps – People, Pets, Pipes, Plants
• Be prepared by having an emergency kit ready with food, water, flashlights, batteries, and blankets
• If you’re concerned about power outages, sign up to receive text and e-mail alerts directly from your power and water providers
• Sign up for emergency alerts through WarnCentralTexas.org to be informed about weather warnings, natural disasters, and boil water notices.
• Keep flammable items like blankets at least three feet away from space heaters and fireplaces
• Always make sure candles and fireplaces are completely out before going to bed

 Travis County residents can also get the latest preparation information from Travis County and Travis County Emergency Services’ social media accounts.

In the next episode of Council of Firsts, Amanda Arriaga, first Latina president of the Austin Bar, sits down with Austin attorney Pete Reid to discuss his law career, his journey to becoming an attorney, and how he created his unbiased Scottish soccer announcer alter ego and social media star, Allaster McKallaster.

Watch on YouTube here

Listen on Apple Podcasts here

Shana Faulhaber is a Dallas-based criminal defense attorney who started drinking when she was 14 years old and continued to do so as she got older. In law school and in her early career, she rationalized that alcohol was a natural part of the legal profession, so she didn’t have a problem, even as her nightly red wine habit escalated from one glass to one bottle to eventually a three-liter box.

Through Rational Recovery, Shana has found lasting sobriety and advocates for lesser-known sobriety programs. However, she is certainly not against the 12-step program. If you’re struggling with addiction, it’s important to find the program that works for you and that you can adhere to in the long term.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube

Listen to the audio and subscribe on Apple Podcasts

Join us for the next Docket Call.

Date: Thursday, Jan. 16

Time: 5:30 - 7 p.m.

Location: The Cavelier, 2400 Webberville Road

Sponsored by IMS Legal Strategies