State Bar of Texas: Office of Minority Affairs
By Catherine Skrzypinski
The State Bar of Texas (SBOT) aims to ensure that all citizens have equal access to justice, and to foster high standards of ethical conduct for lawyers. It also enables its members to better serve their clients and the public.
Andrew Morrison, an attorney in Houston with Shell Oil Company, is a shining example of how the SBOT has enhanced employment and economic opportunities for attorneys in Texas.
“The State Bar of Texas has given me tremendous opportunities to work with incredible people, and has changed the trajectory of my career,” Morrison reflects. Morrison attributes his appointment as a part-time municipal court judge to his involvement with the organization.
“I’ve learned a lot from my colleagues,” Morrison continues. “Members come from a wide range of backgrounds, and bring different perspectives into solving problems. It has really impacted my life.”
Understanding the Importance of Diversity
In 1991, the SBOT affirmed its commitment to the inclusion of all in the legal profession with the creation of the Office of Minority Affairs (OMA). Th e OMA strives to serve minority and women attorneys and organizations throughout Texas, and to increase involvement by minorities and women in the state bar.
That outreach includes the Texas Minority Counsel Program (TMCP), which was formed in 1993 as an effort to bolster the amount and significance of legal work obtained by minority and women attorneys. The TMCP has been instrumental in enhancing the employment and economic opportunities for minority and women attorneys throughout the state of Texas.
According to demographics compiled by the OMA, approximately 83,713 lawyers were licensed to practice in Texas as of the end of 2008. Minorities represent approximately 16% of the lawyers in the state – with 7% Hispanic, 4% percent African American, 2% Asian American, less than 1% American Indian, and 1% other races/ethnicities. The breakdown by gender shows that 32% of the attorneys in Texas are female, while 68% are male.1
“The TMCP has done a tremendous job in reaching out to all women and minorities,” reflects Daniella D. Landers, a partner of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP’s energy and environmental practice in Houston. Landers also has been involved with the TMCP for nearly ten years, and has served as vice chair of the Racial Diversity in the Profession Committee for more than two years. “It is great to see the growth over the past decade,” she observes.
According to Landers, the TMCP was modeled after the California Minority Counsel Program (CMCP), an organization that advances diversity and inclusion to build strong communities for all Californians. “The Texas program is the second one in the country after California,” she shares. “In a relatively short period of time, the TMCP proved that it fully understands the importance of diversity.”
Other programs under the OMA’s umbrella include the Texas Minority Attorney Program (TMAP), which is a one-day continuing legal education seminar geared toward minority and women practitioners in small firms. Participants have the opportunity to discuss client development strategies, learn more about the issues facing small firms, and network with local judges and other legal professionals.
Another program that is popular among members is “LeadershipSBOT,” a diversity initiative that recruits, trains, and retains Texas lawyers for leadership positions in the legal community, including within the state bar. Program participants are selected to refl ect the cultural, ethnic, geographic, and practice area diversity of the state. Morrison is one of the twenty lawyers selected to participate in the current year-long leadership program. He also served as co-chair of 2008/2009 TMCP steering committee.
Calendar of Events
State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting
June 10 – 11, 2010 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. 1300 Houston St. Forth Worth, TX 76102
18th Annual Texas Minority Counsel Program
September 1 – 3, 2010 Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas 4150 North MacArthur Blvd. Irving, TX 75038
See www.texasbar.com for more information about the association’s upcoming events.
“A Conference Like No Other”
The highlight of the TMCP’s year is its annual conference. The conference site rotates throughout Texas between Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, and draws a wide range of legal professionals from Fortune 500 companies to law firms and the judiciary.
“This is a conference like no other,” asserts Laura Gibson, a founding partner of Ogden, Gibson, Broocks & Longoria LLP. Gibson is certifi ed in labor and employment laws by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and is serving as a co-chair 2009/2010 TMCP steering committee. “Not only is it a good networking opportunity, [but also] the conferences provide ways for lawyers to help each other,” she continues. “A diverse group of people can better meet the needs of the attendees.”
A hot topic among lawyers attending the 2009 conference, held in San Antonio, explored the resources that firms could provide to attorneys in the face of the current economic downturn, the worst the nation has faced in decades. According to a report in the October 2009 issue of Texas Lawyer, the percentage of women and minority attorneys at Texas firms held steady despite the recession.2
Last year’s conference also saw the inception of the Corporate Counsel of the Year award, given to an in-house lawyer who plays an integral role in promoting diversity. Gary Kennedy, senior vice president and general counsel of American Airlines, was honored with the inaugural award. “This is a good way to recognize those who are committed to diversity, but of course, we have more work to do,” Landers concludes.
Beyond its conferences, TMCP has helped legal professionals throughout Texas in shaping their chosen career paths. Morrison, Gibson, and Landers all agree that their involvement with the TMCP has had a tremendous impact not only on their professional development, but also on the course of their lives.
“The SBOT Programs like TMCP, LeadershipSBOT, and TMAP have provided me [with] opportunities to mentor young lawyers and cultivate relationships with lawyers in both in-house counsel positions in corporate law departments as well as law firms across the state,” Landers concurs. And, as Gibson relates, “It’s been so rewarding to see the energy every time I meet with fellow members of TMCP. Inclusiveness is always encouraged, and that’s what TMCP is all about.” DB
Notes
1 Nils Greger Olsson and Dustin Kim, Annual Report on the Status of Women and Racial/Ethnic Minorities in the State Bar of Texas (2006-2007), STATE BAR OF TEXAS, DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS, May 1, 2007.
2 Brenda Sapino Jeff reys, Percentage of Women, Minority Attorneys at Texas Firms Holds Steady, TEXAS LAW., October 8, 2009.
Catherine Skrzypinski is a freelance writer and editor based in the Washington, D.C., metro area.
From the Jan/Feb 2010 issue of Diversity & The Bar®