In the wake of the incredible harm caused by the opioid crisis, the outcome of the Purdue Pharma case argued in the United States Supreme Court garnered national attention. What impacts might this case have in bankruptcy court proceedings in the future? To unpack the details and gain understanding of the bankruptcy issues at play, Rocky Dhir talks with attorneys Elias Yazbeck and Michael Wombacher. They discuss the backstory of Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, the journey of the case...

At the 2024 State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting, Scott C. Skelton’s session on the ethical handling of mistakes in legal practice was immensely helpful to attendees. Rocky Dhir welcomes Scott to the podcast to discuss his session and get more details on this important topic. If you think you’ve committed malpractice, what should you do? Scott shares experiences from his own career and explains how honesty, transparency, and graciousness in legal practice can help attorneys move forward from...

There is no way to truly prepare a client for life following a criminal conviction, and the aftermath of a defendant’s guilty verdict can be incredibly complex. Rocky Dhir welcomes Professor Lee Kovarsky to learn from his wealth of expertise on post-conviction law, mitigation investigations, capital defense teams, and more. They discuss nuances in this area of the law to help attorneys understand processes and needs for clients navigating this segment of our justice system. Lee Kovarsky is...

Lawyers long considered the legendary Clarence Darrow to be an attorney to emulate, but closer examination of his career shows a condemnable pattern of unethical tactics and empty courtroom arguments. To debunk the popular culture myths surrounding Darrow, Rocky Dhir welcomes author and attorney Mike Farris to discuss the facts in his book, Blowhard: Windbaggery and the Wretched Ethics of Clarence Darrow. Mike shares details from his research that uncover evidence of jury bribing,...

Many segments of the legal profession operate as adversarial systems at their core, with colleagues becoming combatants as they fight for their clients and handle difficult situations day in and day out. Not every practice area has this same intensity, but the ongoing stresses of legal work can detract from an attorney’s wellbeing in any area of the law. The profession is committed to continuing to destigmatize mental health and substance abuse struggles to support lawyers in need. Rocky Dhir...

Rocky Dhir welcomes Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez to discuss highlights from her keynote address and her passion for improving representation within the legal world. Rocky gets the details on Judge Ramirez’s landmark “firsts” as a Latina with a notably successful legal career. She talks about her childhood as a daughter of immigrants, her journey as a lawyer, and her nomination and confirmation as a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals. 

What can we learn about law from a sci-fi TV show? Rocky Dhir welcomes Leela Madan, Hope Shimabuku, and Catherine Rifai to talk about Netflix’s “Black Mirror” and the potential ethical implications of AI-fueled technology in the real world. Many now question how the rapid developments of AI tech should be regulated and held accountable. The group explores ethical rules and existing laws that could apply to different scenarios—both real and imagined.

Should rap lyrics as evidence be allowed in criminal prosecutions? Rocky Dhir talks with Chad Baruch about his session titled, “Hip Hop on Trial: Texas Courts Confront the Use of Rap Lyrics in Criminal Prosecutions” for the Appellate and Civil Liberties & Civil Rights Sections. Rocky and Chad discuss the intersection of art and the law, highlight several cases involving the use of song lyrics or videos, and discuss trial tactics for attorneys working on a case involving rap music.

Incoming Bar President Steve Benesh and TYLA President Hisham Masri join Rocky Dhir to discuss their leadership priorities and plans for the coming year. Steve shares his interest in standardizing court filings, supporting and working with TLAP to initiate a Docket Assistance Program, continuing former President Tisdale’s initiatives regarding artificial intelligence, and improving the State Bar website. Later, Hisham shares what’s in store for TYLA, including efforts for community...

Civility is one of the cornerstones of the practice of law, ensuring an efficient justice system and improving the lives of both legal professionals and clients. Rocky Dhir welcomes David Grenardo to hear highlights from his keynote address on the landscape of civility in law. David discusses the benefits of civility rules in encouraging restraint and cooperation, as well as debunking myths surrounding mandatory civility rules in place in several states throughout the country.

Data shows that jury trials are declining rapidly, but what is causing this tendency? Rocky Dhir hosts Judge Mark Drummond to learn more about the factors involved in this decrease and what it may indicate about our legal system. Rocky and Judge Drummond discuss the history of civil juries, current trends, and developing innovations. Learn more about the work of the Civil Jury Project here: civiljuryproject.law.nyu.edu.

The 1954 case Hernandez v. Texas was the first and only Mexican-American civil rights case heard and decided by the United States Supreme Court. In 1951, a criminal case that arose from a bar fight and murder exposed a larger, widespread problem: the systematic exclusion of Mexican-American jurors from service. Rocky Dhir talks with Justice Gina Benavides, Chief Justice Dori Contreras, and Chris Pineda about how this case led to a landmark civil rights decision that gave all nationalities...

Emotions can run high in family law cases, but creating realistic expectations can help your client effectively navigate the ups and downs of their legal issue. Rocky Dhir welcomes Britney Harrison to discuss her session on client relationships at the Annual Meeting. Britney explains her processes with clients and offers insights for dealing with common assumptions and ensuring ethical practices in this very nuanced area of the law.

Currently, all sports betting in Texas is illegal, despite the fact that many people believe there is a gray area around app-based betting. In reality, Texas does not yet allow for sports betting, but potential legislation might legalize this type of gambling and change the state’s approach to this issue. Rocky Dhir talks with presenters Kevin Vela and Blake Hart to learn more about what regulations currently exist and what may change in the near future.

Both the governor and legislature of Texas have hoped to drive more business to Texas, but previously, businesses have expressed concerns over the potential for difficulties in navigating courts across Texas’s 254 counties. Now, a centralized system of business courts will open September 1, 2024, to serve businesses in the most populous areas of the state. Judge Emily Miskel and Marcy Hogan Greer talk with Rocky Dhir in detail about how these courts will operate and what businesses and...

Camille Vasquez joins Rocky Dhir to talk about her path to becoming a lawyer and what led to her involvement in the highly publicized defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. Camille offers insights into her experiences during the Depp v. Heard case and highlights the importance of crafting a powerful story during cross-examination to help bring justice for your clients at trial.

Lawyers have been getting into ethical hot water over both the use and misuse of AI, failing in their duties of competence, diligence, and more, so where do we go from here? Rocky Dhir talks with Justice John Browning and Judge Roy Ferguson to learn the latest guidance on AI issues and to remind lawyers of their ethical obligations. They discuss AI’s revolutionary impacts in the legal profession and what to expect as it continues to evolve.  Justice John G. Browning has been a litigator in...

Who says the best things in life aren’t free?! The State Bar of Texas partnered up with Smokeball to offer a free trust accounting and billing software platform called Smokeball Bill. If you’re a Texas lawyer, this perk is available to you at no additional charge because of your state bar membership. Tune into this episode to learn more about what it does and how to access it.

The State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting is just around the corner, happening June 20-21 in Dallas! With this meeting comes a change of leadership for the Bar, but great progress has been made in the past year under current president Cindy Tisdale’s guidance. Rocky Dhir talks with Cindy about her year as president, discussing her dedication to lawyer mental health initiatives (including a new member benefit with BetterHelp), the Bar’s Taskforce for Responsible AI in the Law (TRAIL), and progress...

Should our criminal courts exist to punish or reform those who have broken the law? Every case is unique, but in those involving mental health, a rehabilitative approach may be beneficial. Rocky Dhir talks with Judge Brent Carr about his long years of service in the Tarrant County Mental Health Court, which had the overarching goal of improving outcomes for people with mental illness impacted by Texas’ justice system. They discuss the efforts of the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health,...

The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors approved the nominations of Denise Scofield, of Houston, and Santos Vargas, of San Antonio, as president-elect candidates at its meeting on September 30, 2023. Texas lawyers will vote for the president-elect and district directors from April 1 to April 30. The winner will serve as president-elect from June 2024 to June 2025 and as president from June 2025 to June 2026. For more information, go to texasbar.com/elections.  [The content for this episode...

Since its inception in 2017, the Committee on Disciplinary Rules and Referenda has been charged with the examination of Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct and Rules of Disciplinary Procedure to determine rule adequacy and necessary changes. After extensive evaluation of existing rules, the committee proposed 12 new rules between 2021 and 2023 which Texas attorneys will now have the opportunity to vote on from April 1-30, 2024.  Rocky Dhir talks with committee members Lewis...

The Texas legislature recently enacted the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act, which goes into effect on July 1, 2024. Lawyers have an urgent need to understand this new legislation and its coming impacts on their practice and clients. Rocky Dhir talks with Shawn Tuma, a widely recognized expert in cybersecurity and data privacy law, to help Texas attorneys understand the elements of this act and best practices in security for compliance with new regulations.  Shawn Tuma is a partner at...

AI has been around for a very long time, but 2023 was its renaissance, with ChatGPT and other AI technologies suddenly speeding forward with exponential growth. Attorneys and paralegals should be focused on learning and adapting to this quickly evolving technology to ensure competence in a world where AI is taking greater precedence. Rocky Dhir talks with paralegal Megan Goor-Peters and attorney Joshua Weaver about responsible AI use and its current impacts in legal practice. They address...