Victims of Hurricane Ike will encounter disaster-related legal problems long after the water subsides and media coverage ends. If you were affected by Ike and need legal help, visit TexasLawHelp.org and click on the LiveHelp button to chat with a legal volunteer between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm. Read the LiveHelp FAQ to learn more. Attorney and legal professional volunteers are needed: Click here to help. Please also see our 2008 Hurricane Response page for more resources, including information on donations and volunteer opportunities.

State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting
The 2009 State Bar Annual Meeting will happen June 25 and 26 in Dallas. This year's meeting features prominent speakers including Doris Kearns Goodwin, David Brooks, and Morris Dees. Click here for more information.

Editorial: Jury Duty is Everyone's Responsibility
The Dec. 27 edition of The Paris News has an editorial on the importance of jury duty. Read it here

FDIC Expands IOLTA Protections
On Nov. 21, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) clarified the Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program to include client trust accounts. An individual client's funds deposited in IOLTA accounts are fully insured regardless of the amount. The provision is valid through Dec. 31, 2009. To read the FDIC news release, click here.

Court Administration Task Force Report
The State Bar Board of Directors accepted the report of a State Bar task force that considered proposals related to court reorganization introduced during the last legislative session. The board has not approved or considered the substantive recommendations of the report. Click here to download the report (pdf). Click here for a high-res version (13MB pdf)

2009 Legislative Program
The Board of Directors has approved the Bar's 2009 Legislative Program. Pre-filing of legislation began on Nov. 10, and the 81st Legislative Session begins on Jan. 13. Click here to read the 2009 Legislative Program (bill numbers will be added as they are filed).