People, Service and Collaboration: Making an Impact on Houston Industries and the Community

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Welcome to Season Six of Behind the Lines! The first episode of this season focuses on Houston people, service, and collaboration, in honor of HBA President Daniella Landers's goals for the new bar year. Listeners will hear from Houston lawyers (People) about legal trends in Houston's biggest industries, learn about how Houston lawyers can support those impacted by the Hill Country Flood (Service), find out how one Houston lawyer and his team helped clarify Texas family law in a pro bono case (Service), and explore two important ways lawyers in Houston are collaborating with those outside of the law to really make an impact (Collaboration). 

Part One: Houston Service

• How to Help: Ways Houston Lawyers Can Support Those Impacted by the Hill Country Flood. Brittanny Gomez (Disaster Benefits Team Manager at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid), Jessie Campbell (Supervising Attorney for Private Attorney Involvement/Pro Bono at Lone Star Legal Aid), and Jillian Marullo (Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman), discuss ways attorneys in Houston can help those who were impacted by the Hill Country Flood. They talk about the legal issues presented by disasters like this, training and mentoring that is available, the importance of pro bono service, and vicarious trauma. (16 min.)
• Pro Bono Spotlight: Clarifying Texas Family Law and Making a Difference. Tony Lucisano (Baker Botts) discusses the legal issues presented and the Court's holding in a pro bono family law case he and his team took to the Texas Supreme Court. They secured a precedent-setting victory, which clarified evidentiary requirements for spousal maintenance awards in Texas. He also addresses the importance of pro bono service. (15 min.)

Part Two: Houston People in Houston Industries

• Energy Law Update. Jana Grauberger (co-leader of the Energy Practice Group at Liskow & Lewis) discusses issues impacting Houston energy lawyers, such as the impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on oil and gas leasing in the Gulf and legal concerns related to the endangered Rice's whale. She also provides tips for young lawyers and students who are interested in the energy industry. (25 min.)
• Health Law Update. Megan Neel (DumasNeel) provides an update on what is happening in health care law in Houston, including the new non-compete law and updates to Texas law governing medical spas. She also provides tips for other lawyers and law students who are interested in this area of the law. (31 min.)

Part Three: Houston Collaboration

• HVL's Medical Legal Partnerships: Collaborating to Care for the Whole Person. Susan Soto and Iris Onasis discuss Houston Volunteer Lawyers' Medical Legal Partnerships with Texas Children's Hospital and AccessHealth, including the types of legal issues they encounter, how Houston lawyers can volunteer to take cases, and how they support and mentor volunteer attorneys. (23 min.)
• Communities in Schools Houston: Collaborating for Confidence. Keiara Jones (partnership manager with Communities in Schools Houston (CIS)) describes how CIS, the HBA CIS Committee, and local legal employers collaborate to build confidence in local high school students by working together to provide them wi

For full speaker bios, visit The Houston Lawyer (hba.org/thehoustonlawyer). To read The Houston Lawyer magazine, visit The Houston Lawyer_home. For more information about the Houston Bar Association, visit Houston Bar Association (hba.org).
*The views expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the views of The Houston Lawyer Editorial Board or the Houston Bar Association.