“Diversity is about all of us, and about us having to figure out how to walk through this world together.”
-Jacqueline Woodson
There is just so much changing daily. We have the governor issuing so many executive orders, I can no longer keep up all of with them. As we continue with this new norm each day, we face how to continue with training, take part in court, and serve clients.
TCDLA is an organization of 3,400+, and we train more than 5,500 a year. Now is the time we need to have a strong united voice. We have several committees working on today’s current executive orders and the ongoing issues criminal defense attorneys face. We also have representatives meeting with the Supreme Court of Texas, OCA, and SBOT to fight for our member’s rights and protect the Sixth Amendment. If you are facing any of these issues, contact our chairs below or visit our COVID website, which we are always updating.
COVID-19 RESPONSE TASK FORCE
Co-Chairs
Allison Barbara Clayton,
Nicole DeBorde Hochglaube,
SUPREME COURT ORDERS ON PANDEMIC COURT PROCEEDINGS
We also have our lobbyists, Shea Place and Allen Place, fighting for our members. Shea regularly posts on the Legislative listserve. If you are not receiving the messages, contact TCDLA. The listserve is for informational purposes and not open for responses. You can email the Legislative team at .
Visit page 8. We are starting our second cohort for the Future Indigent Defense Leaders with partners Texas Indigent Defense Commission and the Harris County Public Defender’s Office. Reach out and welcome the new mentees to our TCDLA family.
Special thanks go to everyone who participated in our first-ever virtual Rusty Duncan. Kerri Anderson Donica and Course Directors John Convery, Deandra Grant, David Guinn, and Carmen Roe did an amazing job. I could not leave out your fabulous, hardworking staff – kudos! I was overwhelmed by the support and contributions our members gave to the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Educational Institute. Due to everyone’s generous support, we have scholarships available for our TCDLA seminars starting September 1, 2020. If you need more information for TCDLA seminar scholarships, email or call 512.478.2514.
We are continuing with Mindful Mondays once a month. The programs are meant to reenergize and give invaluable tools during these times. Our next quarterly event will be September 24-25, 2020, in Arlington. It is two events – Family Violence and Telling a Trial Story – attend both. You can attend in person or virtually. We will have our board meeting Saturday, September 26, 2020, to continue discussing strategies to protect our members and clients.
If you need anything or have questions, contact our office and we will get you to the right person. Together, we will figure it out and make it through this!
