P.O. Box 61208 • Houston, Texas 77208-1208
2020-2021 (713) 224-4952 • E-mail: [email protected]
OFFICERS
KRISINA J. ZUÑIGA, President SUSMAN GODFREY LLP 1000 LOUISIANA STREET, SUITE 5100 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002 (713) 651-9366 July 1, 2020
ALVIN A. ADJEI, President-Elect BURRITT ADJEI PLLC 708 MAIN STREET, 10TH FLOOR HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002 (281) 436-6079 VIA EMAIL KELLY E. HANEN, Secretary BAKER BOTTS LLP 910 LOUISIANA ST. HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002 (713) 229-1628 Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht Ms. Susan Henricks, Executive Director
ANTHONY FRANKLYN, Treasurer Justice Jimmy Blacklock Texas Board of Law Examiners HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP 600 TRAVIS STREET, SUITE 2320 Justice Jane Bland 205 W 14th Street, Suite #500 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002 (713) 525-6232 Justice Jeffrey S. Boyd Austin, TX 78701 SAMANTHA P. TORRES, Immediate Past President GERMER PLLC 2929 ALLEN PARKWAY, SUITE 2900 Justice Brett Busby HOUSTON, TEXAS 77019 (713) 830-1291 Justice John Phillip Devine Mr. Augustin “Augie” Rivera, Jr., Chair
DIRECTORS Justice Paul W. Green Texas Board of Law Examiners
MARIAME AANA 205 W 14th Street, Suite #500 LONE STAR LEGAL AID Justice Eva Guzman (713) 732-8005 Austin, TX 78701 Justice Debra Lehrmann PATRICK AANA NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT US LLP (713) 651-5606 Supreme Court of Texas
FEMI ABORISADE Mr. Trey Apffel, Executive Director SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP 201 W. 14th Street (713) 495-4648 State Bar of Texas, Texas Law Center KRISTY BLURTON Austin, TX 78701 HOLMES DIGGS & SADLER 1414 Colorado Street (713) 802-1777
ADAUGO-GLENDA DURU Austin, Texas 78701 HARRIS COUNTY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE (713) 755-5101
CALLAN EDQUIST JORDAN, LYNCH & CANCIENNE, (713) 955-4020 Dear Chief Justice Hecht, Members of the Supreme Court, Ms. Henricks, AMY FARISH YETTER COLEMAN LLP Mr. Rivera, and Mr. Apffel: (713) 632-8029
ERICA C. GIBBONS HUNTON ANDREWS KURTH LLP (713) 220-3794 The Houston Young Lawyers Association (“HYLA”) writes in support
DANIEL O'NEIL NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT US LLP of the June 29, 2020 letter from the deans of the ten Texas law schools, (713) 651-5530 asking the Supreme Court, the Texas Board of Law Examiners (“BLE”), RYAN PITTS HAYNES AND BOONE LLP (713) 547-2317 and the State Bar of Texas to consider three proposed alternatives to the in-
BENJAMIN RITZ person administrations of the Texas Bar Exam planned for this month and THOMPSON COE LLP (713) 403-8210 later this year, in light of the growing severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. ANDREW YEH NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT US LLP (713) 651-7732 Like the deans, HYLA appreciates the leadership and flexibility that the EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
Supreme Court and the BLE have shown in implementing significant and CAROLINE BURBACH Law School Director unprecedented measures during this ongoing crisis. HYLA also recognizes SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW – HOUSTON
JOSEPH HOLLOWAY that none of the three proposed solutions is perfect. Our organization Law School Director UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON LAW CENTER nevertheless strongly supports the creative approaches proposed by the
ARRIYANNA PATTON Law School Director deans as a reasonable balance between the important needs of the public THURGOOD MARSHALL SCHOOL OF LAW and the serious health risks and other burdens faced by 2020 bar takers— THE HONORABLE JENNIFER WALKER ELROD Judicial Liaison many of whom are HYLA members. U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
LUCY FISHER CAIN Executive Director “Learn. Lead. Network. Serve.” ... Serving the Profession Since 1937 (713) 224-4952
P.O. Box 61208 • Houston, Texas 77208-1208
2020-2021 (713) 224-4952 • E-mail: [email protected]
OFFICERS July 1, 2020 KRISINA J. ZUÑIGA, President SUSMAN GODFREY LLP 1000 LOUISIANA STREET, SUITE 5100 Page 2 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002 (713) 651- 9366
ALVIN A. ADJEI, President-Elect BURRITT ADJEI PLLC 708 MAIN STREET, 10TH FLOOR HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002 These approaches reflect the flexible measures taken by courts, law (281) 436-6079 firms, and the broader legal community. HYLA too has had to adjust to KELLY E. HANEN, Secretary BAKER BOTTS LLP these difficult times for the health and safety of our members—not having 910 LOUISIANA ST. HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002 (713) 229-1628 held an in-person event in months and with no plans to do so in the
ANTHONY FRANKLYN, Treasurer foreseeable future—even though we typically hold more than 80 events a HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP 600 TRAVIS STREET, SUITE 2320 year. Instead, we have moved our programming online, much like the first HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002 (713) 525-6232 option proposed by the deans of an online exam. SAMANTHA P. TORRES, Immediate Past President GERMER PLLC 2929 ALLEN PARKWAY, SUITE 2900 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77019 Recent law graduates already face significant challenges entering the (713) 830-1291 current legal market. In our view, they do not need to face yet another in the DIRECTORS
form of an in-person exam that could unnecessarily jeopardize their health. MARIAME AANA LONE STAR LEGAL AID We ask that the Supreme Court, the BLE, and the State Bar seriously (713) 732-8005
PATRICK AANA consider the options set forth in the deans’ letter to assist these potential NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT US LLP (713) 651-5606 new members of our noble profession and keep them safe. FEMI ABORISADE SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP (713) 495-4648
KRISTY BLURTON Sincerely, HOLMES DIGGS & SADLER (713) 802-1777
ADAUGO-GLENDA DURU HARRIS COUNTY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE (713) 755-5101
CALLAN EDQUIST JORDAN, LYNCH & CANCIENNE, (713) 955-4020 Krisina Zuñiga
AMY FARISH YETTER COLEMAN LLP President of the Houston Young (713) 632-8029 Lawyers Association ERICA C. GIBBONS HUNTON ANDREWS KURTH LLP (713) 220-3794
DANIEL O'NEIL NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT US LLP (713) 651-5530 cc: Dean Robert Ahdieh RYAN PITTS HAYNES AND BOONE LLP Dean Michael F. Barry (713) 547-2317
BENJAMIN RITZ Dean Leonard Baynes THOMPSON COE LLP (713) 403-8210 Dean Joan Bullock
ANDREW YEH NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT US LLP Dean Jennifer Collins (713) 651-7732 Dean Angela Epps EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS Dean Ward Farnsworth
CAROLINE BURBACH Law School Director Dean Jack Nowlin SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW – HOUSTON Dean Patricia Roberts JOSEPH HOLLOWAY Law School Director UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON LAW CENTER Dean Brad Toben
ARRIYANNA PATTON Law School Director THURGOOD MARSHALL SCHOOL OF LAW
THE HONORABLE JENNIFER WALKER ELROD Judicial Liaison U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
LUCY FISHER CAIN Executive Director “Learn. Lead. Network. Serve.” ... Serving the Profession Since 1937 (713) 224-4952