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State Bar of Texas Litigation Section "News for the Bar" newsletter

By Michael Smith

 I am woefully behind posting on this, but I just finally finishing reading the latest (spring 2008) edition of the State Bar Litigation Section's quarterly News for the Bar and was amazed at how much great information is in this 25 page pdf newsletter that the Litigation Section provides to its members each quarter (in addition to the Advocate publication which focuses on substantive legal analysis).  While it has much about Texas' state court system, it also has a great deal that would be of interest to practitioners in federal court - no fewer than three federal-specific articles in this issue.
This edition starts with a Chair's Update from current chair (and perennial Scotsman ) Alistair Dawson on the goings-on with the Court Administration Task Force, followed by Don Philbin's The Psychology of Bad Economic Decisions (reprinted with permission from 7 Dispute Resolution Alert No. 4 (JAMS Inc. Fall 2007) which is available here).  There's an Appellate Update by Jeff Burbach, an Evidence and Discovery Update by Mary Evelyn McNamara, and of particular interest to readers of this weblog, Who Wants to Be an IP Litigator? Making the Transition from General Litigation to IP Litigation by Steven R. Daniels.  Texas Access to Justice Commission chair (and perennial Marine) Jim Sales provides a Report on Equal Access to Justice, Matt Frederick provides a Federal Update which is a good summary of recent Fifth Circuit caselaw, and there is a profile on a Houston federal judge by Gretchen Sween Living the Rules: The Honorable Judge Sim Lake.  The issue closes out with a Tips From Trial Lawyers column by John McFarland, which is a profile of Galveston trial lawyer Ervin A. Apffel, Jr.
The Litigation Section's website is here, and here's how you join.  But, I have to say it's a bad time to join because if you join now you'd only be a member till the State Bar's Annual Meeting at the end of June, then you have to pay your $35 again, so if I were you, I'd calendar for July 1.  The News is available to all, but only members get an e-mail notifying them that a new one is out, and the latest issue of the Advocate is only available to members - the latest issue available online is three months old.
We all get bombarded with newsletters and publications with news of interest to trial practitioners - but this is one I'd definitely add to your must-read list.

Full post as published by Eastern District of Texas Federal Court Practice on May 30, 2008 (boomark / email).