I grew up in a family of lawyers, thinking UHLC, the state capital, and the Supreme Court of Texas were my playground. In 2010, I had just moved back to Houston from Virginia and found a job listing through UH for the HBA. It sounded like a good fit for me, and I was right. I started as the Executive Assistant – Events working directly under former E.D. Kay Sim and trained by (now HLRS E.D.) Karen Ramsey. Very quickly, I was promoted to my current position as Director of Projects & Events and HBA leadership trusted me to develop the position and department into what it is today. I’ve served as staff liaison to 22 of the HBA’s committees over my 15 years, typically juggling 17 committees at once. This meant working directly with over 400 HBA members and community liaisons annually to produce over 30 programs and events, in addition to responsibilities outside of committees. I’ve worked under 15 presidents and 3 executive directors and have hired, trained, and directly managed 10 employees and several interns. I genuinely love working with HBA members and enjoy the charitable aspect of the job.

Some of my favorite HBA memories are taking over Rice Stadium for our 1st Fire Team Relay, coordinating a sold-out Annual Dinner where we recognized two classes of 50-year lawyers, helping secure the highest sponsorship amount for the HBA Eikenburg Fun Run, taking large annual checks to Pursuit Center to serve Houston’s IDD community, delivering gifts to low-income families for the holidays, welcoming families to their new habitat home, presenting scholarships to LGBTQ+ students, building a school library, helping foster youth shop for college and work attire, the photos and thank you notes from sending lawyers into schools year after year, helping law students make connections, the excited faces when introducing people to the courthouses, watching students in middle and high school perform mock trials, helping so many people in need with food, clothing, diapers, books, gifts, and more. We’ve done so much good in the community and had fun while doing it. My mom found time to volunteer with me in the community, and I made sure to do the same with my kids, often through HBA volunteer opportunities.

During those COVID work-from-home months, I was instrumental in converting the HBA from fully in-person to operating remotely. Every one of my projects and events were still executed and successful. One result that remains a benefit today is that our committee meetings are hybrid, allowing members who live and work outside of central Houston to participate. I am honored to have led the launching of several new committees from their inception: LGBTQ+, Military & Veterans, Teach Texas, and Wellness. I think the most memorable moments were those where our most challenging projects and events were successful. I’ve lost count of how many school reading programs I’ve coordinated or how many hours I’ve spent coordinating fun runs, but I remember the happy HBA members, school students, and community partners. Of course, working closely with President Daniella Landers to plan 8 service events in one September weekend and another 8 planned for March 28th for the HBA Days of Service this year is unforgettable and a nice way to wrap up my time at the HBA.

My favorite part of the job has been getting to know so many amazing people, many of whom have become lifelong friends, and to my surprise, I also met someone with whom I want to share life. Chase and I are missing our friends and family in Houston, but loving life in Portland, OR. From a distance, we will be celebrating the future success of the HBA and will visit our beloved Houston legal community as often as possible. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to my colleagues over the last 15 years and to all the HBA members I’ve worked with.

 

  

Whether you're an experienced runner or a beginner, the 41st Annual HBA Eikenburg Fun Run is a chance to do something fun with friends and colleagues while supporting a Houston organization! The event will take place at Sam Houston Park in downtown Houston on Saturday, February 21. Registration is open to everyone!

All net proceeds benefit Pursuit Center, supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism through housing, education, and job opportunities.

Questions? Contact Georgina Peña at georginap@hba.org or (346) 471-3310.

SIGN UP TO RUN FOR A CAUSE

SPONSOR TODAY

Mark your calendars for the Solo & Small Firm Summit on March 6, 2026, at Hotel ZaZa Memorial City. This full-day conference will include networking opportunities, vendors, and a happy hour. Join us for this inaugural event bringing solos and small firms together to learn, build better business, and thrive!

SPONSORSHIPS OPEN NOW

Ticket sales will open in January. Watch for an email with more details soon. 

For questions, contact Ashley Steininger at ashleyg@hba.org.

Join us on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Four Seasons Hotel for the 2026 Houston Bar Foundation Annual Luncheon! Outgoing Chair Sara Keith will share the Foundation’s accomplishments from the past year and welcome Incoming Chair Benny Agosto Jr., who will introduce the 2026 HBF Board and hear from guest speaker Johnny Carrabba, restauranteur and philanthropist.

There will be a reception held 11:00–11:30 a.m. honoring award winners and HBF Fellows.

Net proceeds will benefit the Houston Bar Foundation Scholarship Fund, established in memory of Alistair Dawson.

Sponsorships are open now! Click here to view sponsorship opportunities. Non-sponsored tables and individual tickets will open later.

For questions, contact Ashley Steininger at ashleyg@hba.org or Alli Hessel at allih@hba.org.

Press Release

Contact:

Maggie Martin

Director, Marketing and Communications

O: 346-471-3428

maggiem@hba.org

 

Houston Bar Association Initiative Serves 14,000+ Community Members in 2 Days

Nearly 300 volunteers joined the HBA’s Days of Service events to support 8 local causes

(HOUSTON – October 8, 2025) – Hundreds of Houston Bar Association members turned out for the HBA’s Days of Service event on Friday, September 26 and Saturday, September 27. Attorneys and members of the judiciary volunteered to support legal clinics, literacy projects, installation of a historical marker, and other charitable organizations.

The initiative is part of HBA President Daniella Landers’ focus areas for the 2025-2026 HBA Bar year.

“I am incredibly proud of the difference Houston attorneys make when we come together to make a meaningful impact on our local community. As attorneys, volunteerism isn’t just part of our professional responsibility. It also demonstrates how integrated our members are to the fabric of Houston. I want to thank our incredible volunteers and partner organizations for your dedication to the HBA Days of Service.”

HBA Days of Service Highlights

• 14,000+ community members served
• Approximately 300 volunteers
• 16,000 lbs. of fresh oranges sorted and bagged into 3,200+ bags at the Houston Food Bank, providing 13,333 meals to those experiencing food insecurity in Houston
• 4 new Little Free Libraries installed in greater Houston; 10 restocked with new books

The HBA will host another Day of Service on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Visit hba.org/dos to learn more.

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 The Houston Bar Association is a nonprofit professional organization for attorneys that provides education and service programs for the legal profession and the community. With over 10,000 members, the HBA is one of the largest metropolitan bar associations in the nation.

On Constitution Day, September 17, HBA President Daniella Landers joined our HBA Ambassadors at the HBA office to reaffirm the attorney’s oath live with our Instagram followers, honoring 238 years of the U.S. Constitution’s enduring legacy in shaping justice and democracy.
 
The event also marked a special moment as we welcomed the 2025–2027 HBA Ambassadors (Class V). These dedicated members will play an important role in supporting the HBA’s mission and engaging with our legal community in meaningful ways.
 
We are eager to see how our new ambassadors will shape the future of the HBA and its service to the legal profession and community. Thank you to all who took part in the ceremony and to our ambassadors for their commitment to service.

Click here to meet our new ambassadors.

In a partnership with Green Standards, the HBA diverted 100% of discard materials from landfills, resulting in zero waste.

Instead, more than 70% of our office furniture, equipment, and supplies went to donations, including to four nonprofit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. The remainder was recycled.

Learn more about the HBA's sustainable office decommission here. 

The Houston Bar Association is proud to give back to the Houston community in myriad ways. Here are some ways you can join us in making an impact:

HBA Days of Service - Saturday, September 27

Volunteer at a legal clinic for Houstonians who need it most, package meals for families in need, or beautify a historic cemetery. 

Learn more about taking part in the HBA's Days of Service and sign up at hba.org/dos. 

76th Annual Harvest Party

Join us in advancing equal access to justice for all Houstonians. 

This signature event directly benefits Houston Volunteer Lawyers, with 100% of net proceeds funding critical pro bono legal services for those who cannot afford representation

Become a sponsor or purchase your tickets at hba.org/harvest. 

Upholding the Rule of Law: The HBA’s Enduring Commitment

As one of the largest bar associations in one of the most diverse cities in the country, the Houston Bar Association is uniquely positioned to serve a membership of over 10,000 attorneys and judges across different practice areas and political ideologies. The HBA is also distinctive in our service to the Houston community through our ancillary organizations – providing access to justice through Houston Volunteer Lawyers, affordable legal options through the Houston Lawyer Referral Service, and legal resolution outside the courts with the Dispute Resolution Center. We recognize our strength as a Bar in adding to the national conversation, while also thoughtfully taking into account the value of our services and making sure they continue.

The Houston Bar Association has maintained an unwavering commitment to the rule of law as one of the core tenets of our profession and our democracy. For many years, this has been explicitly included in the HBA’s Mission Statement to “serve the needs of Houston-area lawyers and enhance the legal profession through promoting: Professionalism; Access to justice; the Rule of law; Equality and inclusion in the legal profession; Legal education for the profession and the public; and Service to our community through law-related or high-impact and high-involvement projects.” 

Our commitment to the rule of law is evident in HBA programs, such as the HBA Advancing Belonging and Cultures (ABC) Committee 1L Summer Clerkship Program and Summer Associate Luncheon, which fosters engagement with the next generation of diverse Houston attorneys. We are also planning our 76th Annual Harvest Party, in which 100% of net proceeds directly benefit Houston Volunteer Lawyers in their mission to provide pro bono services for our neighbors in need. 

As attorneys, the rule of law is a fundamental duty we are called upon to uphold. When we took the Texas Attorney’s Oath, we each pledged to support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Texas. The oath is not merely a formality. It is a binding commitment we make to ensure access to justice for all. Lawyers play a critical role in fostering and implementing the rule of law by ensuring that our citizenry has access to the advocacy and advice of lawyers in accordance with the U.S. Constitution – by representing individuals in courtrooms, as well as advising corporations on legal matters. As licensed Texas lawyers and members of the HBA, we uphold the rule of law every time we take a pro bono matter through Houston Volunteer Lawyers or speak to the community about the legal system during Law Week.  In addition to our normal programs and activities, this year we will further promote the rule of law through activities hosted by the HBA Professionalism Committee.

The HBA is steadfast in its commitment to support our members and the greater Houston legal community in upholding these principles in their practice. 
 

Press Release

Contact:

Maggie Martin

Director, Marketing and Communications

O: 346-471-3428

maggiem@hba.org

Houston Bar Foundation Launches New Community Grants Program

The Foundation may award up to $100,000 in grants to the Houston community

(HOUSTON – JULY 3, 2025) The Houston Bar Foundation (“HBF”) – the charitable arm of the Houston Bar Association – launched its new Community Grants Program, supporting projects that address the legal needs of residents in the greater Houston area.

To be eligible, the project must meet the following criteria:  

• must further at least one pillar of the HBF’s mission,

• must not exceed $10,000,   

• must benefit people in the greater Houston area, and   

• must be concluded within 2 years.   

Additional considerations apply. View the complete guidelines and download an application at hba.org/foundation. The deadline to apply is September 30, 2025.

The announcement is the culmination of two years of strategic planning by the HBF Board of Directors. Under the leadership of 2023 HBF Chair Monica Karuturi, the Foundation engaged in a strategic planning process, in part to create a strategy for investment and spending consistent with the HBF’s mission. One of the first outcomes of those efforts was the creation of this grant program. This program is separate from the annual grant to the Houston Volunteer Lawyers and designed to broaden the HBF’s impact, which is focused on the Houston community. 

Over the years, the HBF has proudly provided grants to support access to justice and community education. This includes funding a part-time legal navigator at the HAY Center to assist with legal representation for those in need. The HBF also awarded a grant for the purchase and installation of a lactation pod in the Harris County Court Complex, helping foster the fair administration of justice for all citizens. Additionally, the Foundation supported the Harris County District Courts with a grant for court staff education and funded the awards for the HBA Law Week Contests, which promote public understanding of our legal system. The HBF is proud to now further its reach through the new Community Grants Program.

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The Houston Bar Foundation’s mission, as the charitable arm of the Houston Bar Association, is to make a positive impact on our community by: supporting legal representation for those in need; promoting understanding of our legal system, and fostering the administration of justice. Through the generosity of its contributors, and significantly its Fellows, Life Fellows, Sustaining Life Fellows, and Champion Fellows, the Foundation has been able to make a difference in the greater Houston community.

 

    

Press Release  

Contact:  

Maggie Martin 
Director, Marketing and Communications 
O: 346-471-3428
maggiem@hba.org 

 

   

HBA Honors Excellence in Diversity Efforts and Law Day Contests at 2025 DEI Summer Associate Luncheon 

The Houston Bar Foundation (HBF) also announced the launch of its new grants program 

(HOUSTON – JUNE 17, 2025) The Houston Bar Association held its 27th Annual Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Summer Associate Luncheon on June 13 in downtown Houston. Produced by the HBA’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee (now the Advancing Belonging & Cultures Committee), the luncheon celebrates the 1L summer associates and employers who are participating in this year’s Summer Clerkship program, as well as all local summer associates and their employers. The 1L clerk program not only provides job opportunities and hands-on legal experience for law students, but also gives students interview practice and readiness, resume review, a meet and greet with potential employers, exposure to the various fields of law through a Boot Camp, and one-on-one mentorship. 

“I’m proud to say that during the past 27 years, our 1L Summer Clerkship Program has provided opportunities to 938 Houston law students – most of whom are now employed in the legal profession across the country,” said HBA President Daniella Landers. “By working together to educate and mentor the next generation of attorneys, we can ensure the future success of a profession that represents all of Houston’s rich and diverse cultures.” 

The HBA also presented a law student scholarship and recognized the winners of the 2025 HBA Diversity Awards and 2025 Law Day contests. 

University of Houston Law Center student Aiman Patoli, who is working for Hon. Rabeea Sultan Collier, 113th District Court this summer, received the 2025 Law Student Scholarship. The Law Student Scholarship program’s purpose is to fund students who accepted unpaid public interest or governmental opportunities through the HBA 1L Summer Clerkship Program.  

The HBA Diversity Awards, created in 2019 by HBA President Benny Agosto, Jr. (2019-2020), are given to outstanding law firms and individuals in recognition of their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within the legal profession. This year’s recipients are:  

• Individual: Cisselon Nichols Hurd, Senior Legal Counsel, Shell USA, Inc. 

• Organization/Law Firm: Spencer Fane LLP 

The luncheon also honored the Houston-area students who took first place in the 2025 HBA Law Day Contest, which invites Houston-area students in elementary through high school to express their creativity and engage with important legal and civic themes through art, photography, and editorial writing.  

The Law Day contests are sponsored by the Houston Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of the HBA. 

This year’s winners were: 

Essay Contest 
“Harmony in Law” 
Aryan Singh, DeBakey High School for Health Professions (Houston ISD) 
Teacher: Qian Zhang  

Photography Contest (Grades 9-12) 
“Working with the Constituents” 
Stephen Castro, Blanson Career and Technical Education High School (Aldine ISD) 
Teacher: William Brink 
(Second place in the statewide contest) 

K-2nd Grade Poster Contest 
“We the People” 
Wren Schumacher, Jeanette Hayes Elementary (Katy ISD) 
Teacher: Jazmin Hebert 
(Third place in the statewide contest) 

6th-8th Grade Poster Contest 
"Rule of Law Fosters Unity and Diversity" 
Jonah Wan, Mandarin Immersion Magnet School (Houston ISD) 
Teacher: Thomas Sampson 
(Second place in the statewide contest) 

Special Needs Poster Contest (Grades 9-12) 
"Going to Court" 
Carlos Rosas, Bellaire High School (Houston ISD) 
Teacher: Tracey Norris 

In addition to continuing its support of the contests, the Houston Bar Foundation announced the launch of a new Community Grants Program on July 1. Through this program, the Foundation may award up to $100,000 in grants to support initiatives that align with its mission of serving the Houston community. Learn more about the Foundation and its new Community Grants Program by visiting hba.org/foundation.  

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The Houston Bar Association is a nonprofit professional organization for attorneys that provides education and service programs for the legal profession and the community. With over 10,000 members, the HBA is one of the largest metropolitan bar associations in the nation. 

The Houston Bar Foundation’s mission, as the charitable arm of the Houston Bar Association, is to make a positive impact on our community by: supporting legal representation for those in need; promoting understanding of our legal system, and fostering the administration of justice. Through the generosity of its contributors, and significantly its Fellows, Life Fellows, Sustaining Life Fellows, and Champion Fellows, the Foundation has been able to make a difference in the greater Houston community.