Welcome to HLA
Greetings,
It is an honor and privilege to serve as president of the Houston Lawyers Association for the year 2011 – 2012. Since 1955, our organization has enjoyed a rich history of providing its lawyers a forum as well as opportunities to address various issues that affect the African-American community, and the community at large. Some of Houston’s most prominent attorneys have served this organization’s helm. I am honored to be selected to serve and will continue to build on the legacy left by those who served before me.
While the Houston Lawyers Association has been integral in improving the effectiveness and opportunities for African-American lawyers in Houston, many still question the necessity of minority bar associations. Many wonder if there is a need for minority bar associations in an era where equality and justice for all is preached and overt and covert racism and discrimination is not accepted. The Houston Lawyers Association was formed in 1955 as a result of the courageous vision and foresight of Mr. Robert Hainsworth. Mr. Hainsworth sought to challenge the Houston Bar Association’s rule and practice of refusing the admission of African-American lawyers into its organization. It was his courage that recognized the necessity of an organization that would provide a voice for local African-American lawyers and address social injustices. It was through the efforts of the Houston Lawyers Association that initiatives to encourage the desegregation of the Harris Country court system were developed and achieved
We recognize that African American lawyers have, for the most part, been included and embraced in the legal community and that African American lawyers have a visible presence within the legal community. The Houston Lawyers Association and Houston Bar Association have a healthy relationship. Many local African-American lawyers are not only members of both organizations, have been active in their leadership ranks. However, in the midst of recognizing the gains and successes of African-American lawyers on their quest and journey for equality within the legal community, we cannot forget that discrimination, inequality, and injustice still exists, even within the legal community. Recently, we witnessed racist emails being circulated within the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and our own Harris County Crime Lab has come under fire. We also continue to see a disproportionate number of African-Americans males in our criminal justice system. Although we appreciate and applaud the willingness of other organizations such as the Houston Bar Association to create and embrace programs geared toward providing solutions to social justice issues and inequality, the Houston Lawyers Association still remains as one of the premier and influential organizations focused on the eradication of discriminatory practices. As African-American lawyers, we must seek out and understand the qualitative data, we must listen to the stories of injustice, we must be advocates for those who cannot advocate for themselves, and we must do whatever we can to right any wrongs.
It is the overall mandate of minority bar associations, such as the Houston Lawyers Association, to encourage and maintain diversity within the legal profession. Quantitatively, according to Columbia Law Business Society of American Law Teachers, African-American enrollment in law schools has fallen by 18.6% in the past 15 years, with 2003/2004 representing a 13 year low. According to the American Bar Association, African American enrollment dropped by 13% in 2006. In 2006-2007, there were a total of 79,409 attorneys in the state of Texas. Of this number, 11,060 were categorized as minority attorneys and 3153 or 4 % are categorized as African-American attorneys. Of these 3153 African-American attorneys, only 220 of them are members of the African-American Lawyers Section of the State Bar of Texas. Further, of the 20,006 registered attorneys in Harris County, 1,304 or 7% of them are African-Americans. As you can see, quantitatively, there is room for improvement. Minority bar associations are needed to serve as an example to minority students in choosing the legal profession as a career.
African-Americans and minority bar associations have always been at the forefront of civil rights changes for the betterment of all minorities throughout history. Recently, Texas has led efforts to improve diversity in law firms. Through the power of collaboration, bar associations in multiple Texas cities instituted joint meetings and programs related to rating law firm diversity through the use of diversity scorecards. The effort was such a huge success and that it was adopted and rolled out by the National Bar Association to other cities and states, Chicago was the first to adopt this Texas-born methodology. As Texas attorneys, we should be especially proud of our rich history of leading the nation in such efforts.
Through networking, fellowshipping and collaborating with other minority and majority bar associations, we can address these issues and see a change for the better; we reach out to all the bar associations in Houston, including, but not limited to the Hispanic Bar Association, the Mexican-American Bar Association, the Asian-American Bar Association, the Houston Bar Association, and the Houston Young Lawyers Association. We have worked and to fellowship with you in the past and look forward to continuing to do so. We reach out to the bar associations in our great network of cities in Texas, a network unmatched by any other state. We especially reach out to the San Antonio Black Lawyers Association, the Austin Black Lawyers Association, the JL Turner Legal Association of Dallas, the Tarrant County Black Bar Association of Fort Worth, and the Jefferson County Black Bar Association of Beaumont. Further, we reach out to the special interest committees and sections of the State Bar of Texas, especially the African American Lawyers Section. Indeed, we have a strong network of bar associations in Texas. Let’s work on issues affecting our communities and state together. Please join Houston Lawyers Association this year as we make a difference.