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THE SUMMONS
Monthly newsletter of the Hidalgo County Bar Association
NOVEMBER -DECEMBER 2019 EDITION
President’s Message
Dear HCBA Members,
This is a very exciting and busy time of the year at HCBA as we prepare to say
goodbye to 2019 and begin a new decade with 2020!
Since 1928 the Hidalgo County Bar Association and Foundation have been a valuable
resource for our legal professionals and community-at-large. We work closely with the State Bar
of Texas MCLE Department to provide continuing legal education (CLEs) for members of our legal
community. We are committed to help you achieve your goals and see you succeed. Our Law
Sections are very active and provide CLEs on a regular basis, thus helping you save time and
money while earning the CLE hours required by the State Bar of Texas here locally so you don’t
have to travel or close your office for several days at a time.
We are proud of our work in the community to increase the community’s understanding
and appreciation of the legal system. We work closely with Region One Education Service Center
during the Annual High School Mock Trial Competitions by recruiting attorneys to serve as judges,
mentors and coaches. In addition, thanks to your memberships, we are able to financially support
the local winning teams as they move up to compete at the Mock Trial Competitions at the state
level. According to J.J. Saenz, Region One Social Studies Coordinator, this past January they had 23
local high school teams compete with 3 teams securing their spot on the State Mock Trial
Competitions. Thank you to all of you that donated your time and expertise to see these students
succeed.
In addition, we work closely with the Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) office to provide
Divorce Clinics and Wills Clinics for families in need by recruiting attorneys to volunteer to
represent these families and we also support TRLA financially. We are able to do this thanks to the
teamwork you help us with.
The Hidalgo County Bar Association has a membership roster of in excess of 550 and
proudly serves more than 2000 lawyers in surrounding counties. We work closely with the State
Bar of Texas MCLE Department to ensure that all of our CLEs are properly accredited. We are
proud to bring to you the full day HCBA Bill of Rights Criminal Law Conference featuring over 23
faculty members, all experts in their fields. This conference provides 8.25 CLE credit hours
including 2.5 Ethics credit hours.
The 2020 Annual David H. Hockema Civil Trial Law Conference is scheduled for April 23,
2020 at Double Tree Hotel in McAllen and promises to have some of the best speakers from
throughout the state of Texas.
We are proud to work closely with the Hidalgo County Young Lawyers Association and Ms.
Lauren Sepulveda, HCYLA Board President and their board on several projects. Each year HCYLA
helps us raise toys for our Annual Toy Drive. Please support the Young Lawyers Association!
The Women’s Bar Section 11th Annual Heart Gallery which held its Grand Opening on
November 12th at Rio Bank and came to a wonderful close on December 12th at Plains
Capital Bank. This amazing traveling exhibit is in collaboration with the Texas Department of
Family Protective Services featured 23 children and/or siblings that are ready to be adopted.
Money raised from this project benefits the Texas RioGrande Legal Aid to assist families with the
adoption fees to complete the process and make some miracles come true! Thank you to all of our
sponsors and donors!
This year we partnered with the Food Bank RGV for our Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.
Our HCBF Annual Fiesta De Gracias Celebration & Food Distribution was held on Saturday,
November 16th at the Mission Bautista Biblica Church in Las Milpas where we provided
Thanksgiving meals for over 500 families thanks to your generosity. The event was a huge success
and rewarding as we personally delivered the food to families in need. A special thanks to HEB
and our sponsors for helping secure the groceries for this amazing event!
Not an HCBA member?
There is so much going on at HCBA and HCBF and we don’t want you to miss it. Now is a
great time to renew you membership by visiting our website www.hidalgobar.org and signing up
online. For more information please call Cynthia Guerra, HCBA Executive Director, at 956-380-
1691 or email at [email protected].
Mark your calendars: we have some great events coming up in 2020:
The HCBA Child Welfare Law Section will host their 1st Annual Lunch CLE “A View from the
Bench” with Judge Carlos Villalon, Jr as the Guest Speaker on Tuesday, January 14, 2020, at 12
noon at the Child Protective Court Please register at www.hidalgobar.org
The WBS Lunch Video Conference CLE will be held on Tuesday, January 14, 2020, at 12 noon at
Edwards Abstract & Title Company. Guest speaker Sheldon Weisfeld, CEO of CoinVault – ATM,
LLC will speak on “Cryptocurrency and Crypto Assets…What every attorney needs to know”
via video conferencing. Thank you Edwards Abstract & Title Company for sponsoring this
event.
The 2020 Bill of Rights: Criminal Law Conference will be held on Friday, January 31, 2020, at
Cimarron Country Club in Mission. Joe Connors, III, Rey Merino and Lennard Whittaker serve
on the Criminal Law Section Committee and are preparing for this annual event.
The 2020 David H. Hockema Civil Trial Law Conference will be held on Thursday, April 23,
2020, at Double Tree Hotel in McAllen. The Civil Trial Law Conference Committee consists of
Susan Sullivan, Joe Escobedo, Bobby Ramirez and Frank Sabo. Mark your calendars and make
plans to attend this very popular and beneficial conference.
What’s New with You and Your Law Firm?
Send news of promotions, retirements, job postings, awards, etc. to [email protected].
Sincerely,
Thanks to our Title Sponsor
Thank you to Plains Capital Bank Wealth Department! We appreciate the use of your
Board Room for our monthly Board Meetings!
Mark Your Calendars! 2020 Bill of Rights: HCBA Criminal Law
Conference January 31, 2020
Sponsored by:
Bill of Rights: HCBA
Criminal Law Conference 2020 Course No. 174069818
(8.25 hours CLE, including 2.5 hours of Ethics)
Friday, January 31, 2020 – Registration starts at 7:30 am The Club at Cimarron–1200 S. Shary Road in Mission
COST:
Judges – Free Admission $75 Government/Non-Profit Service Attorneys $150.00 HCBA Criminal Law Section Members
$175.00-HCBA Members $200.00-Non Members
$250 Late Registration and at the Door Registrations
Featuring 24 Faculty Members!
Thank you to all of our wonderful donors of food
and financial support for our Thanksgiving Food Drive!
May you continue to be blessed!
Our Fiesta de Gracias was held on
Saturday, November 16th
in partnership with the Food Bank RGV at
The Mision Bautista Biblica Church in Las Milpas.
HCBA & HCBF EVENTS
January Bill of Rights: Criminal Law CLE Annual Conference
March Women’s Bar Section Justice is Served
April Hockema Civil Law CLE Annual Conference
May HCBA Board Officers Elections BBQ
Law Day Gala
June, July & August HCBA Summer Planning Season
September Annual Membership Kick-Off
October “Par Fore” Justice Golf Tournament
November Heart Gallery
Thanksgiving Food Drive
Fiesta de Gracias
December Toy Drive
Annual Black Robe Reception
Delivery of Toys at ARISE MUNIZ RGV Colonias
BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP
HIDALGO COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION
Network with your colleagues through events like the Annual Law Day Gala, Annual
Golf Tournament, Annual Dia de Gracias event, Annual Black Robe Reception, Law
Section membership, and other HCBA and HCBF Mixers to Community Service
Events.
The HCBA offers 8 Law Sections Membership that offer CLE opportunities to all
members.
Members receive reduced rates on our seminars.
Monthly & bi-monthly CLE lunch meetings make it easy to acquire your CLE hours.
1st year licensed attorney’s membership fee is waived.
Keep up to date on the HCBA and HCBF events through our monthly newsletter, The
Summons.
Free Job Postings on our website and The Summons newsletter.
And so much more! Join Today!
HCBA LAW SECTIONS
Appellate Law Section
Child Welfare Law Section
Criminal Law Section
Family Law Section
Estate Planning & Probate Law
General Civil Law Section
Immigration Law Section
Real Estate Law Section
Women’s Bar Section
Renew your HCBA Membership
Today! It’s a new year, which means a new membership! Renew your membership today by
visiting our website www.Hidalgobar.org and logon with your username and password.
You can pay with either a credit card and a receipt will be sent to you. You can also
download the membership dues renewal form and mail it in with a check made payable to
the
Hidalgo County Bar Association
Forgot your Password?
Click “Forgot Password” link. Once you are logged in, click on the “Securely Renew
Your Membership Now” link. Please update the forms with your most current
information for our online records. As soon as payment is received, we will reactivate
your Member Profile.
Please contact us at (956) 380-1691
if you have any questions.
Cynthia Guerra, Executive Director
Thank you!
HCBA MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS
BENEFITS! JOIN TODAY
Job Postings & Announcements
One of the benefits of being a HCBA
member is that members can post a job
announcement on our website and our
newsletter, The Summons, free of charge. We
currently have a few job opportunities listed on
our HCBA Online Job Bank.
If you are looking to hire an associate
for your law practice or are an attorney seeking
employment with one of our area law firms,
please let your fellow bar member know by
posting your classified ad online. Simply contact
our office at 956-380-1691.
Villeda Law Group is looking for an experienced
paralegal in probate, transactions, including real
estate. Bilingual ideal, but not required. Mark
Talbot will be supervising attorney. VLG offers
retirement benefit and health insurance and is
competitive in salary compensation. Please
submit resume to Villeda Law Group attention
HCBA JOB BANK
The Garcia Legal Firm is a small civil defense firm
seeking to hire a part-time or full-time attorney,
preferably with 2 or more years of experience. Salary
commensurate with experience and qualifications.
This is a unique opportunity for the right person.
Interested applicants send resume to:
Royston, Rayzor, Vickery & Williams, L.L.P. Is
seeking a lawyer 1 – 3 years civil litigation experience
to join the firm’s Brownsville office as an associate.
The applicant should possess strong academic
credentials, writing skills and oral advocacy. Excellent
benefits. Salary commensurate with experience.
Resumes and a writing sample should be sent to
O’Hanlon Demerath & Castillo Attorneys and
Counselors at Law is looking for an experienced
litigation paralegal. Please submit resume to
