National Pro Bono Week, October 25-31

The 2020 celebration of National Pro Bono Week takes place October 25-31. Legal organizations across the country have organized events to raise awareness of the need for pro bono services and to celebrate the initiatives of those engaged in pro bono legal work. For a list of National Pro Bono Week events, please visit the sites below.

• Pro Bono Week — ProBonoTexas.org

• Celebrate Pro Bono — Probono.net

• Celebrate Pro Bono — American Bar Association

• Pro Bono Week — Taproot

Houston Bar Association Events

• Houston Pro Bono: A Call to Action — Houston Volunteer Lawyers (October 27, 12:00 pm, MCLE: 1.0 hour & Ethics: 0.5) Click here to register.

  Join Justice Jane Bland, Mayor Sylvester Turner, Monica Karuturi, Jeff Kaplan, Kelly Rose, Michael Donaldson, Bill Kroger, Mindy Davidson, and Anne Chandler in this call to action to ensure all Houstonians are able to access justice

If you are a licensed Texas attorney and would like to volunteer to provide pro bono services, contact the Houston Volunteer Lawyers or visit HVL online.

Latest & Greatest – The ABA Cybersecurity Handbook: A Resource for Attorneys, Law Firms, and Business Professionals

Edited by Jill D. Rhodes and Robert S. Litt

Published by American Bar Association. Cybersecurity Legal Task Force.

KF 318 .A7518 2017

Photo Credit: Helen Hartman

The Law Library’s newest addition to its Legal Tech Collection is The ABA Cybersecurity Handbook. Sponsored by the ABA’s Cybersecurity Legal Task Force, The ABA Cybersecurity Handbook strives to provide attorneys and business professionals with an overview of the many aspects of cybersecurity and some practical considerations in the event of a cyber breach. 

The book begins with some background for aid in understanding a cybersecurity threat and its attendant risks. The writers provide examples of the most common threats and how law firms can address them. There is also an explanation of the cyber network, its organization, and potential threats, and how defensive systems work and respond to perceived threats. There is a discussion of the lawyer’s obligation to provide data security under the ethics rules and ABA formal opinion 477R and some advice as to when the lawyer should discuss the issue of cybersecurity with her client. The book concludes with some best practices for becoming prepared through international business community management system series of standards and the international information security management system series of standards. The authors also address the cyber-related challenges faced by large law firms, solo practitioners and small firms, in-house counsel, government lawyers, and public interest attorneys. 

No one is immune from the increasing number of cyber threats and breaches and the confidential data that can be targeted in these attacks. The cost of being prepared is minimal compare to the cost of corrupted data and loss of trust. The ABA Cybersecurity Handbook can help you become better prepared.

Other titles on this topic include: Encryption Made Simple for Lawyers, Locked Down: Practical Information Security for Lawyers, and Technology Tips for Lawyers and Other Business Professionals.

Law Day 2018 - Separation of Powers: Framework for Freedom

Today we are recognizing Law Day. Our regular Tech Tuesday feature will return next week. 

Today is Law Day, an annual opportunity to reflect on the legal foundation of our nation and the fundamental role that the law plays in securing the freedoms we as Americans hold dear. At the Harris County Law Library, we're observing the day with a special Law Day exhibit, which will be on display all month long in the library lobby. We are also pleased to be featuring selected winning entries from the Houston Bar Association's annual Law Day essay and poster contest. The winning posters can be seen in the video below, along with a special Law Day message from the Harris County Law Library.

In 1957, American Bar Association (ABA) President Charles S. Rhyne, who provided legal counsel to President Eisenhower, conceived of a day dedicated to the celebration of our legal system, a vision that Mr. Eisenhower would help fulfill. The following year, on February 3, 1958, President Eisenhower issued Proclamation 3221, designating May 1st as Law Day and establishing a tradition. Every administration since has issued a Presidential Proclamation for this special occasion. The 2018 Law Day Proclamation emphasizes the wisdom of our unique structure of government. Consisting of three co-equal branches -- Executive, Legislative, and Judicial -- each with its own authority and limitations, this framework has allowed freedom to flourish for nearly 229 years.

The legislative branch also recognized the importance of this special day. On April 7, 1961, Congress passed a joint resolution (Public Law 87-20, 75 Stat. 43) to officially establish May 1st as Law Day, codifying it into law in Title 36, Section 113. In the years since, Americans have observed Law Day with civic activities, educational programs, and special events consistent with the American Bar Association's annual Law Day theme. Based on a significant aspect of the American legal system (e.g., democracy, civil rights, legal history, the judiciary, or Constitutional law), this theme serves as a focal point for schools, libraries, courts, bar associations, community groups, civic organizations, and others to plan celebratory events.

This year's theme is Separation of Powers: Framework for Freedom, which the ABA explains with a quote from James Madison in Federalist 51: “Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.” On its website, the ABA elaborates:

Madison believed that the Constitution’s principles of separation of powers and checks and balances preserve political liberty. They provide a framework for freedom. Yet, this framework is not self-executing. We the people must continually act to ensure that our constitutional democracy endures, preserving our liberties and advancing our rights. The Law Day 2018 theme enables us to reflect on the separation of powers as fundamental to our constitutional purpose and to consider how our governmental system is working for ourselves and our posterity.

On this day, the Harris County Law Library invites you to reflect on the importance of a legal system designed to guard against tyranny and establish fairness, balance, and justice in the conduct of government. Don't forget to stop by our exhibit throughout the month of May, which explores the Law Day Dialogues presented on the ABA website, and encourages thoughtful consideration of this year's theme, Separation of Powers: Framework for Freedom. Happy Law Day 2018!