We are pleased to announce that Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library will be ready for a limited reopening on Monday, June 14, 2021. There will be a few new procedures in place to help everyone stay safe, including: Social distancing measures; Some services may not be available right away, such as copy center and notary services; Hours will be limited to Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Patrons will need to make appointments to visit the Law Library. Starting Monday, June 7, patrons will be able to make appointments for the week of June 14.…

Image by Francine Sreca from Pixabay On May 20, 2021, President Biden signed into law the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, Pub. L. 117-13, which “addresses hate crimes throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with particular emphasis on the increase in violence against Asian Americans.” The bill was introduced on March 23, 2021, by Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., and Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii. According to a summary produced by the Congressional Research Service, the Act has five main provisions (cited verbatim below): Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay This bill requires a designated officer or employee of the Department of…

Image by ejaugsburg from Pixabay The City of Houston’s busking ordinance has come under fire from a local musician who is challenging the law as a violation of his First Amendment right to free speech. Article XI of the Code of Ordinances of Houston, Texas, Sidewalk Sales and Performances, requires any vendor or performer to apply for and secure a permit to sell merchandise or food or to conduct a performance on the sidewalk in the city’s theater/entertainment district. Implicit in this ordinance is that street performances are limited to a certain sector of the city, in this…

In the US, this month is Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month. In recognition, this blog post provides an overview of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander people and events, historically and today, that you may know very little or nothing at all about. People 10 AAPI women you should know (but probably have never heard of) 12 Amazing Asian Americans You Didn’t Learn About School Forgotten Roots 10 Influential Asian American and Pacific Islander Activists 30 Revolutionary Asians and Pacific Islanders to Celebrate for AAPI Heritage Month Who is Making Asian American Pacific Islander History in …

Would you like free access, from the comfort of your home or office, to an extensive library of legal resources, including form books, practice guides, and popular treatises on a wide variety of legal topics? If so, please visit the Lexis eBook Digital Collection webpage to request a free subscription. After submitting your request, you will receive an email containing your login credentials. Next, head over to the Lexis eBook Digital Collection login page to access the complete online library. View, download, and explore full-text content from resources such as Dorsaneo’s Texas Litigation Guide, the Texas Transaction Guide, the Texas…

Image by Sang Hyun Cho from Pixabay. Lawyers who provide unbundled legal services, also known as “limited-scope representation,” are hired “to perform a specific task or represent [clients] for only a limited process or issue of the matter instead of the entire legal matter.” Some examples of unbundled legal services include: Advising clients on their legal rights and responsibilities; Conducting one-off legal research; Coaching clients on how to present themselves during court procedures or ADR; Making limited court appearances on behalf of the client; Devising negotiation strategies; or Preparing and/or writing legal documents (aka legal…

According to Forbes, “Law is among the slowest industries to adopt new technology.” (Anecdotally, this is a widely-held opinion.) A global health pandemic forced the legal industry to quickly adapt to remote work and adopt new technologies. An Above the Law article from 2/11/2021 stated the legal “profession has indeed reached a tipping point and that many aspects of the practice of law, ranging from how and where work gets done and the footprint of law firms, will look very different on the other side of the pandemic.” Legal Technology Changes During the Pandemic In addition to the widespread…