For just the second time in its history, the State Bar of Texas on Feb. 19 certified a petition candidate to run for president-elect. Bar board member Steve Fischer filed his petition on Valentine’s Day, says Bar spokeswoman Holly Priestner. Exactly five days later, Bar Executive Director Michelle Hunter wrote Fischer a letter notifying him of his certification as a candidate. Hunter wrote, “The petition contained 5,752 signatures, and 5,166 were confirmed as eligible. Therefore, you are hereby certified as a candidate. . . .” Fischer says about being certified, “I’m happy. It gives me a little bit of a rest.” He recalls about filing his petition, “I brought a big box. . . . I think it was exciting for everyone at the Bar. They were taking photographs and stuff. It was a piece of Bar history.” The State Bar Act says any member of the Bar may run for president-elect if he or she files a petition with signatures from five percent of Bar members who are in good standing. The Bar’s executive director certifies the petition. Fischer has been collecting lawyers’ signatures for nearly a year. “It’s something I really believe in,” he says. Fischer will run against Trey Apffel, a League City solo, and Larry Hicks, president and managing shareholder in Hicks & Llamas in El Paso.
Temporary SMU Dean
A property law professor will occupy the real estate of Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law‘s dean’s office effective June 1, as a search committee looks for a permanent dean to replace John B. Attanasio, who completes his service as dean in May. Julie Patterson Forrester, who previously served as the law school’s associate dean of academic affairs from 1995 to 1996, will serve as the law school’s interim dean. Forrester says she’s looking forward to the job but has no plans to apply for the position at this time. “We are fortunate to have Professor Forrester in place to serve in this important role,” said Paul W. Ludden, SMU provost and vice president for academic affairs, who appointed the interim dean, in a press release. “She is an outstanding legal scholar who also has an impressive record of community service and engagement. She will work well with the University community and with the broader legal community as we look forward to a bright future for the Dedman School of Law.” Some of the members of the search committee include: Michael M. Boone of Haynes and Boone; William D. Noel of Houston; Alan Feld of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Deborah G. Hankinson of Hankinson LLP; and Albon Head of Jackson Walker.
