2009-2010 Woodrow B. Seals Outstanding Young Lawyer of Houston Award - Nominations Open
HYLA is now accepting nominations for the 2009-2010 Woodrow B. Seals Outstanding Young Lawyer of Houston Award. Award winners are selected based on outstanding qualities including, but not limited to, exemplary professional proficiency, service to the profession, and service to the community. Immediate Past President Tanya Garrison chairs the Outstanding Young Lawyer Committee and will assist nominees and nominators with assembling award applications if she receives a nomination by February 12; all applications are due by March 1. To be eligible for the award, the nominee must be a member in good standing of the State Bar of Texas, practice law or reside in the greater Houston area, and be no more than 36 years old as of June 1, 2009. To make a nomination, contact Tanya Garrison at 713.961.9045 or tgarrison@wkpz.com with the nominee's name and phone number.

2009-2010 Liberty Bell Award - Nominations Open
HYLA is now accepting nominations for the 2009-2010 Liberty Bell Award. The Liberty Bell Award recognizes community service by a non-lawyer that promotes a better understanding of government, especially the Bill of Rights; encourages greater respect for the law and the courts; stimulates a deeper sense of individual responsibility, so that citizens recognize their duties and their rights; contributes to the effective functioning of our institutions of government, and instills a better understanding and appreciation of the law. HYLA President-elect Courtney Palm chairs the Liberty Bell Award committee and will assist nominees and nominators with assembling award applications if she receives a nomination by February 12; all applications are due by March 1. To make a nomination, contact Courtney Palm at 713.425.7413 or cpalm@krcl.com with the nominee's name and phone number.

HYLA 2010-2011 Elections
Each year, HYLA members elect a President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and eight Directors to one-year terms. To run for an office, the candidate must submit a petition signed by ten regular HYLA members (signatures of HYLA members who are law students or who were not admitted to the bar when they joined HYLA, do not count towards the ten-signature requirement). You must submit the completed petition to HYLA's Secretary, Jason Ryan before HYLA's annual meeting at 5:30 p.m. on March 9, 2010 to run for a position. To request a petition, contact Jason Ryan at jason.ryan@CenterpointEnergy.com.

HYLA AND HABLA LUNCHTIME SPANISH CLASSES START SOON!
March 9 - June 8; Lunchtime Spanish classes: Beginners 1 - 12 noon to 1 p.m.; Beginners 2 - 1:05 p.m. to 2:05 p.m. at Haynes and Boone, LLP, 1221 McKinney, 21st floor (77010). Fee (includes materials): $250.  Evening classes are also available for Beginners 2 on Mondays, March 8 - April 19, 6 to 8 p.m. or Tuesdays, March 9 - April 20, 6 to 8 p.m. at the Greater Southwest Houston Chamber of Commerce, 6900 South Rice Ave. (77401). For more information or to register, go to www.hablahouston.com.

TEE TIME WITH HYLA
HYLA's 2nd Annual "Tee Time" for children in Big Brothers Big Sisters Amachi Texas Mentor Program will be held on Saturday, March 20, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Zuma Fun Center, 6767 Southwest Freeway (77074). HYLA needs 20 lawyers and law students to volunteer as mentors for this fun event! Food, drinks and entertainment for the BBBS children and mentors has been generously provided by the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association. For more information or to volunteer, contact Wendy Miller at wendymiller@comcast.net. 

HYLA'S CORPORATE COUNSEL AND CLE COMMITTEES TO HOST CLE PANEL
The Corporate Counsel and CLE Committees will host a CLE panel on the "Do's and Don'ts - Ethics, Professional Etiquette and Legal Practice for New Lawyers. It will be held on April 14, from 12 noon to 1 p.m. at Baker Botts LLP, 910 Louisiana. RSVP to Corbett Parker at corbett.parker@gmail.com. Special thanks to Baker Botts LLP for sponsoring this event. This event is free for HYLA members; $10 for non-members.

HYLF GRANT PROGRAM
HYLF is now accepting grant applications. All applications are due and must be postmarked by Friday, April 16 if sent by mail or received by 2:00 p.m. on April 16 via electronic mail in order for the Grants Committee Chair to send a receipt notification. If you do not receive a receipt notification, your application was not received. For additional information, please contact Gindi Eckel Vincent at (713) 276-7678 or gindi.vincent@pillsburylaw.com. Click here for the 2009-2010 HYLF Grant Guidelines and Grant Application.

HYLA/HYLF LAW DAY LUNCHEON HONORS THE LAW PROFESSION
Please join HYLA and HYLF as they celebrate Law Day with a luncheon. The luncheon will be held from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at The Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Houston. Recipients of the Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, Liberty Bell Award and Outstanding Mentor Award will be announced at the luncheon.

HYLF CROSS-COURT CHALLENGE TENNIS TOURNAMENT
HYLF Cross-Court Challenge will hold its annual tournament at Memorial Park from April 30 - May 2, 2010. The Cross-Court Challenge will kick-off at HYLA's April Final Thursday on April 29, 2010 at the Downtown Club at the Met. For tennis fans, there will be a tennis clinic that evening. For non-tennis players, it will be a regular Final Thursday and will also include a Silent Auction.  Proceeds from the auction and clinic as well as the tennis tournament will benefit the Houston Tennis Association's National Junior Tennis and Learning. For more information, contact Matt Schlensker mattscott55@yahoo.com or John Harper jharper@morganlewis.com.

HYLF FUN RUN
Put on your running shoes and join HYLF for their annual Fun Run on May 13, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. The run will be held at Sam Houston Park! For more information about sponsoring, participating, or volunteering for this event, please contact Tamara Ruen ruent@gtlaw.com or Pamela Reyburn at reyburnp@gtlaw.com.

HYLA LEADERSHIP ACADEMY RECRUITS VOLUNTEERS FOR CLASS PROJECT
Volunteer with HYLA's Leadership Academy, YWCA, and the United Way during the weekend of May 21, 2010 to help transform the H.P. Carter Child Development Center into a fun, colorful, child-friendly environment and create H.P. Carter's first infant playground which will be open to the community at large. This HISD facility provides free childcare for children ages 3 weeks to 17 months in two converted classrooms with the mission of empowering young women by providing an opportunity to complete their education. For more information, contact Shavonne Smith at SSmith@wernerayers.com.