State Bar of Texas Podcast

In this conversation, host Rocky Dhir brings together two leaders: State Bar of Texas President Santos Vargas and Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA) President Alyson Martinez. They discuss their progress and continuing goals for the 2025–26 bar year, highlighting initiatives aimed at strengthening access to justice and expanding public service.

Santos shares his focus on access to justice through his “Stand With Santos” initiative, which raises awareness and funding to support the civil legal needs of low-income Texans. He provides an update on the initiative’s progress and the impact it aims to achieve across the state.As the leader of TYLA, Alyson heads many of the public service projects of the State Bar. During her presidency, her initiative, “For the Public”, has showcased lawyers working in public service roles. Through this project, she aims to increase understanding of these vital career paths, elevate the importance of public service, and inspire both attorneys and law students to pursue career opportunities that strengthen their communities.

Learn More:

Stand with Santos

For the Public - TYLA - Podcast

More Than Legal Outcomes - Texas Bar Journal - April 2026

Texas is fortunate to be home to a diverse and impressive roster of professional sports organizations, and it should come as no surprise that the demanding world of professional athletics requires highly skilled legal counsel. Host Rocky Dhir welcomes two distinguished attorneys from the Texas professional sports scene: Eunice Nakamura, Executive Vice President, General Counsel for the Texas Rangers Major League Baseball team, and James O’Sullivan, General Counsel for the Major League Soccer team, FC Dallas. Their conversation gives an inside look at the dynamic day-to-day experiences of lawyers specializing in the business of sports. Eunice and James candidly share their professional paths, detailing the opportunities and career choices that led them to their current roles.

To mark the sesquicentennial of the Texas Constitution, host Rocky Dhir is joined by two eminent Texans—Texas Supreme Court Justice Evan Young and legal historian Dr. Bill Chriss. They offer a deep dive into the foundational document's history and evolution, tracing its iterations from 1876 to the present day and exploring how its framework for self-governance continues to serve the people of Texas well. 

To learn more about the unique and fascinating story of our state constitution, read Dr. Chriss’ book: Six Constitutions Over Texas: Texas’ Political Identity, 1830–1900. 

Justice Evan A. Young was appointed to the Supreme Court of Texas in November 2021 by Governor Greg Abbott and later elected in November 2022 to serve through December of 2028. 

Dr. Bill Chriss is a self-described lifelong learner. As a lawyer, historian, and author, his work straddles the worlds of academia, family, writing, and appellate law.

The Honorable Nathan L. Hecht was the longest‑serving member in the history of the Supreme Court of Texas and the longest‑tenured Texas judge in active service. As he approached his well‑deserved retirement, Rocky Dhir welcomed The Honorable Hecht to the podcast to reflect on his many years of service to the Texas legal system. They discussed his career path, the behind‑the‑scenes work judges performed within the courts, his efforts to improve access to justice, his advice for lawyers, and much more.

Nathan L. Hecht served as the 27th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas. He was elected to the Court seven times, first in 1988 as a Justice and later in 2014 and 2020 as Chief Justice.

​​New Texas AI legislation will take effect January 1, 2026. What will this mean for your legal practice? The Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (TRAIGA) aims to regulate the development and deployment of artificial intelligence systems in the state to address issues such as discrimination, intentional harm, illegal sexual content, and the use of biometric data. Rocky Dhir welcomes Chris Schwegmann to help us unpack the nuances of TRAIGA legislation and understand its implications for the practice of law.

The discussion later shifts to the effective and ethical deployment of AI within legal practice. Chris highlights its capabilities by detailing his firm’s approach to AI tools. With proper use, AI has the potential to enhance your legal work and streamline processes to allow for greater attention to high-level tasks.

Chris Schwegmann is managing partner at Lynn, Pinker, Hurst & Schwegmann in Dallas, Texas.