Austin Bar Community-Related Committees
 

Adoption Day
Chair: Denise Hyde
Coordinates annual Adoption Day, including organizing bear and book drives, gathering donations of food, balloons, and gift basket items. In addition, committee members attend a CLE on handling adoptions, and all adoptions performed through Adoption Day are provided pro bono.

Animal Welfare (Joint committee with AYLA) - NEW!
Chair: Katherine Howard
Utilizes community service and other activities to promote the welfare of animals.

Bar & Grill Show
Co-Chairs: David DuBose and Claude Ducloux
Plans and produces an annual variety show, which raises money for the Austin Bar Foundation and Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Charitable Outreach Assistance - NEW!
Chair: Shannon Meroney
Legal Build Subcommittee Chair: Sarah Foster
Blood Drive Subcommittee Chair: Lance Sharp
Children's Shelter Drive Subcommittee Chair: Laura Merritt
Includes Legal Build, the ALS Fundraiser, and the Children's Shelter Drive; identifies and coordinates the charitable activities of the Bar.

Fee Dispute with Attorneys
Chair: Shawn St. Clair
Mediates and/or arbitrates fee disputes submitted by clients, attorneys, the courts and the District 9 Grievance Committee.

Immigration Project - NEW!
Chair: David Chamberlain
Assists legal permanent residents with citizenship applications and minimizes adverse effects of immigration raids on our local community.

People's Law School
Co-Chairs: Sara Foskitt, Katherine Howard, and Austin Tighe
Plans the People's Law School, a half-day program of free basic law classes for the public.

Speakers Bureau
Co-Chairs: Judge Ken Law, Steve Mierl, and Brett Strand
Arranges for attorney speakers for various civic and business requests and trains attorneys to defend attacks on the American judicial system.

Wills for Heroes - NEW! (Joint committee with AYLA)
Chair: Scott Ozmun
Provides free estate planning documents to first responders - police, fire and paramedics - with the pro bono help of local attorneys.