David Chamberlain (standing, far right) was invited by Governor Greg Abbott (seated, center) to attend the governor’s signing of senate bill 534 into law on June 8, 2015.
SB 534 adds a civility and integrity pledge to the oath every new Texas lawyer must take in order to be licensed to practice law in the state. The bill passed unanimously last month in both the Texas House and Senate.
Chamberlain is president of TEX-ABOTA (TEXAS Chapters of the American Board of Trial Advocates) who drafted the bill and led the battle for its passage. Chamberlain is also the 2015-16 Chair of the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors.
Also pictured are Senator Kirk Watson, Representative John Smithee, Chief Justice Nathan Hecht and Justice Phil Johnson of the Texas Supreme Court, President Trey Apffel of the State Bar and representatives of the Texas Association of Defense Counsel and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association.
Texas has the second largest bar association in the nation with almost 100,000 licensed lawyers. The new oath will be administered to all incoming lawyers beginning in September.