Speaker and attendees at a UT Law CLE conference presentation
eCourse

First Friday Ethics: May 2026

Contains material from Aug 2025 to Apr 2026
First Friday Ethics: May 2026
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Need ethics credit? We’ve got you covered! UT Law CLE’s First Friday Ethics streams live every first Friday of the month, and features some of our best ethics speakers and presentations for a total of 3.00 hrs ethics credit. Fulfill your entire annual ethics requirement in Texas in one day!

Session 1: Ethics Game Show - Watch shameless appellate practitioners try to outgame each other as they answer ethics questions savvy practitioners need to know.

Session 2: What is a Lawyer’s Responsibility in a Democracy Under Duress? - How should lawyers respond to actions that threaten democracy and the rule of law? 

Session 3: Forgetting Who Your Client Is - The cooperation between trustees, beneficiaries, and other interested parties often seen in Special Needs Trusts may create a trap for the unwary practitioner. This presentation provides practical guidance and ethical requirements for maintaining appropriate attorney/client relationships, not accidentally forming attorney/client relationships, and keeping in mind the client’s needs and duties in forwarding the progress of a SNT.

Session 4: Negotiating Tactics in Energy Disputes: From Good to Ugly - Break down negotiation approaches commonly used in energy disputes—the “good” (effective and ethical), the “bad” (ineffective), and the “ugly” (counterproductive and potentially unethical). Using real-world hypotheticals, discuss actionable strategies to avoid wasted leverage, spot ethical pitfalls, and recognize when aggressive negotiation tactics cross the line into ethical violations.

Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Paper Slides

  • Total Credit Hours:
  • 3.00 | 3.00 ethics
  • Credit Info
  • TX, CA, PA
  • TX MCLE credit expires: 4/30/2027
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Sessions

Credit
1. Ethics Game Show (Aug 2025)

Hon. Tanya Garrison, Hon. Daryl L. Moore, Alan York

0.75 0.75 0.00 0.75 | 0.75 ethics
Downloadable Materials
Transcript (txt)
Slides (pdf) – 12 pgs

Session 1 —46 mins 0.75 | 0.75 ethics

Ethics Game Show (Aug 2025)

Watch shameless appellate practitioners try to outgame each other as they answer ethics questions savvy practitioners need to know.

Originally presented: Jun 2025 Conference on State and Federal Appeals

Hon. Tanya Garrison, 157th District Court - Houston, TX
Hon. Daryl L. Moore, Ahmad Zavitsanos & Mensing PLLC - Houston, TX
Alan York, Reed Smith LLP - Houston, TX

2. What is a Lawyer’s Responsibility in a Democracy Under Duress? (Oct 2025)

Michael Curry

0.75 0.75 0.00 0.75 | 0.75 ethics
Downloadable Materials
Slides (pdf) – 25 pgs

Session 2 —44 mins 0.75 | 0.75 ethics

What is a Lawyer’s Responsibility in a Democracy Under Duress? (Oct 2025)

How should lawyers respond to actions that threaten democracy and the rule of law?

Originally presented: Sep 2025 First Friday Ethics (September 2025)

Michael Curry, Attorney-Mediator - Austin, TX

3. Forgetting Who Your Client Is (Apr 2026)

Jennifer L. Coulter

0.50 0.50 0.00 0.50 | 0.50 ethics
Downloadable Materials
Transcript (txt)
Paper (pdf) – 18 pgs

Session 3 —27 mins 0.50 | 0.50 ethics

Forgetting Who Your Client Is (Apr 2026)

The cooperation between trustees, beneficiaries, and other interested parties often seen in Special Needs Trusts may create a trap for the unwary practitioner. This presentation provides practical guidance and ethical requirements for maintaining appropriate attorney/client relationships, not accidentally forming attorney/client relationships, and keeping in mind the client’s needs and duties in forwarding the progress of a SNT.

Originally presented: Feb 2026 Special Needs Trusts

Jennifer L. Coulter, Townsend Allala, Coulter & Kludt, PLLC - El Paso, TX

4. Negotiating Tactics in Energy Disputes: From Good to Ugly (Mar 2026)

Austin W. Brister, Paul D. Clote

1.00 1.00 0.00 1.00 | 1.00 ethics
Downloadable Materials
Transcript (txt)
Slides (pdf) – 54 pgs

Session 4 —59 mins 1.00 | 1.00 ethics

Negotiating Tactics in Energy Disputes: From Good to Ugly (Mar 2026)

Break down negotiation approaches commonly used in energy disputes—the “good” (effective and ethical), the “bad” (ineffective), and the “ugly” (counterproductive and potentially unethical). Using real-world hypotheticals, discuss actionable strategies to avoid wasted leverage, spot ethical pitfalls, and recognize when aggressive negotiation tactics cross the line into ethical violations.

Originally presented: Jan 2026 Renewable Energy Law Institute

Austin W. Brister, McGinnis Lochridge - Houston, TX
Paul D. Clote, JAMS - Houston, TX