Latest & Greatest – Essentials of Texas Water Resources

Edited by Mary K. Sahs

Published by the State Bar of Texas

KFT 1646 .A75 E87 2016

Water, it can be said, is our greatest and most precious natural resource. It is both life-giving and life-sustaining as well as the subject of a complex and, oftentimes, political area of law. Thanks to a project of the State Bar of Texas Environmental & Natural Resources Law Section, the field of water law can be more easily understood. Now, in its fourth edition, Essentials of Texas Water Resources provides an overview of the challenges the state will face as the population continues to grow and shift and water resources become more burdened. The book begins with an overview of the two systems of water rights: surface water and ground water, and the legislative oversight given to these two systems in the forms of water districts and river authorities and regional water districts. Key to this oversight are the protections afforded to water rights by the enforcement statutes set forth in the Texas Water Code. Using the lessons learned from the most recent drought here in Texas, the authors also address changes made to the state’s water planning laws and the evolution of the groundwater management as well as some water management strategies. Other issues include the effect of the Endangered Species Act on water rights, the economic value of water, and the governmental acquisition of water rights. Filled with many handy illustrations, this book is an invaluable resource for those new to the field of water law and for those who simply need a brush-up.

Latest & Greatest – Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture & Law

The Harris County Law Library is excited about the latest addition to its HeinOnline subscription database: Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture & Law. Consisting of cases, statutes, scholarly articles and much more, this comprehensive library is a one-stop resource for legal and non-legal materials on slavery. Among the highlights are:

  • the complete five-volume set of Judicial Cases Concerning American Slavery and the Negro
  • United States Supreme Court cases from 1786-1880
  • selected federal cases from the circuit courts
  • anti-slavery periodicals covering topics such as abolitionist movements, black authors, colonization, emancipation, and politics
  • records of Congressional debates
  • slavery statutes from all states
  • law review articles and legal commentary
  • histories of slavery from UNC Press Publications.

There are also links to external sources and digital collections documenting American slavery from such institutions as the Library of Congress, the Law Library of Congress, and the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

As with the other libraries found on HeinOnline, Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture & Law is fully searchable. Using HeinOnline’s “Slavery Quick Finder,” you can focus your search by selecting position, e.g. anti-slavery or pro-slavery, document type, jurisdiction, and topic. Document types range from biographies and pamphlets to cases and government reports. Jurisdictional choices include not only the United States and Great Britain but also Africa and Haiti. If you’re simply looking to browse the collection, just click on the category tabs at the top of the page.

The next time you’re visiting the Harris County Law Library, be sure to have a look at this historical collection detailing the history of slavery in America and abroad. Just ask a law librarian if you need assistance.

Latest & Greatest: Social Media 101 for Lawyers

To kick off Social Media Law Resource Month at the Harris County Law Library, we're highlighting a couple of very helpful resources. The first is a Pocket Guide published by the Texas Young Lawyers Association called Social Media 101. The second is a white paper, recently published by Thomson Reuters and FindLaw, called From Novelty to Necessity: Pragmatic Social Media for Law Firms. 

TYLA's Social Media 101 provides an excellent review of electronic communication as regulated speech and the requirements that all attorneys must meet when advertising online. According to the State Bar's Advertising Review Committee (ARC) and the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, any content posted to social media for marketing or solicitation purposes must be filed with the ARC. However, according to an exception in Rule 7.07, content that is not "prepared to secure paid professional employment" is exempt. Communications that inform potential clients about the law (such as an article you might write for your firm's blog) and content that is more social in nature (photographs on Facebook of your firm at a charity event, or a link on Twitter to an inspiring TED Talk, for example) need not be submitted. Even so, the TYLA Pocket Guide advises that, when in doubt, it is best to file any electronic content that can be construed as advertising to the ARC. 

From Novelty to Necessity, covers a different aspect of social media, namely the imperative that all lawyers maintain a digital presence. Based on data that show the advantages of using social media to market services and build professional networks, the authors assert that having a digital presence is no longer optional. They also discuss how to use social media effectively. Identify the factors that set your firm apart, they say, and develop a marketing strategy that differentiates your brand. Spell out the qualities that make your firm unique, including the benefits of retaining your services, and present them in ways that resonate with potential clients. Then, communicate the benefits consistently across all social media platforms. Try to achieve a sort of "calculated authenticity" so that clients and potential clients see you as approachable, open, accessible, and willing to interact. Community-based lawyers, in particular, must be willing to share part of themselves before clients are willing to share their personal needs. When executed in accordance with the State Bar's requirements for electronic communication, the benefits can be substantial.