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Welcome to
Harris County
Democratic Lawyers Association
Our Mission
The mission of Harris County Democratic Lawyers Association is to promote and recruit qualified local Democrats in seeking positions of public office, to educate the Democratic Bar in ways in which it can promote Democratic ideas and candidates, and to assist the Harris County Democratic Party in all ways consistent with Democratic Values.
Organization Profile and Activities
Harris County Democratic Lawyers Association [HCDLA], was formed in 2003 by local lawyers who are unabashedly affiliated with the Democratic Party. This group is committed to furthering the administration of fair justice and intends to advance that goal by making Harris County, once again, a Democratic county. Most founding members are veteran candidates from previous Harris County judicial, legislative, and administrative elections. However, membership is open to all committed Democrats, including non-lawyers. Dues are nominal.
HCDLA believes that the most effective way to win local elections is to recruit the best qualified candidates possible and to educate our base Democratic voters of the importance of voting “down ballot” in local elections. To that end, HCDLA is working with various groups and candidates to organize an effective Get Out The Vote (GOTV) effort in 2008 and beyond.
HCDLA holds a monthly luncheon on the second Thursday of the month with a variety of speakers of interest to the legal community. Currently, meetings are held at Brownstone Restaurant, Westheimer at Virginia, 1 block west of Kirby. The meetings are always lively, informative, and fun events. The cost is low and both the content and the company are very good.
Every year, HCDLA sponsors the annual Clarence Darrow Award. This award recognizes the contribution of a member of our community, legal or otherwise, who has made a significant contribution to advancement of the ideals of the Democratic Party. In 2005, the first such award was presented to Jim Mac Perdue, Sr. For more than 40 years, Mr. Perdue has been a driving force in the advancement of the rights of ordinary citizens in seeking legal redress in civil courts.
In 2006, the award was presented to George Parnham, who has been a leading force advancing the rights of individuals in the criminal court system.
The 2007 award winner was David R. Dow. Professor Dow is the Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of Houston Law School, where he teaches classes in Constitutional Law and Theory, Contracts, and Death Penalty Law. He also is the Director of the Texas Innocence Network, which has been responsible for the reversal of criminal convictions of dozens of Texas citizens who have been proven to have been innocent of the crimes for which they were convicted.
The 2008 award winner was Craig Watkins, Democratic District Attorney for Dallas County.
Suggestions for future deserving award nominees are welcome.
For more information contact Lee Arellano at 713-520-5313, or (713) 503-3636 cell, or by email at leearellano@la-law.net.
Lee Arellano, President
The Harris County Democratic Lawyers Association is an incorporated 527 general purpose PAC under Federal and Texas state law. George Barnstone, Treasurer.
HCDLA Contact Information
- Telephone
- 713-520-5313
- FAX
- 713-456-7122
- Postal address
- P. O. Box 130978, Houston, TX 77219-0978
- Electronic mail
- General Information:
LeeArellano@la-law.net
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