Session #4 of 4 Christian Legal Perspectives III / November 6, 2017

and St. Mary's University School of Law
November 6, 2017

Summary: Comment 2 to Rule 2.01 of the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct
cautions, " .... Purely technical legal advice •.. can sometimes be inadequate. It is proper for a
lawyer to refer to relevant moral and ethical considerations in giving advice. Although a lawyer
is not a moral advisor as such, moral and ethical considerations impinge upon most legal
questions and may decisively influence how the law will be applied." How does a Christian
lawyer identify where these moral and ethical considerations become relevant? This program
addresses these issues from the perspectives of those involved in government service, from
judicial and mediation perspectives, from the viewpoint of legal educators, and from the view
of private practitioners. Substantive legal issues and procedural principles will be addressed in
the process.

Schedule of Events

Registration and light lunch. Alumni Room, St. Mary's University School
of Law Library.

Welcome and Opening Prayer. Bill Platt, Professor of Law, former Dean
(1998-2007), St. Mary's University School of Law, will welcome the assembly, and David
Mayorga, President, Catholic Lawyers Guild, will offer the opening prayer. Professor Platt will
introduce Dean Stephen Sheppard of St. Mary's University School of Law.

Greetings from Dean Stephen Sheppard.

12:10 p.m.-1:10 p.m.

Applying Comment 2 In the Context of Specific Practice Areas. David
Mayorga, Lisette Lange, and Roland Garcia. Prominent local practitioners who are also officers
oft he Catholic Lawyers Guild will discuss the application of the principles of Comment 2 to the
practice of law in several substantive areas including estate planning, end-of-life issues, medical
privacy matters, administrative law, and others.

The Role of Faith, Morality and Ethics in a Prosecutorlal Context. Nice
LaHood, Bexar County District Attorney, and Bill Piatt, Professor of Law and former Dean, St.
Mary's University School of Law, will address issues, including human trafficking, and will
discuss how the ethical rules provide an outline for a moral, and faith-based approach to the
legal resolution of these matters.

2:10 p.m.-2:20p.m. Break

The Role of Faith, Morality and Ethics in the Practice of Law in
Government Service. Jimmy Blacklock, General Counsel to the Honorable Greg Abbott,
Governor of the State of Texas. Mr. Blacklock will address issues which have come to the
attention of the Governor and his legal counsel. Mr. Blacklock will discuss how the ethical rules
intersect with a moral, and faith-based approach to the legal resolution of these matters.

Weighing Ethical Resolution of Disputes with Alternative Approaches.
Victor Negron and Marisa Garza. Mr. Negron is a former district judge who currently serves as a
mediator. Judge Negron will examine how Christian attorneys can or should move their clients
through the mechanics of judicial or mediation resolution, particularly as it pertains to family
law matters. Marisa Garza will examine how Comment 2 might apply in the context of a
Christian/Native American approach to dispute resolution.

Bill Piatt is a Professor of law and former Dean (1998-2007) at St. Mary's University School of
Law. He is the author of numerous books and articles. His most recent books Include, Human
Trafficking (with Cheryl Page) and Catholic Legal Perspectives, 2d ed.

David Mayorga is President of the San Antonio lawyers Guild, Graduate of St. Mary's University
School of Law, Federal Senior Attorney Advisor, and Texas Leadership Coalition Board Member.

Stephen Sheppard is the Dean of St. Mary's University School of Law and the Charles e. Cantu
Distinguished Professor of Law. He received his SJO, LLM and JD degrees from Columbia. Dean
Sheppard has written and lectured extensively in the fields of jurisprudence and regarding the
moral obligations of legal officials.

Usette Lange is a partner in the San Antonio law firm of Deffenbaugh and Lange. Her
educational background includes: Holy Apostles College and Seminary, Cromwell, CT, Masters
of Theology with a concentration in Bioethics- in progress. National Catholic Bioethlcs Center,
Philadelphia, PA, Certification in Bioethics, B.B.A Entrepreneurial Studies May 2000 ·magna
cum laude, Honors Program Graduate St. Mary's University, and the University of Texas School
of Law, J.D. She has presented at numerous CLE and educational programs, is married, and
the mother of flve children.

Roland Garcia Is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law. He practices in San
Antonio in the areas of Criminal and Juvenile Law.

Nicholas •Nico" LaHood was sworn-in as Bexar County's Criminal District Attorney on January
1, 2015. LaHood graduated from Central Catholic Marlanlst High School and attended St.
Mary's University, where he earned his B.A. In Finance and Financial Services. He went on to
receive his Juris Doctorate from St. Mary's School of Law. LaHood remained in San Antonio,
where he worked as a criminal defense attorney for twelve years.

Jimmy Blacklock is the General Counsel at the Office of Governor Greg Abbott. He previously
worked at the Attorney General's Office as Deputy Attorney General for Legal Counsel and
Assistant Solicitor General. Prior to that, he worked at VInson & Elkins and clerked for Judge
Jerry Smith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He graduated from Yale Law
School and the University ofTexas at Austin. He lives in Austin with his wife and their three
daughters.

Victor Negron attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, and Is an Army
veteran. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, at St. Mary's University
and his law degree at St. Mary's University School of Law. He has been an attorney for more
than 37 years, and has been Board Certified since 1987 in Family Law. He served on two Bexar
County district court benches {Including duty as one of two drug court judges). He serves as
Past President, San Antonio Bar Association and Past Director, State Bar of Texas.
He has authored and spoken on numerous legal topics for State Bar of Texas and University of
Texas continuing legal education programs, has lectured periodically at St. Mary's University
School of Law, and his practice Is focused primarily on mediation and arbitration. He is married
to Sylvia, and is the father of seven young men.

Marisa Garza holds her law degree from the University of Notre Dame. She is the founder of
the Civil Rights Legal Defense & Education Fund, Inc., a non-profit civil rights organization. She
has taught as an adjunct criminal justice professor at St. Mary's University and Northwest Vista
College. From 2007 to 2012 she practiced Native American law with the New Mexico Legal Aid
Native American Program, in the New Mexico tribal, state and federal courts.