Tryon D. Lewis, R-Odessa (pictured), chairman of the Texas House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee, says lawyers should not expect sweeping legislation to come out of his committee this session.
“Most of what we’re looking at is not really broad-based, not wholesale change, rather smaller things that have come up and need adjustment,” says Lewis, a partner in Odessa's Atkins, Hollman, Jones, Peacock, Lewis & Lyon who served on the committee during the two previous regular legislative sessions.
As examples, the former state district judge cites likely proposals regulating litigation lending and addressing asbestos-related litigation in South Texas courts.
“I don’t think it will be legislation that affects all lawyers,” he says — nothing on the order of the loser-pays legislation that lawmakers wrestled with two years ago.
Lewis, though, adds a caveat to his predictions: “Having said that, I have to say, in the past, something has come up and thrown all the game plans we had at the beginning of a session out the window.”
— Miriam Rozen
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