Welcome to the Civil Liberties & Civil Rights Section of the State Bar of Texas
Join the Section Leadership
We are currently accepting applications to the Section Council. There are two terms ending in 2026. Members of the Council will meet a minimum of four times per year to vote on matters affecting the Section. They are also expected to participate in Section business, such as website design, organizing happy hours, and attending Section events. To apply, submit the 2026 Council Application to Chair Matthew Kolodoski by Friday, January 30, 2026.
Nominate an Attorney for the Wiseman Award
We are also currently accepting nominations for the 2026 Patrick Wiseman Award for Civil Rights. Nominees must be a member in good standing of the State Bar of Texas or an inactive member and have been licensed to practice law in Texas or another jurisdiction for at least ten years.
In selecting a recipient, the Council considers a nominee’s contribution to civil rights and civil liberties law; reputation for expertise in civil rights and civil liberties matters; reputation for professionalism and ethics within the legal community; authorship of scholarly works and presentations relating to civil rights and civil liberties; significant participation in the State Bar of Texas, the Civil Liberties & Civil Rights Section, local bar associations, or other legal organizations; and other significant contributions or experience relating to civil rights and civil liberties law.
Any current Section member is eligible to nominate a Texas lawyer (including non-Section members) for the Wiseman Award. Our committee is limited to selecting an award recipient from the pool of candidates that are nominated by our members, so it is crucial that our members participate in this process! Please include either a copy of the nominee’s resume or a link to an online biography, if available, along with a statement of why the nominee should be recognized with the 2026 Wiseman Award. To submit a nomination, please email the application packet to Chair Matthew Kolodoski by Friday, January 30, 2026.
Welcome to the CLCR Section
Welcome to the Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Section (CLCR) of the State Bar of Texas. The CLCR section is comprised of lawyers who practice or are interested in the rights and liberties conferred by the United States and Texas Constitutions. Many of our members teach or practice in the area of civil liberties and constitutional law.
Each year, the CLCR section co-sponsors the Bill of Rights: Litigating the Constitution Course, which occurs each May at the Texas Law Center in Austin. The course brings together judges, law professors, and attorneys from across the state and nation for presentations on many of the cutting-edge topics in Constitutional Law. Each year, the section also co-sponsors a program at the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting, which provide an update on important decisions from the Texas Supreme Court, Fifth Circuit, and U.S. Supreme Court. We hope that you can join us at one of our programs.
The section also supports the Texas Journal on Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, which continues to be one of the premiere civil liberties and civil rights journals in the country.
In sum, exciting things are happening in the CLCR section. If you are a member of the section, thank you for your support. If you are not yet a member, I hope you will consider joining.
Best regards,
Matthew Kolodoski, Chair
Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Section
State Bar of Texas
The Mission
The purpose of this Section is to further the purposes and objectives of the State Bar of Texas within the field of civil rights law, subject to applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations, and the policies of the State Bar of Texas.
Networking
The Section offers opportunities to network with attorneys involved in civil rights and constitution law litigation at events like our program at the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting, the Annual Bill of Rights Course CLE, and Section sponsored events.
Areas of Practice
Our section is comprised of lawyers with an interest in the rights and responsibilities conferred by the United States and Texas Constitutions. Many of our members teach or practice in the area of civil liberties and constitutional law. We invite you to explore this website and consider becoming a member of our section.
Welcome to the Civil Liberties & Civil Rights Section of the State Bar of Texas
Our section is comprised of lawyers with an interest in the rights and responsibilities conferred by the United States and Texas Constitutions.
Many of our members teach or practice in the area of civil liberties and constitutional law.
We invite you to explore this website and consider becoming a member of our section.
Learn more about our upcoming events.