AUSTIN—Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR) has named Lee Parsley president, a position that has been vacant since 2020. Parsley will continue serving as TLR’s general counsel, while TLR founders Dick Weekley, Dick Trabulsi and Hugh Rice Kelly will remain active in the daily operations of TLR and its sister organizations.

“Lee has been an important part of TLR’s advocacy team for two decades. As president, he will ensure TLR remains an effective, policy-driven organization for years to come,” Weekley, Trabulsi and Kelly said. “Lee’s elevation to TLR president has been long-planned, and allows Dick Trabulsi to lighten his workload while focusing on the activities of TLRPAC, the most active and effective political action committee in the state.”

Trabulsi has overseen all back office administrative duties for TLR’s various entities for nearly 30 years. As part of his promotion, Parsley has assumed these responsibilities to ease the time and work burden on Trabulsi, who is 78.

Parsley is an appellate lawyer who joined TLR as outside counsel in 2002, and was named general counsel in 2016. His legal expertise has played a key role in the research, development and advocacy behind landmark tort reforms in Texas, including the comprehensive omnibus reform bill of 2003 that made Texas the nation’s leader in tort reform, and 2007’s bill addressing asbestos and silica litigation abuses, both of which continue to serve as national models today.

More recently, Parsley has been instrumental in TLR’s efforts to pass reforms addressing weather-related litigation abuse (2017), attorney advertising (2019), commercial vehicle litigation abuse (2021), and the 2023 creation of Texas’ complex business court and first new court of appeals since the 1980s.

Parsley received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration, as well as a law degree from Texas Tech University. During his career as an attorney, he practiced in the litigation departments of two of Texas’ largest law firms. He also served as the first Rules Attorney at the Texas Supreme Court, and is a former adjunct law professor at the University of Texas School of Law and a former member of the Texas Board of Law Examiners.

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AUSTIN – Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR) today issued the following statement regarding the Senate’s decision in the Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial:

“We commend the Texas Legislature for conducting its business on the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton responsibly, openly and according to our constitutional provisions and precedents, after serious questions about Paxton’s actions were raised by his senior staff. This is a confirmation of how Texans resolve even the most divisive issues in a peaceful and deliberate manner.”

 

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AUSTIN – Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR) today issued the following statement regarding Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial:

“TLR had nothing to do with the House investigation of Ken Paxton and did not even know of its existence until the House General Investigating Committee’s public hearing on May 24, 2023. Any assertions otherwise are a blatant attempt to distract from the facts of the articles of impeachment.

There is an ongoing effort underway to intimidate the Senators into abandoning their constitutional obligations and acquitting Paxton before the trial even begins and the evidence has been presented. These efforts are disrespectful of the constitutional impeachment process and insulting to the integrity of the Texas Senate.

Texans deserve a trial and outcome based on the factual presentation and consideration of evidence. TLR expects the Senate will conduct a fair, open and thorough trial and that each Senator will make her or his decision solely on the evidence presented.”

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Statement on Texas Monthly Article

AUSTIN – Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR) today issued the following statement regarding an article published by Texas Monthly about the impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken
Paxton, claiming TLR “has begun lobbying Senators to convict.”:

“TLR has not lobbied any Senator concerning the impeachment of Ken Paxton. Any assertions or claims otherwise are false.

Before being corrected at TLR’s urging, the original Texas Monthly article made the allegation about TLR lobbying the Senate without attribution—not to a senator, not to an anonymous
source, not as a rumor, and not even to Paxton’s own defense team. The article’s author simply included this allegation as a statement of fact without attribution or corroboration. This is
unprofessional, irresponsible and sloppy reporting.

We expect the Texas Senate to conduct a fair, thorough and open trial on the impeachment articles and the Senators to make their judgments solely on the evidence.”

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AUSTIN – Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR) today issued the following statement regarding Senate passage of House Bill (HB) 19, creating a specialized business court in Texas:

“The Texas Legislature has spoken—it’s time for Texas to join the 30 other states that have created specialized business courts to handle complex business-to-business legislation,” TLR Chairman Richard J. Trabulsi Jr. said. “Today’s Senate passage of HB 19 is the next natural step in Texas’ smart, principled economic development efforts, giving Texas companies a fair and efficient forum to resolve their complex business disputes in our state. We look forward to seeing this bill on the governor’s desk.”

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AUSTIN—Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR) today issued the following statement regarding passage on second reading of House Bill (HB) 19, creating a specialized business court in Texas:

“The Texas House took important action today to improve our state’s legal system, relieve the pressure on our courts of general jurisdiction, and ensure job-creating companies operating in Texas can access an efficient and specialized court when they need to resolve complex business-to-business litigation,” TLR Chairman Richard J. Trabulsi Jr. said. “We commend the House for ensuring this court is led by expert judges with a deep background in commercial law, appointed by the governor with approval by two-thirds of the Senate. We look forward to final passage in the House and quick action on this legislation in the Senate.”

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AUSTIN – Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR) today issued the following statement regarding Gov. Greg Abbott’s 2023 State of the State address:

“Gov. Abbott’s State of the State sets out a clear and principled path for the Texas of tomorrow, with smart investments in our economic foundation and forward-thinking policies to keep our state competitive on a global scale,” TLR Chairman Richard J. Trabulsi Jr. said. “As an attorney and former judge, Gov. Abbott uniquely understands that improving our legal system—whether with the addition of a new specialized business court on the civil side or reforms to address serious issues with bail and recidivism on the criminal side—is critical to keeping Texas the best state to raise a family or own a business. We look forward to working with the governor and Legislature this session to enact these important policies in Texas.”

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AUSTIN – Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR) today issued the following statement regarding the House Republican Caucus’ vote over the weekend to endorse Speaker Dade Phelan for another term as speaker of the House:

“Throughout his career in public service, Speaker Phelan has been a staunch advocate for common-sense reforms to keep Texas’ legal system fair and accessible, helping protect the Texas Miracle of job creation and economic growth,” TLR Chairman Richard J. Trabulsi Jr. said. “We are pleased the House Republican Caucus voted overwhelmingly to endorse Speaker Phelan’s continued leadership of the House in the 88^th Legislative Session, and are confident he will continue focusing on principled policies to keep Texas the best place to live, raise a family and start a business.”

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AUSTIN – Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR) today issued the following statement regarding Gov. Greg Abbott’s appointment of Evan Young to the Texas Supreme Court:

“Evan Young is a highly experienced attorney whose work at the highest levels of our state and federal legal systems will bring important knowledge and skills to the Texas Supreme Court,” TLR General Counsel Lee Parsley said. “Evan is an experienced appellate lawyer, having argued complicated cases before the Texas and U.S. Supreme courts. He has honed a principled legal philosophy through a clerkship with former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and his work in Iraq as the Deputy Rule of Law Coordinator. Evan will apply the constitution and our laws as written and will become an influential jurist.”

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