Members aren’t the only customers served by the Texas REALTORS® Legal Affairs Department. The 11-member team works closely with staff and leadership on projects that advance the association’s goals.
Legal Affairs is perhaps best known for its member-facing services like the popular Legal Hotline. Staff attorneys Ryan Bauman, Traci Jackson, and Laura Miller advise members on TREC rules, the NAR Code of Ethics, forms, and real estate-related statutes.
The department educates members in several ways, including writing articles for Texas REALTOR® magazine, filming episodes of the Legal Briefs video series, and offering in-person presentations at associations. David Jones, Deputy General Counsel and Director of Professional Standards, has visited several local boards.
Legal Affairs also maintains and updates many member documents, such as frequently asked questions, guides, manuals, and forms. “The value we provide to members helps our members provide value to their clients and customers,” says Lori Levy, Vice President of Legal Affairs.
You may be more familiar with how Legal Affairs interacts with your department. The team helps Governmental Affairs to review legislative bills, Communications and Marketing to review external messages, and Professional Standards to address complaints, to name three examples.
The Legal Affairs Department ensures all the association’s political advocacy efforts and TREPAC’s fundraising efforts and support of REALTOR®-friendly candidates comply with state and federal regulations. Mandy Balch, Senior Associate Counsel for Advocacy, assists that effort. The department also coordinates the Legal Review, MLS, Risk Reduction, and Leasing & Property Management committees, as well as the Legal Fund.
Associate Counsel Kelsey Vanderbilt enjoys the variety of tasks the department takes on. “We do a lot of internal work like contracts review that a regular in-house counsel would, but we also get to do so many member-facing activities,” she says. “It’s great to be able to serve both the organization and the members.”
Working in the Legal Affairs Department is all about collaboration. Each team member brings a unique set of skills, legal expertise, and personal background to the table. Department members support each other’s workloads.
Talking out legal questions to find the best possible answers is strongly encouraged, says Senior Associate Counsel Robin Harris. “It’s like you’re working on a puzzle together,” he says. “As a lawyer, you don’t always have all of the pieces when you’re giving advice on an issue. Someone else can offer insight based on their personal experience or viewpoint, and that’s one of the things I like the most. I’m always learning something every day.”
Here are some fun facts about the Legal Department’s members:
• Associate Counsel Gabrielle Amaya jumped off the third-highest bungee jump in the world.
• Mandy Balch, Senior Associate Counsel for Advocacy, was a goal post decorator in high school.
• Staff Attorney Ryan Bauman and his wife enjoy playing bar trivia and have won hundreds of dollars in prizes.
• Cara Cate, Legal and Executive Program Manager, visited three countries in 2023.
• Robin Harris, Senior Associate Counsel, puts a fried egg on his enchiladas and adds a second when he’s feeling crazy.
• Staff Attorney Traci Jackson has been practicing law for 20 years this year.
• David Jones, Deputy General Counsel/Director of Professional Standards, was recruited by several Division I college football programs out of high school. He turned them down and attended UCLA for academic reasons.
• Lori Levy, Vice President of Legal Affairs/General Counsel, was once photographed holding a partial carcass of her opposing high school football team’s mascot animal. The photo made the front page of her local newspaper and an ESPN highlight reel that week.
• Staff Attorney Laura Miller drives golf carts as part of her volunteering for the Houston Rodeo.
• Associate Counsel Arielle Sims enjoys tennis.
• Associate Counsel Kelsey Vanderbilt has a goal of running a half marathon in every state; she’ll complete her 12th this May in Colorado.
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