Greetings!

It is my pleasure and honor to serve as the 2025 J.L. Turner Legal Association President. If we have not yet met, I look forward to connecting with you soon! I have previously served as Director, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, Vice President and on several committees, Criminal Law, Mentoring, DBWA and Judicial. I am home grown (Richardson) but attended Florida A&M University (B.S. Chemistry, 2001) and the University of Texas School of Law (J.D. 2004). I have been back in Dallas for the past 20 years. During that time, I have worked in government, law firms and now in my own firm, Walter Legal PLLC, and as an Associate Clinical Professor at SMU (Small Business & Trademark Clinic). I am also an elected Director for the Dallas Bar Association board.

This year, we will continue to focus on supporting the mission of JLTLA, which is to improve the quality of life in our community through education, service and scholarship. We will support efforts to increase diversity in the profession of law through scholarship, mentoring, continuing education, networking, job opportunities, community outreach and speaking for the powerless and voiceless. I’m excited to lead this organization during the term of the 2025 DBA President, Vicki Blanton, a past JLTLA President and long-time supporter. When I first got back to Dallas in 2004, Vicki Blanton was one of the first lawyers I met.

Why attorneys matter? WE ARE…Defenders Of Civil Rights & Civil Liberties, Pillars of Society, Guardians Of Justice and Equality, Advocates For The Voiceless, Architects Of Legal Frameworks & Social Change, Protectors Of Ethical Standards, Problem Solvers, Educators & Empowerers. Now clearly, we lawyers cannot serve in all of these roles at once. That’s why we need teamwork. Teamwork makes the dream work! Everyone: please…take a piece of the lawyer pie. When one of us is tired, the next lawyer steps in.

In order to effectuate this change and uphold our duties as lawyers, we must continuously feed the pipeline so that we have attorneys ready to step in and carry their portion of the load. That is why building a pipeline of leaders is one of my top goals for next year.

The history, the mission & the future of JLTLA is more important than ever in today’s world. Failure is not an option. Preparation, Planning & Participation are key to our shared success. I see myself as a bridge between the new generation of lawyers and the seasoned lawyers who paved the way. I would love to have both of these groups and everyone in between participating in our 2025 events.

This year, JLTLA will continue carryon the traditions of our best and most popular programs: L.A. Bedford Awards luncheon, DBWA Sparkler, mentoring events, Leadership Program for law students, judicial panels, Career Days at local schools and numerous CLE programs and social networking events for our members.

In honor of Karen McCloud, who served as president of DAYL, DWLA, JLTLA and was on track to be DBA President, we will host a revamped reinstate our Trial Advocacy Series. We are working on Black History Month program co-hosted by JLTLA, Lynn Inn of Court and DBA Intellectual Property Section: “Think Critically: Understanding the Intersection of Race and IP.” For Women’s History Month, Chelsea Hilliard, 2025 DWLA President and I are currently working on a documentary project featuring the trailblazing women lawyers of Dallas, including several legendary JLTLA members, who have moved the needle for not only their peers but later generations of lawyers through a series of FIRSTS. Movie premiere tentatively set for March 8. We hope you will join us!

Obviously, I cannot do any of this alone. Friends and Colleagues! I can only do it with your support and participation. We already have a strong group of lawyers on our JLTLA board and I thank them for answering the call to serve! They are enthusiastic and energetic. I’m excited about the programming that

we will produce together this year. I’m even more excited about the future of J.L. Turner Legal Association in their capable hands. Help us Get In and Stay In Good Trouble.

Kandace D. Walter

2025 President

J.L. Turner Legal Association