🎧 Episode 2 of Young Gunners is here!

Meet Christina Jump, a constitutional and civil rights litigator with more than 30 years of experience advocating for individuals and organizations in complex federal litigation across the United States who launched Jump Start Legal Justice Center to bring a focused, client-first approach back to federal-court constitutional work. Based in Dallas, TX, Christina focuses her practice on civil rights, labor and employment law, free speech, and religious discrimination in all federal civil contexts, including trial and appellate courts. Known for rigorous legal analysis and persuasive advocacy, she has presented oral arguments before multiple U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal and played a key role in precedent-setting constitutional cases.

A University of Illinois and University of Houston Law Center graduate, mediator, BigLaw alum, and past Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, she exemplifies this season’s theme of lawyers using their degrees to effect transformative change – returning to the core work she loves to protect rights and advance justice.

You can listen to this episode at the link below, or anywhere you listen to podcasts: https://tyla.org/resource/young-gunners-podcast/

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🎧 Episode 1 of Young Gunners is here.

Welcome to Unlikely Advocates, where we spotlight lawyers who’ve turned adversity into advocacy. In this powerful episode, host Jimmy Vaughn shares his deeply personal journey through the foster care system, and how his found family and legal career inspired him to advocate for young people navigating similar paths through legislation, legal education, and more.

Jimmy’s story is one of resilience, transformation, and purpose.

You can listen to this episode at the link below, or anywhere you listen to podcasts: https://tyla.org/resource/young-gunners-podcast/

#younggunners #unlikelyadvocates #tyla #texasyounglawyers #podcast #legalpodcast #fostercareawareness #fostercare

⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of abuse, violence, and drug use.

✨ Introducing Young Gunners: Unlikely Advocates! ✨

Episode 0 is here! 🎙️

Welcome back listeners to a new season of Young Gunners! This season - titled Unlikely Advocates - shines a spotlight on lawyers who overcame unexpected paths and personal challenges to become advocates in their communities. Through stories of perseverance, transformation, and purpose, we’ll explore the many ways a law degree can be used to create meaningful change.

In this mini-episode, you’ll meet our podcast hosts: Rebecca Lopez and Jimmy Vaughn, District 13 Director and District 3 Director, respectively, of the Texas Young Lawyers Association, who share why they have chosen to lead this season and how their law degrees became tools for transformation.

🔗 Listen to Episode 0 now and get ready for a season of grit, growth, and the power of purpose-driven lawyering.

You can listen to this episode at the link below, or anywhere you listen to podcasts: https://tyla.org/resource/young-gunners-podcast/

#younggunners #unlikelyadvocates #tyla #texasyounglawyers #podcast #legalpodcast

In the final episode of our SCOTX Series, we sit down with the court’s newest justice, Justice James P. Sullivan. A graduate of Rice University and Harvard Law School, Justice Sullivan reflects on his early days as a natural debater—a trait his mother always noticed as he would constantly ask if things were “debatable” as a kid. His time as a parliamentary debater at Rice University laid the groundwork for his career in law. Justice Sullivan also shares the people who shaped his path to becoming a lawyer and how his roots in Austin run deeper than the courtroom—he was actually an extra in the cult classic Dazed and Confused! (Yes, seriously!) This unique experience happened when he and his dad, who had built a 1970 Pontiac GTO Judge, met with the film's director, Richard Linklater, who loved the car and decided to feature it in the film. Reflecting on his role as a justice, Justice Sullivan emphasizes the importance of the oath he took, honoring the judicial branch and his duty to the people of Texas.

You can access this episode and our other episodes here: https://tyla.org/resource/young-gunners-podcast/

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In the penultimate episode of our Young Gunners’ SCOTX series, we sit down with Justice Evan Young, a first-generation attorney whose journey to the Texas Supreme Court is rooted in a unique and varied background. Raised in a military family, Justice Young moved frequently, with his father serving in the Air Force. His mother, a pivotal influence, would often take him to Washington, D.C., where visits to the U.S. Supreme Court sparked his early interest in the law. His fascination with the rule of law grew as he studied legal history at Duke University, continued as a British Marshall Scholar at Oxford, and further developed at Yale Law School. Reflecting on his time studying under former SCOTX Chief Justice Thomas "Tom" R. Phillips, Justice Young shares how these experiences shaped his path toward becoming a true “Texas lawyer” and, ultimately, his journey to the Texas Supreme Court.

You can access this episode and our other episodes here: https://tyla.org/resource/young-gunners-podcast/

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In this episode, we sit down with Justice Rebecca Aizpuru Huddle, a child of the border whose journey to the bench was shaped by her mother’s unwavering support and a deep commitment to making a difference. After overcoming the challenges of law school, she landed a prestigious job at Baker Botts. Despite seeing lawyers on TV mainly portrayed in litigation roles, Justice Huddle decided to carve her own path in transactional law. As she moved to Houston to start a new chapter, she worked to turn the big city into a small community, finding ways to make it feel like home. Reflecting on the sometimes difficult decisions justices face when their views diverge, Justice Huddle shares her experiences and insights on navigating the complexities of law and life.

You can access this episode and our other episodes here: https://tyla.org/resource/young-gunners-podcast/

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From a chatty third-grader to a justice on Texas’ highest civil court, Justice Jane Bland’s journey is as compelling as it is inspiring. Encouraged early on by her father to pursue a career in law, Justice Bland reflects on the pivotal moments that led her to the bench. In this candid conversation, she offers heartfelt advice to working lawyer moms and discusses the ongoing challenge—and fulfillment—of balancing motherhood with a demanding legal career. Tune in for a personal and powerful look at perseverance, purpose, and finding your voice.

You can access this episode and our other episodes here: https://tyla.org/resource/young-gunners-podcast/

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In our fifth episode, we talk with Justice Brett Busby, an appellate advocate, constitutional scholar, and lifelong violinist. Justice Busby shares his unique journey to the Texas Supreme Court — from clerking at the U.S. Supreme Court to practicing appellate law, serving as a justice on the Fourteenth Court of Appeals, and ultimately joining SCOTX.

Originally drawn to international policy, he interned at the United Nations before pivoting to litigation — a decision that would shape his career in profound ways. Tune in as he reflects on the experiences that informed his judicial philosophy and his path to the bench.

You can access this episode and our other episodes here: https://tyla.org/resource/young-gunners-podcast/

#tyla #younggunners #scotx #legalpodcast