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Texas Appellate Law Podcast

Texas Appellate Law Podcast

Modernizing the Law: Inside the American Law Institute | Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson

Jun 11, 2026 · 51 min · 14 segments

Wallace Jefferson, former Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court and newly installed President of the…

Wallace Jefferson, former Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court and newly installed President of the American Law Institute (ALI), joins Jody Sanders and Todd Smith for a wide-ranging conversation on appellate practice, judicial leadership, and legacy. Chief Justice Jefferson, a partner at Alexander Dubose & Jefferson LLP, discusses ALI's mission to modernize the law, the U.S. Supreme Court argument he made just eight years out of law school, and his discovery that an ancestor, Shedrick Willis, shod Sam Houston's horse while enslaved and served on the Waco City Council after gaining his freedom. "ALI," he says, "is a good model for how Americans can and should be talking to each other." Tune in for Jefferson's insights on cameras in courtrooms and the challenge facing ALI as artificial intelligence outpaces deliberate legal reform. Connect and Learn More ☑️ Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson | ALI profile | LinkedIn ☑️ Alexander Dubose & Jefferson LLP | LinkedIn ☑️ American Law Institute | Facebook | X | LinkedIn | YouTube ☑️ Todd Smith | LinkedIn | X ☑️ Jody Sanders | LinkedIn | X ☑️ Texas Appellate Law Podcast on LinkedIn | X | Instagram ☑️ Texas Appellate Counsel PLLC ☑️ Kelly Hart & Hallman, LLP | LinkedIn ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Produced and Powered by LawPods Sponsored by Court Surety Bond Agency and Proceed.

Wallace Jefferson, former Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court and newly installed President of the…

Speakers: Wallace JeffersonGuestTodd SmithHostJody SandersHost

Top entities: Texas×17 Wallace B. Jefferson×10 Supreme Court of the United States×47 Rick Perry×9 United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit×4

Welcoming Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson0:37 – 1:03

Jody SandersHost

0:37

Welcome back to the Texas Appellate Law Podcast.

Jody SandersHost

0:39

I'm Jody Sanders.

0:40

And I'm Todd Smith.

Jody SandersHost

0:42

And our guest today, we're extremely honored, we have former Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson.

Jody SandersHost

0:48

Chief Justice, thanks for joining us.

Wallace JeffersonGuest

0:50

Thanks for having me.

Wallace JeffersonGuest

0:50

I'm excited about it.

Jody SandersHost

0:52

Well, right before we started, Todd and I were kinda chatting with you.

Jody SandersHost

0:55

I think you're now our third chief to be on here, but we're excited.

Jody SandersHost

0:58

You've been on our list since we started to be one of our guests, so we're glad six years in we finally can get you on.

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99%17 mentions
Wallace B. JeffersonPersonAmerican lawyer
98%10 mentions
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97%47 mentions
Rick PerryPersonFormer United States Secretary of Energy
96%9 mentions
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth CircuitOrganizationCourt
95%4 mentions
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94%2 mentions
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93%6 mentions
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92%4 mentions
Jody S. SandersPerson
91%6 mentions
American Law InstituteCompanyCorporation
90%8 mentions
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89%2 mentions
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88%7 mentions
LawyerEntityProfession
87%4 mentions
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85%13 mentions
Sam HoustonPersonStatesman and former President of the Republic of Texas
84%4 mentions
Interest on Lawyers' Trust AccountsEntity
83%4 mentions
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82%2 mentions
George W. BushPerson43rd U.S. President
81%4 mentions
WacoCityCity in Texas
80%5 mentions
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78%4 mentions
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Society
JudiciaryLaw
JudgesLaw > Judiciary
Supreme CourtLaw > Legal Practice > Appellate Law
Impact on LawTechnology > Legal Technology > Artificial Intelligence
Artificial IntelligenceTechnology > Legal Technology
Partisan PoliticsPolitics > Judicial Elections
Judicial ElectionsPolitics
Legal PracticeLaw
Appellate LawLaw > Legal Practice
Historical SignificanceSociety > Civil Rights
Law
Politics
Technology
Wallace JeffersonLaw > Judiciary > Judges
Career PathLaw > Judiciary > Judges > Wallace Jefferson
Oral ArgumentsLaw > Legal Practice > Appellate Law > Supreme Court
Judicial AppointmentsPolitics > Judicial Elections > Partisan Politics
Access to JusticePolitics > Judicial Elections > Partisan Politics > Judicial Appointments
Future of LawTechnology > Legal Technology > Artificial Intelligence > Impact on Law
GenealogySociety > Civil Rights > Historical Significance
Family HeritageSociety > Civil Rights > Historical Significance > Genealogy
Civil RightsSociety
Legal TechnologyTechnology

Welcoming Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson0:37 – 1:03

Jody SandersHost

0:37

Welcome back to the Texas Appellate Law Podcast.

Jody SandersHost

0:39

I'm Jody Sanders.

0:40

And I'm Todd Smith.

Jody SandersHost

0:42

And our guest today, we're extremely honored, we have former Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson.

Jody SandersHost

0:48

Chief Justice, thanks for joining us.

Wallace JeffersonGuest

0:50

Thanks for having me.

Wallace JeffersonGuest

0:50

I'm excited about it.

Jody SandersHost

0:52

Well, right before we started, Todd and I were kinda chatting with you.

Jody SandersHost

0:55

I think you're now our third chief to be on here, but we're excited.

Jody SandersHost

0:58

You've been on our list since we started to be one of our guests, so we're glad six years in we finally can get you on.

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