Texans for Lawsuit Reform, the once-powerful and well-funded tort reform group that has long played a major role in state politics, is undergoing internal leadership changes after a legislative session widely seen as a failure for the organization’s agenda.
In a press release issued Thursday, TLR announced the retirement of longtime co-founder and leader Dick Trabulsi, who has served as one of the key architects of the organization’s decades-long existence.
“Dick led the team that passed the most comprehensive lawsuit reforms in the country,” read the unattributed statement. “Dick’s selfless service to Texas for 32 years as co-founder of TLR is to be applauded. Dick is the personification of a ‘servant leader.’”
Trabulsi’s departure comes alongside other notable shifts. Ryan Dumais, who previously served as chief of staff to TLR co-founder and Chairman Dick Weekley, has been promoted to vice president of operations. Meanwhile, board members Joe Popolo and Alan Hassenflu are stepping down.
Popolo, a Dallas businessman, has been nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands. According to TLR, Hassenflu will continue his civic involvement through other ventures, including serving as chairman of the Houston Region Business Coalition.
The internal shakeup follows a bruising year for TLR’s reputation politically and legislatively. During the recent legislative session, the group backed several controversial proposals—most of which failed to make it to the governor’s desk.
Among them was a bill aimed at restricting the amount of damages victims can receive in lawsuits involving commercial trucking accidents. The proposal drew fierce opposition from citizen advocates, trial lawyers, and even some lawmakers who saw it as an attack on the rights of Texans injured or killed due to corporate negligence.
Another TLR-backed effort sought to weaken the state’s anti-SLAPP law, which protects individuals from Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation—lawsuits intended to intimidate or silence critics by burdening them with exorbitant legal expenses. The proposed changes alarmed First Amendment advocates and media organizations who argued it would chill free speech.
Beyond its legislative agenda, TLR also found itself in the crosshairs for its behind-the-scenes role in the failed impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton.
That involvement—and the broader influence TLR wields in Texas politics—was the subject of the 2024 Texas Scorecard documentary Hubris: The Texas Kingmakers, which chronicled the group’s rise, its entanglements in legislative power plays, and its increasingly strained relationship with conservative voters.
With the departure of longtime leaders and rising internal questions about strategy, the future direction of TLR is now uncertain. Whether the organization will recalibrate its political approach or continue to push the same priorities remains to be seen.
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