FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 2, 2023
Contact: Rebecca Johnson
Public Affairs Director, State Bar of Texas
512-427-1714, rebecca.johnson@texasbar.com
State Bar of Texas announces 2023 Texas Minority Counsel
Program award winners
AUSTIN - The State Bar of Texas is announcing the recipients of the 2023 Texas Minority Counsel Program awards, which honor outstanding attorneys for their impact on diversity in the legal profession.
The Texas Minority Counsel Program, or TMCP, is the premier client development, networking, and continuing legal education event for attorneys in Texas. The program, which is open to all attorneys, aims to bolster the amount and significance of legal work obtained by minority, women, and LGBTQ+ attorneys, and attorneys of other historically underrepresented groups.
Recipients of the 2023 TMCP awards appear below along with a description of each award. Past award recipients and more information on the program can be found at texasbar.com/tmcp.
Corporate Counsel of the Year Award — honors an in-house counsel who has opened doors by promoting diversity within their department or company; by consistently hiring diverse attorneys in private practice to perform legal work on behalf of their company; or by engaging in mentorship and volunteerism with the bar or community to foster diversity in the legal profession.
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Winner: Kimberly Cunningham, Spring, Exxon Mobil Corporation
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Finalist: Sarah Wariner, Dallas, Jacobs
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Finalist: Tiffany Johnson, Valencia (Calif.), Boston Scientific Corporation
Trailblazer of the Year Award — honors an outside counsel who has promoted diversity within the legal profession through their hiring, retention, and mentoring practices; partnering with minority, women, and LGBTQ+ owned law firms; and involvement with bar or community activities designed to promote diversity within the legal profession.
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Winner: Sakina Rasheed Foster, Dallas, Haynes and Boone
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Finalist: Matthew Manning, Corpus Christi, Webb Cason Manning
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Finalist: Roswill Mejía, Austin, Reed Smith LLP
Rising Star Award — recognizes an attorney who has made strides early in their practice to promote diversity in the legal profession through involvement with bar or community activities.
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Winner: Hanna Kim, Dallas, Samsung C&T America
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Finalist: Nicci Campbell, Houston, Harris County Public Defender’s Office
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Finalist: Aurra Fellows, Houston, Vinson & Elkins LLP
Lifetime Achievement Award — honors an attorney who
has demonstrated extraordinary
support and advocacy for the advancement of diversity in the legal
profession over the course of their legal career.
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Winner: Juanita Harris, Dallas, DIRECTV
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Finalist: Laura Gibson, Houston, Dentons US LLP
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Finalist: Hon. Ravi Sandill, Houston, Harris County Judicial District Judge
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The State Bar of Texas is a public corporation and an
administrative agency of the judicial department of state government
that provides educational programs for the legal profession and the
public, administers the minimum continuing legal education program for
attorneys, and manages the attorney discipline system. For more
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or visit texasbar.com.
