STATE BAR DIRECTOR SPOTLIGHT JULY/AUGUST 2023
Kennon Wooten
Interview by Will Korn
Photo courtesy of Kennon Wooten
Hometown: Austin
Position: Partner in Scott Douglass & McConnico in
Austin
Board Member: District 9, Place 3; Chair 2023-2024
I DECIDED TO BECOME A LAWYER WHILE TAKING A BUSINESS LAW COURSE DURING
MY FOURTH YEAR OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES AT
UT AUSTIN.
I took the course as part of an extended business minor
that was intended to supplement my B.A. in psychology and make
me more employable during and after college. To my surprise, I
loved learning about the law and realized that being a lawyer did
not mean you had to fight all the time (contrary to what television
shows of my youth suggested!). I got hooked on the law upon
realizing it was a powerful mechanism for helping people solve
problems.
THE DESIRE TO SERVE AND TO GIVE BACK DREW ME TO THE STATE
BAR OF TEXAS DISTRICT DIRECTOR POSITION.
In some ways, I worked toward the position for almost 20 years, starting
with local bar service through the Austin Young Lawyers Association, or
AYLA, and then the Austin Bar Association. Over the years, bar
involvement has enabled me to volunteer, network, learn, teach, lead,
and form lasting friendships. It has given me a sense of belonging that
I might otherwise lack in the legal field. While bar service has
required a lot of my time and energy, it truly has been a gift that
keeps on giving. Serving as a director was a way for me to give back to
the bar that has given me so much over the years.
SOMETHING I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE BAR THAT I AM MOST
PROUD OF IS OVERSEEING THE CREATION OF THE AYLA DAY OF
SERVICE PROJECT.
This project is modeled after the national Martin Luther King Jr. Day
of Service and has been ongoing for 13 years in Austin. Each year, it
brings people of all ages together to engage in service activities in
our community. Each year, I think about how it helps us to break down
barriers and work toward King’s vision of a beloved community. I’m
grateful to the AYLA directors who have kept the tradition alive, and to
all of the volunteers who have made the project a success over the
years.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS FOR DIRECTORS TO UNDERSTAND
IS THE PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF SELF-
GOVERNANCE IN OUR PROFESSION.
State Bar of Texas members select the directors who carry out regulatory
powers that have been delegated by the Supreme Court of Texas to the
State Bar of Texas. I think directors should be vigilant about
remembering how important it is to be engaged and informed when casting
votes that impact our profession and the people who need and deserve
meaningful access to justice.
