News From Around The Bar December 2021
Gov. Greg Abbott appoints Evan Young to Texas Supreme Court
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Evan Young as
his appointment to the Texas Supreme Court on November 1 to fill the
seat vacated by Justice Eva Guzman when she resigned in June. “Evan
Young is a proven legal scholar and public servant, making him an ideal
pick for the Supreme Court of Texas,” Abbott said in a press release.
“Evan’s extensive background in private practice and public service will
be a fantastic addition to the bench, and I am confident that he will
faithfully defend the Constitution and uphold the rule of law for the
people of Texas.” Young is a partner in Baker Botts in Austin. He
clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and served as
counsel to the attorney general of the U.S. Department of Justice. Young
is a former chair of the Texas Regional Office of the National Center
for Missing and Exploited Children, a member of the Supreme Court
Advisory Committee, an elected member of the American Law Institute, and
an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law. He has
served as a member of the Texas Judicial Council since 2017. “Evan Young
has already made outstanding contributions to the Texas justice system
as a member of the Judicial Council, the judiciary’s policymaking body,
and the Supreme Court Rules Advisory Committee, which advises the court
on procedural and administrative matters for all Texas courts,” Texas
Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht said in a press release. “He
will continue to serve the people of Texas with distinction, and the
court is proud to have him join us.”
Texas City Attorneys Association Board of Directors elects Victor
Flores
The Texas City Attorneys Association,
or TCAA, elected Victor A. Flores, Brownsville city attorney, to serve
on its board of directors at the association’s meeting on October 7 in
Houston. Flores is one of only two attorneys to serve on the board from
the Rio Grande Valley since the organization was founded in 1928. TCCA,
which has a membership of over 400 attorneys, is an affiliate of the
Texas Municipal League, which encourages the professional development of
municipal attorneys throughout Texas. Flores is a past president of the
Texas Young Lawyers Association and a member of the Texas Bar Journal
Board of Editors. “Victor Flores’ longtime contributions to the study
and practice of law at a municipal level, as well as this recent
appointment to the TCAA Board of Directors, reiterates his dedication to
our organization’s vision and long-term goals,” Brownsville City Manager
Noel Bernal said in a press release. “It’s a great honor and privilege
to represent the city of Brownsville amongst many other incredible
cities,” Flores said in a press release. “I hope to share, with my
fellow colleagues across Texas, all of the amazing things that are
happening in our local community, from cutting-edge technologies to
aerospace developments.”
Texas Access to Justice Commission names Beck Redden as
Champion of Justice firm
The Texas Access to Justice Commission named Beck Redden as the winner for the highest level of participation and highest amount raised in the medium-size firm category of the Champions of Justice Firm Competition. The numbers are based on Texas Access to Justice Commission contributions made by the firms’ attorneys in support of the statewide Justice for All Campaign. Campaign funds go to civil legal aid organizations across Texas. In 2020, more than 10,500 attorneys made a contribution and the Justice for All Campaign raised over $1.4 million—the highest amount ever raised. For more information about the Texas Access to Justice Commission, go to texasatj.org.
Texas lawyer receives award for legal writing
Texas lawyer John G. Browning has been named this year’s recipient of the Oklahoma Bar Association’s top legal writing award, the Maurice Merrill Golden Quill Award. Named for a longtime Oklahoma University College of Law professor and author, the award is presented annually to the author of the best written article published in the Oklahoma Bar Journal. Browning, a partner in the Plano office of Spencer Fane, former justice on Texas’ 5th District Court of Appeals in Dallas, and member of both the Texas and Oklahoma bars, won for his article in the May 2021 issue, “Blazing the Trail: Oklahoma Pioneer African American Attorneys.” The issue, published to mark the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa race massacre, had a special focus on African American legal history in Oklahoma and featured five articles on different aspects of that history (two of which were written by Browning). The award was presented by Oklahoma Bar Association President Michael Mordy at the OBA’s Annual Meeting on November 12 in Oklahoma City.
Texas Appleseed honors Jennifer and Peter Altabef and Latham
& Watkins with awards
Texas Appleseed honored Jennifer and Peter Altabef, of Dallas, and Latham & Watkins at its annual Good Apple Dinner gala on November 10 in Austin. The Altabefs received the nonprofit’s highest honor, the J. Chrys Dougherty Good Apple Award. Jennifer is chair of the Dallas Theater Center Board of Trustees and of Southern Methodist University’s Meadows School of the Arts Executive Board. She is a member of the SMU Board of Trustees and practiced law in Dallas for 28 years before devoting herself to civic and philanthropic involvement. Peter is chair of the board and CEO of Unisys Corporation, a member of the NiSource Board of Directors, and serves on President Joe Biden’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee. He is a Committee for Economic Development trustee and serves as co-chair of its Technology and Innovation Committee. Latham & Watkins received the Pro Bono Leadership Award. The firm volunteered more than 1,600 hours spanning more than 10 Texas Appleseed projects. Honorees are selected by the Texas Appleseed Board of Directors. For more information about Texas Appleseed, go to TexasAppleseed.org. TBJ
