The Houston Bar Foundation honored Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman, Shell Oil Company and Baker Botts, among others, at its annual awards luncheon last week.
The charitable arm of the Houston Bar Association also celebrated the career of HBA and HBF executive director Kay Sim, who has retired after more than four decades of service. She is credited with building the Juvenile Justice Mock Trial Program, LegalLine, the Juvenile Consequences Partnership, the Interprofessional Drug Education (IDEA) Program and the Veterans Legal Initiative.
The HBF gave its highest honor – the James B. Sales Pro Bono Leadership Award – to Justice Guzman for her efforts to ensure equal access to justice for Texans.
Other awards were presented for outstanding contributions to the Houston Volunteer Lawyers (HVL), which provides pro bono legal services to low-income Harris County residents; for volunteer service to the Dispute Resolution Center, providing free alternatives to formal litigation; and for legal writing in the HBA’s professional journal, The Houston Lawyer.
The recipients include:
- Baker Botts L.L.P. – Outstanding Contribution to HVL by a Large Firm.
- Blank Rome LLP – Outstanding Contribution to HVL by a Mid-size Firm.
- Jenkins & Kamin LLP – Outstanding Contribution to HVL by a Small Firm.
- Christie Cardon of King & Spalding – Outstanding Contribution to HVL by a Pro Bono Coordinator.
- J. Thomas Black – Outstanding Contribution to HVL by a Solo Practitioner.
- Bryn Poland of Mayo & Poland – Outstanding Contribution to HVL by an Individual.
- Shell Oil Company – Outstanding Contribution to HVL by a Corporate Law Department.
- Susan Rokes – Outstanding Volunteer Service to the Dispute Resolution Center.
- James Montgomery – Longevity of Exemplary Service to the Dispute Resolution Center.
- Dustin Rynders of Disability Rights Texas was honored as the author of the outstanding legal article published in The Houston Lawyer.