This edition of P.S. features a Dallas attorney who has paved the way for female trial lawyers with her numerous courtroom wins and was recently named a living legend and a legal aid organization’s recruitment of lawyers to join the planning committee for its big fundraising event that honors lawyers and organizations for championing women and children.
But unlike the validity committee of the committee to plan parties featured in the “Benihana Christmas” episode of The Office, LANWT’s planning committee is more inclusive.
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The Latest
— The Dallas Bar Association has inducted trial lawyer Charla Aldous of Aldous Walker into its Living Legends series, which recognizes trial lawyers who have demonstrated excellence in their careers have made a meaningful difference in their communities. Other lawyers who have been named Living Legends include former Texas Supreme Court Justice Deborah Hankinson, Senior U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn and renowned appellate lawyer Nina Cortell.
Aldous has scored numerous high-dollar personal injury trial wins throughout her legal career, including one 90-day period when Aldous and her firm won four verdicts of at least $20 million each. One of them was a $37.6 million verdict that Aldous obtained for a young woman who was paralyzed while riding in a Honda Odyssey minivan with a dangerous seatbelt system. Another recent win includes a $21 million verdict she scored in a botched anesthesia case, which was the largest medical malpractice verdict in Texas last year.
In addition to her large-dollar courtroom wins, Aldous has handled some impactful pro bono cases in recent years. Last year, she secured a court order for Dr. Ximena Lopez that allowed her and colleagues at Dallas Children’s Medical Center to continue treating transgender youth in gender-affirming care while an underlying lawsuit against Children’s plays out. The case is set for a bench trial on Oct. 12. in Dallas County Court at Law No. 2.
And in 2021, Aldous, law partner Brent Walker and several other attorneys on their team received the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association’s John Howie Award for their pro bono representation of Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins in his legal standoff against Gov. Greg Abbott over Covid-19 mask mandates.
Beyond her numerous high-impact trial wins, Aldous is one of the few women in the North Texas legal community who has her name on the door of a trial boutique. As a regular mentor to young female trial lawyers, Aldous offers tips for women in a male-dominated profession, shares storytelling and trial strategies, and discusses how her legal work has shaped who she is today in her recent Living Legend interview with the DBA.
— Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas is seeking lawyers to join the planning committee of its 24th Annual Women’s Advocacy Awards. The award recognizes business leaders, nonprofit leaders and individual lawyers who are providing outstanding advocacy for women and children in need or are paving the way for other women through their work. In June, during the 23rd annual awards, LANWT recognized Dallas Mavericks general counsel Sekou Lewis, New Friends New Life, Jones Day’s Hilda Galvan and Carrington Coleman’s Monica Latin. Proceeds from the awards ceremony, which included an auction, went toward supporting LANWT’s operations. LANWT provides free civil legal assistance to low-income residents of North and West Texas — including low-income women and children seeking safety, security and lives free from domestic violence and abuse.
“We are enthusiastic about the prospect of welcoming fresh perspectives and ideas to the awards committee as it moves forward with planning next year’s event,” LANWT said in a letter.
Committee members should be prepared to attend monthly meetings, voice objective opinions on issues, help promote the awards event and carry out any assignments made by the chair or co-chairs.
Click here for a full description of the role and what’s expected of a committee member.
If you are interested in joining, email events@lanwt.org (subject line: 2024 WAA) by Aug. 15 with your contact information. An online kickoff meeting is scheduled for Aug. 22 at 5 p.m., and those who emailed in expressing interest in joining the committee will be sent a meeting link.
Questions can be directed to Sam Prince, LANWT’s director of development, at developmentdirector@lanwt.org or (817) 339-5334.