The Association of Corporate Counsel’s DFW Chapter and The Texas Lawbook received dozens of nominations for the 2023 DFW Outstanding Corporate Counsel Awards, which recognize the successes and leadership demonstrated by in-house counsel in North Texas.
ACC-DFW and The Lawbook put together an independent group of judges to review the nominations and select the best of the best in 13 direct categories.
The Lawbook will announce the finalists for the 13 categories over the next 10 days and the annual awards ceremony will be held on Jan. 25 at the George W. Bush Institute. Throughout the month of January, The Lawbook will publish in-depth profiles of the finalists.
ACC-DFW President Alvin Benton (pictured right) announced Thursday that Nexstar Media Group General Counsel Rachel Morgan is the sole finalist and recipient of the 2023 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for Achievement in Pro Bono and Public Service. Sidley partner Aimee Fagan nominated Morgan for the honor.
Benton, who is lead product counsel for fintech company Upstart and former senior counsel at Goldman Sachs, also announced Thursday that Toyota Motor North America Managing Counsel Kelly Chen is the sole finalist and winner of the 2023 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for Achievement in Diversity and Inclusion. Toyota managing counsel Meyling Ly Ortiz, a past recipient of a DFW Corporate Counsel Award, nominated her colleague Chen for the honor.
During the next 10 days, The Lawbook and ACC-DFW will announce the finalists for General Counsel of the Year, Senior Counsel of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Business Litigation of the Year, M&A Deal of the Year, Corporate Secretary/Legal Advisor of the Year and Lifetime Achievement.
“We have an amazing group of finalists and winners this year,” said Texas Lawbook publisher Brooks Igo. “Kelly with Toyota and Rachel with Nexstar Media are wonderful examples of great lawyers also demonstrating tremendous leadership. Both are leaders in the legal profession and these awards are well-deserved.”
Igo points out that all profits from the DFW Corporate Counsel Awards go to support the funding of the full-time pro bono, public service and diversity reporter position for The Texas Lawbook.