Friends, law firms and families have honored outstanding lawyers with Named Gifts to the Texas Bar Foundation. Among those so honored with donations of $30,000 or more are:
The firm of Beck, Redden & Secrest, L.L.P. established the Ronald D. Secrest Outstanding Trial Lawyer’s Award at the Texas Bar Foundation in honor and memory of Mr. Secrest, a gifted trial lawyer and a founding partner of the firm. Mr. Secrest earned an engineering degree from StanfordUniversity and a law degree from the University of Virginia. He, along with David Beck and Joe Redden, Jr., founded Beck, Redden & Secrest, L.L.P. in 1992, with the goal of representing clients with energy and professionalism before juries, judges, and arbitrators in high-stakes disputes in Texas and throughout the United States.
The firm is very active in the community, encouraging both partners and associates to volunteer for organizations, including the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program and Friends of Teach for America. Mr. Secrest himself was a Board Member and active supporter of the Ronald McDonald House, and an active Sustaining Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. The Texas Bar Foundation is proud of its relationship with the firm of Beck, Redden & Secrest, L.L.P. to honor the memory of Mr. Secrest, and pay tribute to the values, both professional and personal, he followed during his life.
The Dan Rugeley Price Memorial Award was established by friends and family and endowed through the Texas Bar Foundation. The award is given in memory of Dan Price who practiced law in Austin, Texas, and died in January, 1994.
As a living tribute to Dan’s life and work in the practice of law, an award is made annually to an outstanding Texas lawyer. The recipient chooses a Texas law school to receive the $1,000 cash portion of the award for a law student scholarship.
“He is a rare leader – and person, and I hope you will join me in this effort.” – Former Chief Justice Joe R. Greenhill
The Michael J. Crowley Fund for Justice was established with gifts from the law firm of Locke, Liddell and Sapp as well as friends and familly members. Mike Crowley was a native of El Paso who had been a longtime resident of Austin. After graduating from St. Edward’s University in Austin in 1969 with a B.B.A. in Management, he served four years in the United States Navy. Upon his return from the Navy, Mike entered the Texas Tech University School of Law. He graduated from Tech Law School, with honors, in 1977.
Civil legal services for the poor were always an important and meaningful part of Mike Crowley’s work on behalf of the profession.
The Michael J. Crowley Fund for Justice, while recognizing a fine attorney, helps the Texas Bar Foundation continue its work in providing legal assistance to people in need who otherwise would be unserved.
Clyde Fillmore of Wichita Falls was born on November 25, 1908. To celebrate his 70-year legal career, the Wichita County Bar Association honored him with the Clyde Fillmore Scholarship Fund.
Donations honoring Mr. Fillmore came from attorneys, friends and businesses both inside and outside of Texas.
In 1987, the Texas Bar Foundation created the Outstanding Jurist Award to honor an active Federal or State Judge. In 1995, the Foundation received a bequest to the endowment from the estate of Mrs. Samuel Pessarra in honor of her late husband Samuel Pessarra for the purpose of funding the Outstanding Jurist Award. The award was renamed the Samuel Pessara Outstanding Jurist Award in 1995. Samuel Pessarra, a native of Quintana, attended Baylor University and Baylor University School of Law. Mr. Pessarra was a member of the Brazoria County Bar Association, where he served as president, director and secretary.
The Lola Wright Foundation Award is presented in memory of Coleman Gay, who was a distinguished Texas lawyer and who exemplified the highest standards of professional ethics. The award is presented in recognition for outstanding public service in advancing and enhancing legal ethics in Texas.