Austin Bar Honors Advocates at Law Day
Austin, TX - The Austin Bar Association celebrated its annual Law Day luncheon Tuesday, May 1, 2007, as a part of national Law Day. This year's theme was "Liberty Under Law: Empowering Youth, Assuring Democracy."
Best-selling author and former attorney, James Grippando, wowed attendees with personal stories of his experiences as a lawyer and his life as a writer of fictional legal thrillers. Grippando was the perfect speaker for such a theme, having recently written his first book for young adults, Leapholes, which combines time travel with precedent setting legal cases throughout U. S. history. Grippando's insight, experience, and humor were an extremely entertaining combination.
Also at the luncheon was Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle. The Austin Bar Association presented him with a special honor in celebration of his 65th birthday for all that he does and has done for the legal community.
Several lawyers and advocates for the legal community were honored at the luncheon for their tireless efforts to help those in the legal community.
Garth Corbett of Advocacy, Inc. was presented with the Regina Rogoff Award, which is given annually to an attorney in Travis County that has demonstrated outstanding service in the public/non-profit sector and is a lasting tribute to Regina Rogoff, who started at Legal Aid in 1973 and was Executive Director for 19 years. Corbett has served in public interest for 27 years.
The Professionalism Award was given to Claude Ducloux of Hill Ducloux Carnes & Hopper. This award is given by the Austin Bar and Texas Center for Professionalism to a local lawyer who best exemplifies, by conduct and character, truly professional traits, who others in the bar seek to emulate, and who all in the bar admire.
The recipient of the Liberty Bell Award, to recognize community service that promotes better understanding of the principles of American government and strengthens the effectiveness of the American system of freedom under law, was Jim Kruger. Kruger is the owner of Kruger's Diamond Jewelers at Barton Creek Mall and in addition to serving on several boards, including CASA of Travis County, has generously participated in Austin Adoption Day by providing an engraved silver pendant to every girl and silver ID bracelet to every boy being adopted at the event.
Laurie Higginbotham of Archuleta, Alsaffar & Higginbotham received AYLA's Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, which recognizes a young attorney who has shown exemplary professional proficiency, service to the profession, and service to the community.
Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas also presented worthy attorneys with their notable awards. Because they were all exceptional, VLS awarded not just one, but three attorneys with the J. Chrys Dougherty Award - Jim Arth, Lynn Sanders, and Vicki Touchet.
Locke Liddell & Sapp was the recipient for the Joseph H. Hart Award.
Every year, the Austin Bar Association honors the Law Day Poster and Essay Contest winners. Students throughout Austin competed in the contests, which addressed the Law Day theme, "Liberty Under Law: Empowering Youth, Assuring Democracy."
The poster winners are:
1st place - Adam Ramirez
2nd place - Brenda CruzThe essay winners are:
1st place - Aysha Bagchi
2nd place - Holly Day
3rd place - Kelle Kampa
The Austin Bar Association, a nonprofit, voluntary association operated for charitable and educational purposes, represents approximately 3,900 attorneys in the Austin area.
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