Austin Chapter wins ABOTA’s Chapter of the Year Award

The Austin Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates received Chapter of the Year honors for its outstanding accomplishments.

Tom Harkness (left) and David G. Halpern of accept the 2009 Chapter of the Year Award from Alan I. Dunst, Chair of the Awards Committee (right) at the National Board of Directors Meeting held at the MiraMonte Resort in Indian Wells, Calif., Jan. 23, 2010.

“I am very proud of the Austin Chapter and their accomplishments this year, as well as past years,” said Mary Schaerdel Dietz, President of the Austin Chapter. “The Austin Chapter is fortunate to have a vibrant chapter made up of motivated attorneys and judges, who are dedicated to active involvement in the community, locally and nationally, to promote and support values in alliance with the ABOTA mission.”

The ABOTA National Chapter of the Year Award is given to the chapter that exhibits exemplary activity and hard work that furthers the goals of ABOTA

“The Chapter of the Year Award drew a number of entries making the competition exceptionally tough. This year’s winner demonstrated an outstanding focus for members, their commitment and their desire to promote the 7^th Amendment’s right to civil trial by jury,” said Craig Lewis, National President of ABOTA. The Chapter’s accomplishments over the past year touched on every one of ABOTA’s purposes and goals, Lewis said.

There are several elements the Awards Committee considers, including:

• Growth in membership

• Pro bono and scholarship contributions

• Diversity

• Collegiality and camaraderie

• Social activities

• Collaboration

• Community involvement

• Professional education

• Youth education

• Judicial involvement

• State involvement

• History

• Fellows participation

Chapter of the Year Award Winners

• 1995 - Miami and Arkansas

• 1996 - Los Angeles

• 1997 - Jacksonville (Fla.)

• 1998 - Arkansas and San Francisco

• 1999 - Orange County (Calif.)

• 2000 - Rochester (N.Y.)

• 2001 - South Carolina

• 2002 - Michigan

• 2003 - Tennessee

• 2004 - Jacksonville

• 2005- Northern New Jersey

• 2006 - South Carolina and Tampa Bay

• 2007 - Orange County and San Bernardino/Riverside

• 2008 - Washington

• 2009 - Austin

  
  

Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor thanks ABOTA for efforts to preserve trial by jury

Massachusetts Lt. Governor Timothy P. Murray has praised ABOTA for its efforts to preserve the 7th Amendment right to trial by jury despite the difficult economic times and constraints imposed on all by the current budget at the Massachusetts Chapter’s Annual Meeting.

The Massachusetts Chapter held its Annual Dinner Meeting at the Algonquin Club in Boston. The event was extremely well attended. Peter M. Durney accepted the symbolic Presidential Quill from outgoing president Eric J. Parker, and outlined a very ambitious program for this year in his acceptance speech.

National President-Elect Harry T. Widmann of the Louisiana Chapter attended the meeting. Mr. Widmann recognized chapter’s recent growth, in both numbers and activities, and urged members to become more active at the national level by attending meetings and becoming Fellows of the ABOTA Foundation.


 To see photographs of the dinner, click here.