Dallas Bar Association
HEADNOTES
Focus ADR/Trial Skills
March 2015 Volume 40 Number 3
Frank Stevenson Candidate for President-Elect of the State Bar of Texas mer Law Intern Program which offers law firm internships to minorFrank Stevenson, a partner ity students in the Dallas ISD. Mr. at Locke Lord Edwards, has been Stevenson was awarded the State named a candidate for President- Bar’s “Best Series of Articles” for his Elect of the State Bar of Texas. Headnotes President’s Columns. Mr. Stevenson is a Randy Howry, of Ausmember of the Dallas tin, is also a candidate. Bar Foundation Board Ballots will be sent to of Trustees where he all State Bar members. served as SecretaryVoting will take place Treasurer. He is a SusApril 1-30. taining Life Fellow of Mr. Stevenson the Dallas Bar Foundaserved on the State tion, a Sustaining Life Bar of Texas Board of Fellow of the Dallas Directors (2010-2014) Association of Young and served as its chair Lawyers, a Sustainin 2012-2013. He has ing Life Fellow of the chaired the Campaign Frank Stevenson Texas Bar Foundation for Equal Access to Justice and currently serves on the and a Fellow of the American Bar Legislative Advisory Committee of Association. An active participant in his the Texas Access to Justice Commission. He is a member of the Pro community, he serves as an AssociBono Work Group of the State Bar ate Member of the Dallas Citizens Board of Directors and is a member Council, a Director of the North of the College of the State Bar of Dallas Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Dallas Foundation’s Texas. In 2008, Mr. Stevenson served Scholarship Committee and as as president of the Dallas Bar Asso- President of the Sammons Center ciation. During his tenure, he co- for the Arts. Mr. Stevenson is AV Preemifounded with Justice Douglas Lang the Transition to Law Practice Pro- nent© in Banking and Finance gram, a mentoring program that Law and in Transportation Law also trains new lawyers through by American Lawyer magazine and targeted CLE regarding law prac- Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Stevenson was raised in Fort tice management, effective client representation, pro bono opportu- Worth, Texas, and is a graduate of nities, wellness issues and career the University of Virginia School of development. Mr. Stevenson is also Law and a magna cum laude graduthe Founding Chair of the Sum- ate of Amherst College. HN Staff Report
Leon and Debra Carter
Leon & Debra Carter Donate $20,000 to EAJ Campaign by Alicia Hernandez
Hard working, humble, compassionate, committed to service and giving without expectation, these are some of the qualities that describe many pro bono volunteers who donate their time and talents to provide access to justice for the poor. These are qualities that are also shared by many Equal Access to Justice Campaign donors. Donors like Leon and Debra Carter, who give not to receive but to support a cause and a community that are near and dear to their hearts. “Leon and Debra exemplify everything that lawyers should be doing to promote equal access to justice,” said Robert Tobey, Co-Chair of the 2015 Campaign. “Without any prompting, they have
been major Campaign donors the past several years and are making a big difference in the lives of so many. In a word, their help with the Campaign has been invaluable!” “The Carters have been extraordinarily generous in their efforts to assist low-income families obtain access to justice,” continued Laura Geisler, Co-Chair. “We are incredibly grateful for their continued support of the Campaign.” With their Diamond Sponsorship of the Equal Access to Justice Campaign at the $20,000 level, Leon and Debra Carter continue their commitment to legal aid to the poor in Dallas. Leon Carter, a partner in the law firm of Carter, Scholer, Arnett, continued on page 16
Jim Cowles Selected for 2015 DBF Fellows Justinian Award by Kathryne M. Morris
The Dallas Bar Foundation will honor Jim E. Cowles by presenting him with the prestigious Fellows Justinian Award at the 24th Annual Fellows Luncheon at the Belo Mansion on Wednesday, April 1, 2015. Each year, the award is presented to an attorney “who has adhered to the highest principles and traditions of the legal profession, and has served the community and the profession with the highest ethical standards.” There is no greater honor, and it is fittingly conferred upon Mr. Cowles. As one of this state’s most successful and seasoned litigators, Mr. Cowles has now practiced law for over 50 years. By the time he graduated from The University of Texas Law School in 1961, he had already served as an officer in the United States Navy, and with the court’s permission, tried 10 cases to a jury verdict, winning all of them. Since that time, Mr.
Cowles has tried over 500 civil trials to verdict, winning most. When asked to explain why Mr. Cowles deserves to be honored for his professionalism, Auston Cherry, of Cowles & Thompson, P.C., said the following: “Call it respect, call it courtesy, or call it professionalism— it’s all the same to Jim Cowles. All he knows and has known his whole life is that you treat everyone with dignity. Walking to the office every morning around 7 a.m. you can hear him call out, Jim Cowles ‘Hey Ron, how’s it going?’ to the man who has a shoe shine business in the building. Or asking Jimmy, the off duty police officer, how his wife and kids are.” John Scully, of Cooper and Scully, P.C., emphasized Mr. Cowles’s humility and respect
for the profession with a similar story: “Many years ago, before our courthouse was renovated, the hallway walls were discolored and dirty. I got to court early one day for trial with Jim to find him alone in the hallway scrubbing the walls with a brush and soapy water. Pride in our profession.” Additionally, Mr. Cowles is regarded as an exemplary mentor. Trey Dowdy, of Strasburger & Price, LLP, noted the sheer number of lawyers who have been trained by Mr. Cowles: “As a young lawyer I had the privilege of practicing with Jim at what was then Touchstone, Bernays and Johnston… Besides being an excellent trial lawyer, Jim was always more than willing to train young lawyers regarding the preparation for and the trial of lawsuits.
I would venture to say that there are literally hundreds of lawyers today who were mentored by Jim Cowles.” Jim Grau, of the Grau Law Group, described the impact of Mr. Cowles’s mentorship as follows: “For as long as I have known him, Jim Cowles has embodied the noble tradition of the servant mentor, teaching by word and deed that law could indeed be practiced ethically, honorably, and with fierce excellence. Much of the best legal instruction I ever received came early in my career on Saturday mornings in the coffee room at Cowles & Thompson where Mr. Cowles consistently engaged young lawyers in discussions of new law developments, client care, case strategy, and ethical pitfalls, always spiced with plenty of war stories. It should come as no surprise that many of the most effective continued on page 12
Inside 6 Voir Dire and Separating the Sheep from the Goats 8 The Importance of Legal Aid 13 Cognitive Bias: It Happens to You! 17 To Arbitrate or Not to Arbitrate
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