Texans Star and Houston’s Top Lawyers and Judges Join Forces

Raising the Bar With a Community Mission

BY Shelby Hodge // 02.27.19

photography Debi Wallace, Barfield Photography

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Susan Soussan, Alistair Dawson, Ed Fernandes at the Houston Bar Foundation luncheon. (Photo by Debi Wallace, Barfield Photography)

Travis & Sandy Sales, Laura Brogden at the Houston Bar Foundation luncheon. (Photo by Debi Wallace, Barfield Photography)

Trey Apffel, Kay Sims, Laura Gibson, Randall O. Sorrels at the Houston Bar Foundation luncheon. (Photo by Debi Wallace, Barfield Photography)

Susan & Barrett Reasoner at the Houston Bar Foundation luncheon. (Photo by Debi Wallace, Barfield Photography)

Reid & Stacey Sim Walker at the Houston Bar Foundation luncheon. (Photo by Debi Wallace, Barfield Photography)

Judge Eva Guzman at the Houston Bar Foundation luncheon. (Photo by Debi Wallace, Barfield Photography)

Travis Torrence, Whitney Mercilus and Barrett Reasoner at the Houston Bar Foundation luncheon. (Photo by Debi Wallace, Barfield Photography)

Kay Sim, Sofia Adrogué at the Houston Bar Foundation luncheon. (Photo by Debi Wallace, Barfield Photography)

Heath LaPray photobombed by Michael Thomas at the Houston Bar Foundation luncheon. (Photo by Debi Wallace, Barfield Photography)

Cicely Reid, Lionel Simms, Judge Maria T. Jackson at the Houston Bar Foundation luncheon. (Photo by Debi Wallace, Barfield Photography)

Jason Ryan, Bill Greendyke, Jason Boland at the Houston Bar Foundation luncheon. (Photo by Debi Wallace, Barfield Photography)

Greg & Jennifer Hasley, Greg Moore at the Houston Bar Foundation luncheon. (Photo by Debi Wallace, Barfield Photography)

Travis Torrence, Whitney Mercilus and Barrett Reasoner at the Houston Bar Foundation luncheon. (Photo by Debi Wallace, Barfield Photography)

What: The Houston Bar Foundation (HBF) awards luncheon

Where: The Marriott Marquis

PC Moment: Former Houston Texan Whitney Mercilus is not one you would expect to see in a room full of lawyers and judges but with the community service mission of his WithMerci Foundation matching the community commitment of the HBF, the story of his foundation was indeed apropos. He was just part of the program that honored retiring Houston Bar Association and HBF executive director Kay Sim, who served from 1981 to present, and recognized the annual awards recipients.

Headlining the luncheon were incoming foundation chair Travis Torrence, an attorney with Shell Oil Company, and outgoing chair Barrett Reasoner, partner with Gibbs & Bruns LLP, as well as Supreme Court of Texas Justice Eva M. Guzman, who was honored with the James B. Sales Pro Bono Leadership Award.

Awards presented by the Houston Volunteer Lawyers (HVL) were Baker Botts LLP, Outstanding Contribution by a Large Firm; Blank Rome LLP, Outstanding contribution by a mid-size firm; Jenkins & Kamin LLP, Outstanding Contribution by a small firm; Christie Cardon of King & Spalding, Outstanding Contribution by a pro bono coordinator; J. Thomas Black, Outstanding contribution by solo practitioner; Bryn Poland of Mayo & Poland, Outstanding Contribution by an individual; Shell Oil Company, Outstanding Contribution by a corporate law department; Susan Stokes, Outstanding Volunteer Service to the Dispute Resolution Center; James Montgomery, Longevity of Exemplary Service to the Dispute Resolution Center; and Dustin Rynders, author of the outstanding legal article, published in The Houston Lawyer, which is the HBA’s professional journal.

PC Seen: City Attorney Ron Lewis, State Bar of Texas president Trey Apffel, State Bar of Texas president elect Randall SorrelsPat and Donald Guter, Stacey Sim Walker and Reid Walker of Dallas, Susan Reasoner, Trey Apffel, Laura Gibson, Sandy and Travis Sales, Sofia Adrogué, Lauren Brogden, Ed Fernandes, Jennifer and Greg Hasley, Jason Ryan, and Criminal District Judge Maria T. Jackson.