A plaque is awarded to an author of an outstanding CLE article presented during the year. Articles must be published by December 31st to be considered for the Best CLE Article Award. The award is named in honor of Franklin Jones, Jr. of Marshall, Texas, a co-founding father of the College.
The Franklin Jones Best CLE Article Award
2025 Recipient – William McMichael
For 2025, the award goes to William McMichael for So You’ve Got A Verdict… What Now?! Post-Verdict Procedure and Practice Tips for Texas Insurance Lawyers.
William McMichael is Senior Associate at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, where he maintains a nationwide practice representing businesses and high-net-worth individuals in commercial disputes and complex insurance coverage matters. He has served as trial counsel in state and federal courts in more than a dozen states and regularly advises policyholders on coverage issues, including general liability, commercial property, business interruption, and directors and officers insurance.
McMichael has been recognized multiple times as a “Texas Rising Star” by Super Lawyers and as “One to Watch” by Best Lawyers for both Insurance Law and Commercial Litigation. He frequently writes and speaks on insurance and litigation-related topics and currently serves as the Young Lawyer Liaison to the Council for the Insurance Law Section of the State Bar of Texas.
McMichael earned his bachelor’s degree with honors from The University of Texas at Austin and graduated with special distinction from Baylor Law School. He lives in Houston with his wife, Kristi, and their three children.
Past Recipients
2024
Hon. John G. Browning, Dallas
Let’s Chat About ChatGPT
2023
Jhiela Mirdamadi Poynter, Victoria
Don’t Take Your Crypto to the Crypt: Estate Planning Strategies and Considerations for Cryptocurrency, NFTS, and Other Emerging Digital Asset Technologies
2022
Jerry D. Bullard, Grapevine
Looking over the 87th Lege: An Overview of Selected Bills That Passed and Those That Didn’t (But You Ought to Know About Anyway)
2021
Brandon Marc Draper, Houston
And Justice for None: How COVID-19 Is Crippling the Criminal Jury Right
2020
Michael J. Ritter, San Antonio
Texas’s Transitioning Judiciary: A Few Appellate & Ethical Considerations
2019
Matthew Kolodoski, Dallas
Eliot Shavin, Dallas
Private Prisons: Constitutional Litigation Against Non-State Defendants
2018
Hon. Mike Engelhart, Houston
Sarah Kathryn Foster, Houston
Procedure for Enforcing Foreign State, Federal and Foreign Country Judgments in Texas
2017
Shelly L. Skeen, Dallas
State of Rights Post – Obergefell
2016
Justice Jane Bland, Houston
Laura Prather, Austin
Bullies Beware: Bullies Beware: Safeguarding Constitutional Rights through Anti-SLAPP in Texas
2015
Clyde J. “Jay” Jackson, III, Houston
Texas Supreme Court Update
2014
Richard R. Orsinger, San Antonio
170 Years of Texas Contract Law
2013
Lawrence M. Doss
Jeremy C. Martin
Chris Nickelson
Georganna L. Simpson
Rebecca Tillery
Jimmy Vaught
Appellate Practice From Every Angle
2012
John G. Browning, Dallas
Social Media in the Jury Box
2011
Pamela Stanton Barron, Austin
Supreme Court Docket Analysis
2010
Richard R. Orsinger, San Antonio
Practicing Family Law In a Depressed Economy Part I: Your Law Practice and
Your Clients – Part II: The Economy
2009
Byron F. Egan, Dallas
Director Duties: Process and Proof
2008
Hon. Patrick J. Garza, San Antonio
Police Interaction with Juveniles
2007
James N. Hidgon, San Antonio
Stehanie J. Bandoske, San Antonio
War and Peace-Military Benefit Issues in War Time
2006
Thomas M. Featherston Jr, Waco
What a Spouse Can Do To Unilaterally Protect That Spouse’s “Estate” From the Other Spouse and the Other Spouse’s Creditors and Heirs
2005
David B. Young, Austin
Selected Consumer Bankruptcy Issues
2004
Steve Akers, Dallas
Trustee Selection; Retaining Strings Without Getting Strung-Up
2003
Thomas P. Goranson, Dallas
What Every Family Lawyer Should Know About the Civil Practices & Remedies Code, Property Code, and Business & Commerce Code
2002
James E. Brill, Houston
Dealing With The Death Of A Solo Practitioner
2001
Paula Sweeney, Dallas
Valerie Mosman, Dallas
Hon. John M. Marshall, Dallas
2000
Eric E. Sigsbey, Midland
1999
David H. Pace, Dallas
1998
David B. Young, Austin
1997
Kathryn Hinkel, Dallas
1996
Scott Rothenberg
1995
Walter P. Wolfram, Amarillo
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