A plaque is awarded to an author of an outstanding CLE article presented during the year. All articles must be submitted no later than December 31 of each year in order 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
2023 Recipient – Hon. Jhiela Mirdamadi Poynter
For 2023, the award goes to Jhiela Mirdamadi Poynter for Don’t Take Your Crypto to the Crypt: Estate Planning Strategies and Considerations for Cryptocurrency, NFTS, and Other Emerging Digital Asset Technologies.
Jhiela Mirdamadi Poynter is the County Judge of Refugio County, Texas and a practicing attorney. As the founding member of Poynter Law, PLLC, her practice focuses primarily on probate, estate planning, civil litigation, and personal injury.
Jhiela and her husband Tim live in Refugio, Texas with their two children, two dogs, and two cats. In her free time, she coaches youth soccer and likes to travel, having visited 20 countries and counting.
Professional Experience
- COUNTY JUDGE, Refugio County (2023-Present)
- OWNER AND ATTORNEY, Poynter Law, PLLC, Law Office of Jhiela M. Poynter (2020-Present)
- ATTORNEY, Law Offices of Bernard T. Klimist (2012-2020)
Education
- TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW, Master of Laws in Wealth Management (2022)
- PAUL M. HEBERT LAW CENTER, LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY, Juris Doctor (2012), Graduate Diploma in Civil Law (2012)
- LSU International Law Society: President (2011)
- University of Missouri-Columbia Law School, Cape Town, South Africa (2011)
- Santa Clara University Law School, Istanbul, Turkey (2010)
- UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT LAFAYETTE, Bachelor of Arts, Double Major in Political Science & English, cum laude (2009)
- President’s List and Honors Program Graduate
- Phi Beta Delta Honors Society for International Scholars
- Sigma Alpha Lambda National Honors and Leadership Organization
- American Institute for Foreign Study, Florence, Italy (2008)
Certifications, Awards & Associations
- TEXAS SUPER LAWYERS, Rising Star (2021, 2022, 2023)
- COASTAL BEND’S 50 WOMEN OF DISTINCTION, Honoree (2022)
- REFUGIO LIONS CLUB, Member (2021-Present)
- REFUGIO COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, Member (2021-Present)
- JUNIOR LEAGUE OF VICTORIA, Treasurer (2021), Women Leaders of Tomorrow Chair (2018), Member (2014-Present)
- COLLEGE OF THE STATE BAR, Member (2020-Present)
- S. FEDERAL TAXATION CERTIFICATION, University of Illinois/Coursera (2020)
- REAL ESTATE, PROBATE & TRUST LAW SECTION OF THE STATE BAR, Member (2020-Present)
- 20 UNDER 30 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS OF THE CROSSROADS, Honoree (2018)
- VICTORIA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION, President (2018), President-Elect (2017), Member (2013-Present)
- CERTIFIED GUARDIAN AD LITEM (2017-Present)
- TOP 50 VERDICTS IN TEXAS 2016, TopVerdict.com (2016)
- LEADERSHIP VICTORIA, Victoria Chamber of Commerce, Participant (2013)
Publications
- ”Too Little, Too Late: Dunbar v. Seger-Thomschitz and the Ongoing Challenge Posed by Prescriptive Periods in Holocaust-era Art and Cultural Property Restitution Matters.” Art Antiquity and Law 17.1 (2012): 69-89.
- “Progress Report: Opening A New Practice.” Above the Law, Breaking Media, Inc., 27 May 2021, https://abovethelaw.com/2021/05/progress-report-opening-a-new-practice/.
Past Recipients
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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