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
2022 Recipient – Jerry D. Bullard
For 2022, the award goes to Jerry D. Bullard for Looking over the 87th Lege: An Overview of Selected Bills That Passed and Those That Didn’t (But You Ought to Know About Anyway).
Jerry D. Bullard is board certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and specializes in handling civil appeals and assisting trial counsel with legal and strategic issues in complex civil litigation. He has represented both plaintiffs and defendants, and has handled numerous appeals involving various types of civil and commercial litigation, including personal injury, insurance coverage, contract disputes, and First Amendment issues. Mr. Bullard also assists trial counsel at every level of litigation, including legal analysis of claims or defenses; handling dispositive motions, such as summary judgment motions, motions to dismiss, and motions for directed verdict; monitoring trial counsel and advising about error preservation during trial; preparing, objecting to and arguing the jury charge; and preparing and arguing all post-trial motions.
Mr. Bullard also represents individuals, business entities, healthcare organizations, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations with respect to governance and operational issues, contract negotiations, and other matters requiring legal analysis.
Mr. Bullard has served as chair of the Tarrant County Bar Association Appellate Section and chair of the state Bar of Texas (SBOT) Appellate Section. He also serves as the co-chair of the Legislative Liaison Committee for the SBOT Appellate Section, and has demonstrated a commitment to preserving the integrity of the Texas justice system by consulting with state legislators about issues affecting the judiciary and the administration of justice.
Mr. Bullard is a frequent author and speaker on trial and appellate procedure, substantive developments in the law, the legislative process, and legal writing and analysis. He also volunteers his time and resources to educate students and the general public about the judicial branch’s role in a democratic society.
Areas of Practice
- Civil Trial and Appellate Litigation
- Health Law
- Church, Religious, and Non-Profit Law
- Education Law
- Government Organizations
Education
- University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 1991
- Baylor University, B.A., Communications, cum laude, 1988
Admissions
- State Bar of Texas (1991)
- Trial and appellate courts of the State of Texas
- United States District Courts for the Northern, Western, Eastern and Southern Districts of Texas
- United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, New Orleans, Louisiana
- United States Supreme Court
Professional Activities and Memberships
- Board Certified ― Civil Appellate Law ― Texas Board of Legal Specialization (1998 – Present)
- AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest possible rating for both legal ability and ethical standards
- Member, Appellate Section, State Bar of Texas
- Chair (2020 – 2021)
- Chair-Elect (2019 – 2020)
- Vice-Chair (2018 – 2019)
- Treasurer (2017 – 2018)
- Secretary (2016 – 2017)
- Council Member (2007 – 2010)
- Co-chair, Legislative Liaison Committee (2009 – Present)
- Co-chair, Bench-Bar Liaison Committee (2005 – 2009)
- Bench-Bar Project Subcommittee (2004)
- Annual Meeting Program Planning Committee (2003)
- Member, Litigation Section, State Bar of Texas
- Legislative Committee (2017 – Present)
- Member, Legislative and Campaign Law Section State Bar of Texas
- Member, Tarrant County Bar Association
- Election Committee (2018 – 2020)
- Member, Appellate Section, Tarrant County Bar Association
- Pro Bono Committee (2012 – Present)
- Planning and Programming Committee (2004 – Present)
- Chair (2003 – 2004)
- Secretary (2002 – 2003)
- State Bar of Texas, Court Administration Task Force (2007 – 2008)
- Member, State Bar of Texas Litigation Section Work Group for Senate Bill 1204 (2007)
- Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation and Tarrant County Bar Foundation
- Adjunct Professor, Legal Writing and Analysis, Texas Wesleyan University (2005)
- Tarrant County Top Appellate Lawyers, Fort Worth, Texas Magazine (2013, 2015 – 2020)
- Recipient, 2017 Certificate of Merit, presented by the current and past presidents of the State Bar of Texas for outstanding service to the legal profession during the 2016 – 2017 bar year.
Past Recipients
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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