Awarded annually since 1992 to an outstanding College member based on achievement or contribution to professionalism. A plaque is given to the recipient and a cash award of $1,000 is given to the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or the law school of their choice, in the name of the award recipient. The award is named in honor of Jim D. Bowmer, of Temple, Texas, the originator of the idea of the State Bar College and a co-founder of the College.
The Jim Bowmer Professionalism Award
2021 Recipient – Kim Askew
Kim Askew represents clients in significant employment matters involving claims of race, disability, gender and age discrimination and sexual harassment, as well as in litigation involving business torts, trade secrets, non- compete, and non-solicitation and employment agreements. She has successfully tried cases to jury and non-jury verdicts in state and federal courts across the US and has handled appeals before federal and Texas appellate courts.
EXPERIENCE
• Obtained a take-nothing jury verdict on behalf of a Fortune 500 company in an $800 million breach of contract, tortious interference and fraud case
• Led teams that won defense verdicts in jury and non-jury trials under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Title VII, Texas Commission on Human Rights Act, ERISA, and other state and federal employment laws
• Led winning teams in jury and non-jury trials and arbitrations for Fortune 500 companies in breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, tortious interference with contract, fraud, securities fraud and other complex business disputes
• Negotiated consent decrees in employment cases with federal agencies
• Handled whistleblower claims as part of employment cases under state and federal statutes
• Conducts internal investigations of issues arising under federal and state employment laws for Fortune 50 companies and leading law firms
PRESENTATIONS AND SEMINARS
• “Federal Case Law Update,” 28th Annual Course Advanced Employment Law, Texas Bar CLE (January 2020)
• “Defining Harassment: Has it Really Changed in the #MeToo Era?” 27th Annual Course Advanced Employment Law, Texas Bar CLE (January 2019) and 21st Annual Summer School Course, Texas Bar CLE (July 2019)
• “Women in the Law; Where They Have Been and Where They are Today,” Bexar County Women’s Bar Foundation, Lead Academy (January 2019)
• “Know Your Gatekeeper: How to Ensure Admission of Evidence of Scientific Opinion Evidence in Your Jurisdiction,” ABA Section of Litigation, 2018 Annual Conference (May 2018)
• “Women in the Law 2018: Forging Your Path to Success,” Texas Bar CLE (March 2018)
• “Federal Case Law Update, 26th Annual Course Advanced Employment Law,” Texas Bar CLE (January 2018)
COURTS AND FORUMS
• Supreme Court of the United States
• United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
• United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
RECOGNITIONS
• Texas Lawyer’s 2020 list of Texas Trailblazers, June 2020
• Lawdragon 500 Legends – Top 30 Leading Lawyers in America, 2019-2020
• Dallas 500 – The Most Powerful Business Leaders in Dallas-Fort Worth, 2015-2019
• Dallas Bar Association, Inaugural Distinguished Service Award 2017 (the award has since been named in her honor)
• Paul R. Dean Alumni Award, Georgetown University Law Center, 2018
• Hon. Sam A. Lindsay Professionalism and Ethics Award, 2016
• American Inns of Court, 2015 Professionalism Award for the Fifth Circuit
• Benchmark, Top 250 Women in Litigation, 2015-2019
• American Bar Association, Spirit of Excellence Award, 2015
• Dallas Women’s Foundation, Maura Award: “Women Helping Women Award,” 2015
• The Dallas 500, D CEO Magazine, 2015
• Flame of Honor Award, Southwest Jewish Congress, 2014
• Lifetime Achiever Award, Texas Lawyer-Winning Women Lawyers, 2014
• Super Lawyer, “The Top 100 Lawyers in Texas,” The Top 50 Women Lawyers in Texas”, “The Top 100 Lawyers in Dallas, Fort Worth Region” 2014 – present
• Dallas Bar Association and The Texas Center for Legal Ethics Morris Harrell Professionalism Award, 2013
• The Nation’s Most Powerful Employment Attorneys – Top 100, Human Resource Executive, 2012, 2015 and 2016
• Luther (Luke) Soules III Professionalism Award, State Bar of Texas Section of Litigation, 2012
• Lawdragon 500, The Leading Lawyers in America, 2005, 2012-2020
• 25 Greatest Texas Lawyers of the Past Quarter Century, 2010, Texas Lawyer
• Fellow, Litigation Council of America
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Justice Award, Dallas Bar Association, 2010
• Inaugural List, Best Women Lawyers in Dallas, Labor and Employment, D Magazine, 2010
• Extraordinary Women in Texas Law – 2008, Texas Lawyer
• Texas Super Lawyer, Law & Politics Magazine and Texas Monthly, 2002 – 2019
• Best Lawyers in America – Commercial Litigation; Labor and Employment, 2002 – 2019
Past Recipients
2020
Hon. Ernest Aliseda, McAllen
2019
Chad Baruch, Dallas
2018
Mickey R. Davis, Houston
2017
Coyt Randal (Randy) Johnston, Dallas
2016
Richard L. Spencer, Houston
2015
Hon. Patricia Alvarez, San Antonio
2014
John G. Browning, Dallas
2013
Robert Pelton, Houston
2012
James Cooper, Houston
2011
Paul N. Gold, Houston
2010
Al Ellis, Dallas
2009
Charles M. Wilson, III, Dallas
2008
Hon. David E. Keltner, Fort Worth
2007
Edward Lindsay, Houston
2006
Mark W. Laney, Plainview
2005
Dana D. Jacobson, San Antonio
2004
Robert L. Meyers, Dallas
2003
Robert H. Dawson, Midland
2002
Claude E. Ducloux, Austin
2001
Andrew S. Hanen, Houston
2000
James H. (Blackie) Holmes III, Dallas
1999
James E. Brill, Dallas
1998
Broadus A. Spivey, Austin
1997
Thomas H. Watkins, Austin
1996
Eugene P. McGreal, Plano
1995
Rosa J. Pace, Borger
1994
Steven C. Laird, Dallas
1993
Bernard O. Dow
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