The award has been presented annually since 2016 to an outstanding first-year member of the College. The Texas Bar College created the award in memory of Steve Condos, one of the original Charter members of the College who served as an influential and hardworking member of the first College Board shortly before his untimely death.
The Steven G. Condos Award for Outstanding New Member to the College
2024 Recipient – Hon. Christine Weems
Judge Christine Weems is a double board certified trial attorney in both Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law with a wide range of experience representing individuals as well as multinational corporations in litigation. In 2018, Judge Weems was elected to be only the sixth judge of the 281st Civil Judicial District Court bench. Since taking the bench, she has presided over 50 jury trials in the face of courtroom shortages due to Hurricane Harvey damage to the criminal courthouse as well as COVID-19.
Upon graduation from South Texas College of Law, she went straight into the courtroom representing injured plaintiffs in everything from medical malpractice to automobile accidents to mass tort litigation. She has tried several cases to jury verdict, obtaining favorable results for her clients and in the process becoming board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial Law.
Christine returned to Harris County, after spending almost five years in Manhattan working on large-scale anti-trust litigation as well as corporate tort cases. She also has extensive experience in commercial and residential first party bad faith insurance claims resulting from property and casualty losses. She is licensed to practice in the Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas as well as in state court in Texas and California. She has passed the bar exams in those states as well as New York.
Judge Weems is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, an invitation-only organization of experienced trial lawyers and judges dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the civil jury trial right provided by the Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. She was awarded the Honorary Alum award by the University of Houston Law Center’s Alumni Association for her work with the mock trial team. Christine also had the Spring 2021 pledge class of Alpha Phi Omega at the University of Texas at Austin named after her for her commitment to the community. In 2023, she was recognized as the Outstanding Mentor by the Asian Pacific Interest Section of the State Bar of Texas.
Past Recipients
2023
Jillian L. Schumacher
2022
J. Collin Spring
2021
Shelly Joyner
2020
Carra Miller
2019
Geeta R. Dammanna
2018
Christine S. Wakeman
2017
Constance Filley Johnson
2016
Russell Blair Ross, Houston
2015
Rachael K. Jones, Austin
2014
Kirsten L. Ruehman, Houston
2013
Jessica L. Mikell, Houston
2012
Ms. Umeka Lewis, Houston
2011
Abraham Michael Khaleghi, Houston
2010
Allen L. Stidger, Fort Worth
2009
Edward Frank Penak, Austin
2008
Elizabeth Ann Gilday, Dallas
2007
Maxine Aaronson, Dallas
2006
Mary E. Ramos, Houston
2005
Leo A. Luebbehusen, Hurst
2004
Rebecca Denise McCrum Renfro, Deer Park
2003
Kristyn Swen Helge, Fort Worth
2002
Douglas F. Ocker, Houston
2001
Ben B. Fiedler, Houston
2000
Georgia L. Fenton, Sugar Land
1999
Teresa C. Trowers, Lubbock
1998
Lloyd D. Ronin, Houston
1997
Robert L. Cole, Jr., Quitman
1996
Andrew L. Fono, Jacksonville, NC
1995
John C. Juravich, Houston
1994
Gloria P. Martinez Senftner, Auburn, CA
Recent Posts
©Texas Bar College - All Rights Reserved 