Dallas Bar Association
HEADNOTES January 2013 Volume 38 Number 1
Sally Crawford to be Inaugurated as 104th DBA President
wise have access to legal representation. “Sally Crawford does not ‘do’ pro bono work, On Saturday January 19, 2013, the Dallas Bar giving back to the community is the way she lives Association will begin a year of “Celebration and her life,” said Charolette Noel, a tax partner in Rededication” with the inauguration of Sally L. Jones Day’s Dallas office. At Jones Day and in the Dallas bar community, Ms. Crawford is affectionCrawford as its 104th president. A 1986 Order of the Coif graduate of SMU ately known as the “queen of pro bono.” In addition to her pro bono School of Law, Ms. Crawford has work, Ms. Crawford has contribbeen a partner at Jones Day since uted to many other worthwhile 1996. Her practice focuses on mergcauses, including participating as ers and acquisitions, corporate a director and officer of the Dallas finance and general corporate law, Entrepreneurship Institute, Colwith particular concentration in lege of the State Bar of Texas, DBA the representation of privately held Community Service Fund and Concompanies in the technology, transsumer Credit Counseling Services portation, manufacturing and serof Greater Dallas. She is a Fellow vice industries—a nice complement of the Dallas Bar Foundation and to her pre-law profession. of the Dallas Association of Young A Columbus, Ohio native, Ms. Lawyers Foundation. She also serves Crawford moved to the Dallas area on the board of the Richardson in 1977 after marrying John CrawSymphony and is a “Big” in the Big ford. She began working at ContiSally L. Crawford Brothers Big Sisters mentoring pronental Mechanical Corp. where she rose through the ranks to the position of Vice gram. This impressive resume, however, barely President-Administration. She worked extensively with outside counsel, and it was there that begins to describe Ms. Crawford’s contribution to the Dallas community. She has served on the she was encouraged to go to law school. Upon graduation from SMU, Ms. Crawford board of the DBA since 2004 and has been a spent two years at Brice & Mankoff before join- long-time member of the DBA Securities, Merging Jones Day in 1988 as an associate. And the ers & Acquisitions and Corporate Counsel Sections, the State Bar Business Law and Corporate rest, as they say, is history. The eighth woman President of the Dallas Bar Counsel Sections, the State Bar College and the Association, Ms. Crawford has been recognized Pro Bono College of the State Bar. And she does all this while maintaining her as one of the Best Women Lawyers in Dallas by D Magazine and in Texas Super Lawyers. In 2011, busy practice in Jones Day’s transactional practice she was recognized by Altrusa International of group. In her role at Jones Day, Ms. Crawford disRichardson as one of the Outstanding Women of plays the same dedication to clients that she has Today and by the University of Texas at Dallas as demonstrated with her service to the bar. Steven Stennett, a partner at Jones Day, recalled worka Distinguished Alumni. At Jones Day Ms. Crawford is a member of ing with Sally over the last 12 years, “The rapport the firm’s diversity committee and has served as Sally has with her clients is incredible. They look the Dallas Office Public Service Coordinator for to her as more than just someone who provides many years. Her true passion lies in pro bono legal advice, she is a part of their team, a trusted work and helping those less fortunate. She has advisor. I have always strived to have the same been named Pro Bono Coordinator of the Year by relationships with my clients and to serve them the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program (DVAP) with the same level of respect that Sally does.” We are lucky to count Sally Crawford as a and played no small part in Jones Day’s DVAP Pro Bono Firm of the Year and the W. Frank leader in our community. Ms. Crawford spends her free time with her Newton Pro Bono Services Awards. Ms. Crawford has contributed to pro bono daughter Elizabeth Field, who lives in Oklahoma causes at every level, donating countless hours and is following in her mother’s footsteps as a tax to pro bono representation and countless more attorney. She also enjoys spending time with her hours to mentoring attorneys with their own many nieces and nephews. Service to the needy, mentoring to young pro bono cases. She began doing pro bono work in1986, as a newly licensed attorney when she attorneys and counseling to global businesses is took her first assignment from the local legal all in a day’s work for Sally Crawford. She is a aid clinic. On that auspicious day, Ms. Crawford superlative example of what we can all accomwas assigned a “simple” divorce case that ended plish for our community, our profession and up being the most complicated pro bono matter our clients. The DBA is fortunate to have Ms. she has handled to date. With a little help from a Crawford at the helm in 2013, and we wish her seasoned family lawyer she marched into court as continued success as we celebrate all that we a first year corporate lawyer and successfully pro- have achieved together in past years and rededitected her first family law client. Ms. Crawford cate ourselves to serving our community and our HN was not deterred by the challenge and has since profession. completed hundreds of pro bono cases through legal aid and devoted thousands of hours of her Lea C. Dearing is an associate at Munsch Hardt and is Co-Chair of the time to assist individuals that would not other- Publications Committee. She can be reached at ldearing@munsch.com. by Lea C. Dearing
Inside 5 Slack & Davis, L.L.P. | Making a Difference 9 Is Appropriation Art Ever Appropriate? 11 15 Minutes of Fame: Reality TV contracts 13 Use Unlicensed Music in Wedding Films at Your Peril
Focus Sports & Entertainment Law
Al Ellis to Receive 2013 MLK Justice Award by Jessica D. Smith
As we reflect on 2012 and prepare for the New Year, January also brings us a time to reflect upon and celebrate the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In honor of his legacy, the Dallas Bar Association recognizes attorneys and others whose lives inspire and reflect the values of courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility and Al Ellis service—the principles embodied by Dr. King. On January 21, 2013, the Dallas Bar Association will honor Al Ellis with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Justice Award. Mr. Ellis, a Dallas Bar Association past president and community leader, is Of Counsel at Sommerman & Quesada, L.L.P. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington, Mr. Ellis served a tour of duty in Vietnam as a captain in the U.S. Army Airborne Infantry. When his service was complete, he returned to Dallas and entered SMU School of Law, serving as chief counsel for the SMU Legal Clinic and on the board of editors for the Journal of Air Law and Commerce. He earned his law degree in 1971and has been admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and all federal and state courts in Texas. Mr. Ellis is a tireless advocate for his clients and in his successful 40-year career has tried more than 170 jury trials. He has held numerous leadership positions in the community including President of the Dallas Bar Association in 1990. During his year as President, the DBA took three significant steps. First, the Board of Directors passed a resolution recognizing the contribution of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to the promotion of civil rights, vowing to honor him with an appropriate celebration on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Second, the Board of Directors voted to make the Presidents of the minority bar Associations voting members of the Dallas Bar Board of Directors and third, a task force was appointed to develop the DBA’s Long Range Plan for Inclusion, which aimed to substantially increase diversity in the profession. “I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this award,” said DBA President Sally Crawford. “Al’s dedication to the promotion and implementation of inclusion in the bar association has made a real and permanent difference in our bar.” Also during his presidency, Mr. Ellis formed the Community Involvement Committee and through this
Committee, Mr. Ellis along with Rex Spivey initiated the Home Project by partnering with Habitat for Humanity to build a home for an area family each year. To date, the DBA is the longestserving whole-house sponsor and has built 22 homes for families in the Dallas area. As a result of this program Mr. Ellis became a core volunteer for Dallas Habitat for Humanity, has participated in building over a hundred homes in Dallas and has built homes with the Carter Work Project in Viet Nam, the Gulf Coast and Haiti. Mr. Ellis’ additional past leadership roles include: presidencies of the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, American Board of Trial Advocates (Dallas Chapter),Texas Center for Legal Ethics and Professionalism, Dallas Council on Alcoholism, Dallas All Sports Association tournament director for the Dallas Regional Golden Gloves Tournament for 20 years and many more. While his list of community service work is long and varied, so too are his numerous awards and honors. Among the many accolades he has received are the Justinian Award presented by the Dallas Lawyers Auxiliary, UTA Distinguished Alumni Award, J.L. Turner Legal Association C.B. Bunkley Award, Dallas Minority Attorney Program Legacy Award, Dallas Trial Lawyers Distinguished Community Involvement Award, the Leon Jaworski Award for Teaching Excellence, the Nancy Garms Memorial Award for Outstanding contributions to Law-Focused Education, the Texas Bar Foundation Dan Price Memorial Award, the State Bar College Professionalism Award and he has been named to Texas Monthly’s Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America. “I have been blessed to have received several outstanding awards during my 40 years of community and professional involvement. While it would be unfair to say any one award is more meaningful than another, to receive the MLK Jr. Justice Award is humbling and touches my heart and soul as no other recognition has. Martin Luther King Jr. is a hero of mine. To receive an award named for this great believer in equality and justice is simply mind boggling.” The DBA is proud to honor Mr. Ellis with this important award. Members of the DBA and the community are invited to attend the Martin Luther King, Jr. Justice Award luncheon on January 21, noon, at Belo to honor Mr. Ellis. To make reservations for the luncheon contact Biri Avina at bavina@ dallasbar.org. A plated lunch will be HN served ($12.76). Jessica D. Smith is the DBA’s Communications/Media Director and can be reached at jsmith@dallasbar.org.
January Focus: Sports & Entertainment Law This month’s Headnotes articles focus on the topic of Sports & Entertainment Law. This Section welcomes lawyers who practice sports or entertainment law, enjoy t.v., books or movies, or participate in sports as a player or fan. Join this Section for $25, by contacting kwatson@dallasbar.org.