from the editor
By Keri D. Brown Baker Botts L.L.P.
Associate Editors
Julie Barry Attorney at Law
Angela L. Dixon Attorney at Law
Robert W. Painter Painter Law Firm PLLC
The Houston Lawyer
Don Rogers Harris County District Attorney’s Office
Jill Yaziji Yaziji Law Firm
8
May/June 2013
Volunteers, Awards, and a Changing of the Guard
T
his issue brings the 2012-2013 bar year to a assisted the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Government of close. Your magazine recently was honored Mongolia in returning the skeleton to its rightful owner. by the State Bar of Texas with three Stars of In May 2013, he was honored by the Government of Texas Bars awards. The article “Challenges in Mongolia for his efforts. Federal Sex Trafficking Prosecution,” written Now on to this issue. As is our tradition, the Mayby Sherri Zack and Ruben Perez and pubJune issue features HBA members who are outstanding lished in the September-October 2012 issue, was honored volunteers in our community. Our guest editors, Judge with the award for the best news feature. Judge Mark DaJosefina Rendon and Suzanne Chauvin, put together a vidson’s series on Houston lawyers who made a differgreat issue. “Volunteers in Red, White and Blue” highence received the lights a few award for best seof our memries. Finally, The bers who served Houston Lawyer in the military. won best publica“Judging Voluntion among large teers” turns the bar associations. spotlight onto Additionally, at the members of the Stars of Texas our judiciary. We Bars awards, the focus on lawyers Houston Bar Aswho assume sesociation won the The 2012-2013 Editorial Board of The Houston Lawyer: first row from left, Angela cret identities in Outstanding Part- Dixon, associate editor; Keri Brown, editor in chief; and Farrah Martinez. Back row: the article, “From nership Award for the Hon. Dan Hinde; Chance McMillan; Julie Barry, associate editor; Al Harrison; Don Santa Claus to Rogers, associate editor; Jeff Oldham; Robert Painter, associate editor; John Gray, its Medical-Legal former editor in chief; Jill Yaziji, associate editor; the Hon. Josefina Rendon; Sammy Night Court: Partnership with Ford IV; and Suzanne Chauvin. Not pictured: Erika Anderson, Jonathan C.C. Day, Polly What Some LawTexas Children’s Graham, Judy L. Ney, and Tamara Stiner Toomer, former editor in chief. yers Will Do for Hospital. You can read more about that partnership in Charity and Fun.” Finally (and in addition to our stanour January-February 2013 issue. dard features), we have an update on the Veterans LeOn the topic of awards, have you ever wondered what gal Initiative, the recipients of the Bench Bar Pro Bono it takes to be awarded the Order of the Polar Star (the Awards, and coverage of other recent HBA events. highest honor that can be awarded to a foreign national) As this bar year comes to a close, I have the privilege from the Government of Mongolia? Our Articles Editor of handing the Red Pen of Editing to Robert Painter, who Robert Painter can tell you. In June 2012, Robert received will serve you in 2013-2014 as your Editor in Chief. Roba phone call requesting assistance in stopping the New ert and his Editorial Board will continue to work hard to York auction of a Tyrannosaur bataar skeleton that origibring you award-winning articles from our award-winnated in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert and had been smuggled ning publication. As always, if you have any ideas about out. The alleged smuggler attempted to auction the skelhow to make The Houston Lawyer even better, we weleton, and Robert successfully had the skeleton seized and come your comments. thehoustonlawyer.com