Awards Committee

The Awards Committee is responsible for managing the nomination and selection process for annual awards that recognize outstanding contributions to the field of child protection law. The Committee coordinates all aspects of the awards process, from soliciting nominations to selecting recipients and facilitating award presentations.

Committee members are appointed annually by the Section Chair and serve a one-year term. The Committee is tasked with ensuring a fair, transparent, and timely process for identifying individuals who exemplify excellence, leadership, and service in the practice of child welfare law.

Child Protection Law Section Awards

The Awards Committee oversees the selection of recipients for the following four awards:

Lifetime Achievement Award

Honoring a career of outstanding dedication and impact in child protection law.

Rutland Excellence in Advocacy Award

Recognizing exceptional advocacy on behalf of children and families.

Hall of Legends Award

Celebrating individuals whose contributions have left a lasting legacy in the field.

Chair’s Award – Selected by the Section Chair to recognize significant service or achievement supporting the mission of the Section.

Past Awardees

2020 Rutland Excellence in Advocacy Award: Lori Duke (Austin)

2020 Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Bruce Perry (Houston)

2021 Chair's Award: Hon. Aurora Martinez Jones (Austin)

2023 Rutland Excellence in Advocacy Award: Versel Diane Rush (Bowie)

2023 Chair's Award: Hon. Rhonda Hunter (Dallas)

2023 Chair's Award: Michael Hull (Houston)

2024 Rutland Excellence in Advocacy Award: Tara Grigg Green (Houston)

2025 Chair's Award: Mark Briggs (El Paso)

Call for Nominations!

"Rutland Excellence in Advocacy Award"

To be Awarded by the State Bar of Texas

Child Protection Law Section at the

2026 Annual Advanced Child Protection Law Course

Recognizing outstanding legal service by practitioners helps to improve the quality of legal services by exemplifying standards to strive toward.

Procedure: Submit the nomination form below that includes specific reasons for why your nominee should be considered for the award. Please provide the email address, mailing address, and phone number of the nominee. Also, indicate whether you authorize publication of your name as the nominator of the nominee.

Deadline: Nomination form must be received by December 1, 2025

Award Criteria:

Only practicing attorneys are eligible (private or government).
Candidate must have made a substantial contribution in the field of Child Protection Law.
Judges and Council officials of the State Bar Child Protection Law Section are not eligible to receive the award.
NOTE: Nominees will be eligible for the award for this year and two years thereafter.