Martha Dickie, president of the State Bar of Texas, will be guest speaker at the Jefferson County Bar Association annual Law Day program on May 4.
Lawyers in Jefferson County will recognize the best in their profession next week, and then take some time away from the courtroom to come together for fun and festivities during Law Day 2007 events.
The Jefferson County Bar Association and Jefferson County Young Lawyers Association will kick off the annual meeting and Law Day ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday, May 4, in the Jury Impaneling Room of the Jefferson County Courthouse.
Guest speaker will be Martha Dickie, president of the State Bar of Texas.
According to her State Bar profile, Dickie joined the firm of Akin and Almanza, L.L.P. in January 2005, where she practices general civil and criminal law. She worked for the firm of Minton, Burton, Foster and Collins P.C. from 1982 to 2004, and for U.S. District Judge Jack Roberts from 1980 to 1982. She has served on the State Bar Board of Directors, the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, as a trustee of the Texas Bar Foundation, and as chair of the Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation.
A former president of the Travis County Bar Association, Dickie has served on a number of Travis County and State Bar committees. She has also served as a commissioner on the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, and as a board member of the Austin Child Guidance Center. She graduated with honors from the University of Texas, and earned her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law.
Dickie is married to James Rader, in-house counsel with the Lower Colorado River Authority in Austin. They have two sons, Joey, 12, and Clark, 10.
At the meeting, several awards will be presented including Outstanding Young Lawyer, Blackstone Award, Liberty Bell Award and the Professionalism Award. Members will also elect a board for 2007.
Following the awards and meeting, the Black Robe Luncheon, sponsored by the JCYLA, will be held at Suga's, 461 Bowie St.
In addition to the more formal events, several activities will give attorneys and their families a chance to relax trade in their three-piece suits for jeans and T-shirts.
On Friday, May 4 and Saturday, May 5, the association will hold its 17th Almost Annual Barbecue Contest at the Brad Club in Nederland. For the first time the event will include a Best BBQ Sauce competition. Judging will be held at 11:30 a.m.
At 7 p.m.. Rodgers & LeMasters will perform acoustic rock. Check them out at www.myspace.com/keithrodgersdicklemasters
The fun continues Saturday with the Law Day Family Picnic 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the Brad Club. Kids will be entertained by Gumdrop the Clown, a super slide and sno-cones.
For more information, call (409) 835-8647.