This award, previously the Outstanding Young Litigator award, was established to shine a light on outstanding service, professionalism, and accomplishments by lawyers who have been licensed to practice for 12 years or less. In 2025, the Litigation Section Council renamed this award to the Alistair Dawson Outstanding Young Litigator Award.
The Alistair Dawson Outstanding Young Litigator Award is an honor recognizing exceptional young attorneys across our state.
The following criteria will be used to choose the awardee:
- Demonstrated commitment to equal justice under
law
- Conduct promoting the rule of law
- Outstanding examples of professionalism
- One or more significant contributions to the
community through legal representation, service to a community organization, or
service to the State Bar
- Must be licensed to practice law less than 10
years as of the nomination date.
To
nominate a deserving young attorney, please complete the nomination form
and submit it along with any supporting documentation by April 7, 2026.
Help us celebrate and elevate the next generation of leaders in our legal
community. Submit your nomination today!
The award
will be presented at the Litigation Section CLE track during the State Bar of
Texas Annual Meeting on June 11-12, 2026, at the Marriott Marquis Houston, in Houston, TX. The recipient will receive a commemorative award, and the Section will
make a $500 charitable donation in the recipient’s name to the nonprofit of
their choice (with approval from the State Bar of Texas).