MehaffyWeber is pleased to announce Managing Shareholder Robert “Bob” Black received the Texas Bar Foundation Lola Wright Foundation Award for 2021.
Founded in 1965, the Texas Bar Foundation is the largest charitably funded bar foundation in the country and Fellow membership is by invitation only, with only 1/3 of 1% of Texas attorneys invited to participate. Election to the Fellows is one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon a member of the State Bar of Texas. Nomination is based on outstanding contributions to the legal profession as well as a commitment to the community. Mr. Black served as a Texas Bar Foundation Trustee from 2007 through 2010.
The Texas Bar Foundation Lola Wright Foundation Award was established in 1985 in honor of Coleman Gay, an attorney who exemplified the highest standards of professional ethics. The award is presented in recognition of outstanding public service in advancing and enhancing legal ethics in Texas. The criteria include the award winner must be an attorney to whom professional ethics are paramount – qualities exemplified by Mr. Black.
The award includes a monetary donation from the Lola Wright Foundation to a charity in the recipient’s honor. The Lola Wright Foundation was established in 1954 by Johnie Elizabeth Wright in honor of her mother, for which Coleman Gay was one of the first directors. Mr. Black selected the Humane Society of Southeast Texas as his charity of choice, an organization dedicated to enriching the lives of pets and people through advocacy, education, and forever homes for animals.
About Bob Black
Mr. Black joined MehaffyWeber in 1980 after obtaining his law degree from Texas Tech University School of Law summa cum laude. He has tried over 50 cases and has successfully served as presiding mediator in over 5,000 cases on a wide range of subjects throughout Texas and across the nation.
He previously served as President of the State Bar of Texas from 2011-2012. During his tenure, he started the initiative Oyez Oyez Oh Yay! to educate students on the Supreme Court decisions that shape our country and to illustrate the importance of the rule of law. This initiative won the 2012 Community Outreach and Education Award from the National Association of American Bar Executives and LexisNexis, a national honor not previously accorded to a State Bar of Texas initiative.
Mr. Black was honored in 2014 by the Litigation Section of the State Bar of Texas as a Texas Legal Legend, the youngest ever selected. He is also a member of the American Arbitration Association Roster of Neutrals. He was selected by Chambers and Partners® for inclusion in the 2016 inaugural rankings of Mediators Nationwide, an honor only given to 22 mediators in the country. He has won this industry accolade every year since. Mr. Black has also been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers® (2011-2021) and Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters (2004 – 2020) for his excellence in Alternative Dispute Resolution. In addition, he has achieved and maintained the highest possible rating of AV Preeminent with Martindale-Hubbell. An “AV” rating means he has reached the highest level of professional excellence and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity.