Texas Legal Awards categories 2025
Texas Lawyer is presenting its annual Texas Legal Awards, recognizing professional excellence in the legal community in assorted areas of the law. New categories this season include Most Promising Newcomer and Maritime Attorney of the Year.
We can accept confidential information as long as it is clearly marked. While we make our best efforts, we cannot guarantee keeping all sensitive information confidential, so firms must submit at their own discretion. Please note that submissions with a large amount of confidential information might not be as competitive as other submissions.
Deadline is Thursday, June 5, 2025.
This award goes to the lawyer who in 2024 had the biggest impact on the law or the Texas legal community or did the most to advance the cause of justice. (To be sure, some of this work may have originated before 2024 and/or extended into 2025.) Please submit a 500-word essay describing why this nominee deserves to win, as well as a color portrait headshot.
This category is designed to recognize lawyers who have helped less-experienced colleagues become better lawyers. The relationship between mentors and mentees need not be formal. We are looking for someone who passed along valuable knowledge to younger attorneys, paving the way for advancement and stellar contributions to the profession.
Please submit a 500-word essay describing why this nominee deserves to win. We also request a short Q&A from the honoree that will be published if they are selected. Please include a high-resolution color photo of the nominee, at least 200 dpi.
This is either someone from an underrepresented community who has overcome insurmountable odds to achieve success, or it’s a lawyer who’s had an outsized influence on inclusivity initiatives to make people of all backgrounds feel welcomed at their firm or organization. Please tell us in up to 500 words about anyone who fits this description, using examples of what they did during 2024. Please include a high-resolution color photo of the nominee, at least 200 dpi.
Please submit a 500-word essay describing why this nominee deserves to win, as well as a color portrait headshot. We also request a short Q&A from the honoree that will be published if they are selected.
Open to Texas-based lawyers from public or private companies and organizations.
The work of in-house lawyers is often unheralded, but those lawyers have an outsized impact on the practice of law, and those around them, every day. This honor recognizes a general counsel, legal department or in-house attorney who had a significant accomplishment in 2024.
Open to Anyone in the Texas Legal Community
This award seeks to honor innovative efforts by individual lawyers and legal professionals. Their innovation could be technology-oriented, but it doesn’t have to be. We want to hear about attorneys and legal professionals who have come up with game-changing ideas for their practices or organizations and who were then able to turn that vision into reality. Please submit an essay of up to 500 words describing why this person is a legal innovator. We also request a color portrait headshot and a short Q&A from the honoree that will be published if they are selected.
Please tell us in up to 400 words about anyone living who has left a lasting imprint on the Texas legal community. If Texas Lawyer has given an individual this award in the past, the same individual cannot win this award a second time. Please include a high-resolution color photo of the nominee, at least 200 dpi. We also request a short Q&A from the honoree that will be published if they are selected.
The competition is open to any law firm with a Texas presence; Texas lawyers must have had a significant impact on the work being presented, though the work can extend beyond Texas.
Litigation Department of the Year: General Litigation Nomination
Litigation Results
Describe, in 500 words or less for each result, six to eight litigation results that demonstrate your department’s excellence. This list can and should include trial and appellate results and could include pro bono results. For each result, please include the names of clients, lead partners and opposing counsel, as well as contact information for all involved whenever possible. Descriptions of results should include specific dollar amounts where relevant.
Biggest Loss
Briefly describe your firm’s biggest litigation loss in the past two years, with names of opposing counsel.
Three Upcoming Matters
Give a brief description of three upcoming matters for your firm.
Litigation Department 500-Word Essay
Write an essay, in 500 words or less, explaining why your firm should be recognized, such as overcoming specific challenges and achieving specific goals.
Litigation Department Q&A
There is an additional response section to several questions – this section will be published if the nominee is selected. Please log into the awards portal to view the Q&A.
Litigation Department of the Year: Specialty Practice Nomination
We will be accepting nominations in these practice categories:
- Real Estate
- Finance
- Intellectual Property
- Products Liability/Mass Torts
- Labor and Employment
- Insurance
- Professional Liability
- Class Action
You may submit nominations for more than one litigation subcategory, but separate submissions will be expected for each. The nomination will include:
Litigation Results 500-Word Essay
Describe, in 500 words or less for each result, six to eight litigation results that demonstrate your department’s excellence. This list can and should include trial and appellate results and could include pro bono results. For each result, please include the names of clients, lead partners and opposing counsel, as well as contact information for all involved whenever possible. Descriptions of results should include specific dollar amounts where relevant.
Biggest Loss
Briefly describe your firm’s biggest litigation loss in the past two years, with names of opposing counsel.
Three Upcoming Matters
Give a brief description of three upcoming matters for your firm
Litigation Department 500-Word Essay
Write an essay, in 500 words or less, explaining why your firm should be recognized, such as overcoming specific challenges and achieving specific goals.
Litigation Department Q&A
Short responses provided by the practice leader.
This award highlights major transactions in Texas. Areas can include, but aren’t limited to, corporate, M&A, venture capital, bankruptcy, tax, and real estate. To qualify, the bulk of the nominee’s work should be completed in 2024. Please submit a 400-word nomination explaining why this person was the best dealmaker in Texas in 2024. Please include a high-resolution color photo of the nominee, at least 200 dpi. We also request a short Q&A from the honoree that will be published if they are selected.
This award recognizes Texas' most promising lawyers under the age of 40 as of the nomination deadline. Please tell us, in up to 400 words, about folks who have wielded influence in their practice areas in Texas and beyond. They should be innovators, developing unique practice niches, amassing robust books of business, demonstrating strong leadership qualities, showing expertise in litigation, in-house or transactional work and committing themselves to pro bono, charitable and professional volunteer work. Please include a high-resolution color photo of the nominee, at least 200 dpi.
How has this attorney excelled in the area of real estate law? We welcome nominations for cases on any and all aspects of real estate law in the state, including titles, deeds, zoning, estate planning, property taxes, land use, ownership, etc. Please submit a 400-word nomination explaining why they deserve to win, focusing on accomplishments from 2024 and highlighting cases/transactions that have stood out. We also request a short Q&A from the honoree that will be published if they are selected. Please include a high-resolution color photo of the nominee, at least 200 dpi.
How has this attorney excelled in the area of IP law? Please submit a 400-word nomination explaining why they deserve to win, focusing on accomplishments from 2024 and highlighting cases that have stood out. We also request a short Q&A from the honoree that will be published if they are selected. Please include a high-resolution color photo of the nominee, at least 200 dpi.
How has this attorney excelled in the area of energy law? Please submit a 400-word nomination explaining why they deserve to win, focusing on accomplishments from 2024 and highlighting cases that have stood out. We also request a short Q&A from the honoree that will be published if they are selected. Please include a high-resolution color photo of the nominee, at least 200 dpi.
This award honors Texas' best women lawyers who have made a remarkable difference in the legal profession. We honor the trailblazers, advocates and leaders who have demonstrated exceptional skill in their fields and dedication to advancing equality. From breaking barriers in the workplace to championing important causes in our communities, these remarkable women inspire us.
Please submit a short essay (400 words or less) about why this nominee deserves recognition in this particular category. We also request a short Q&A from the honoree that will be published if they are selected. Please include a high-resolution color photo of the nominee, at least 200 dpi.
(Not open for submissions - selected by the editorial team)
This prestigious award will be selected by our editorial staff, and goes to the law firm that accumulates the most honors across Texas Legal Awards categories.
We do not accept submissions for this particular category, but the finalists and winners will be selected by our editorial staff. To be a strong contender in this category, firms should enter submissions across multiple categories including (but not limited to): Attorney of the Year, Lifetime Achievers, Distinguished Leaders and/or On the Rise AND Mentors, Best Legal Innovation, Legal Innovators/Most Innovative Firm, Litigation Departments and/or Dealmakers categories.
This award recognizes a lawyer who has had inspiring success on a 2024 pro bono case or who dedicated a notable amount of their time in 2024 to pro bono work to achieve meaningful results.
Please submit a short essay (400 words or less) about why this nominee deserves recognition in this particular category. We also request a short Q&A from the honoree that will be published if they are selected. Please include a high-resolution color photo of the nominee, at least 200 dpi.
The winning entry should demonstrate business leadership prowess during the relevant time period of 2024 through the submission period. We’ll be looking to honor Managing Partners throughout Texas, and also spotlighting managing partners in Dallas, Houston and Austin. Winning entries will show notable initiatives and/or successes around law firm management, whether that deals internally with anything from talent to technology or externally with clients or the public.
Please submit an essay (600 words or less) about why this nominee deserves recognition in this particular category. Data to back up the noted successes of any initiative or leadership endeavors is encouraged, and could include financial data, statistical improvements, success of programs or work won. The entry should not just be about firm wide initiatives, but should specifically demonstrate the nominee's role in the firm's success. The Managing Partner of the Year entry will demonstrate how this person's leadership and guidance of the institution made a notable difference for the institution, its people, its clients and/or society at large.
We request a short Q&A from the honoree that will be published if they are selected. Please also include a high-resolution color photo of the nominee, at least 200 dpi.
Open to anyone in Texas with 1-3 years of experience as an attorney
This award honors an individual in their first years as an attorney who has shown exceptional potential, work ethic and legal acumen. We’re looking to recognize newly qualified lawyers who have made a major impact on their businesses and communities, demonstrating the qualities necessary for them to quickly climb the career ladder. Nominations should demonstrate examples of leadership potential, initiative, contributions to the community, and any notable talents.
Please submit a 500-word essay describing why this nominee deserves to win and a high-resolution color photo of the nominee, at least 200 dpi. We also request a short Q&A from the honoree that will be published if they are selected.
This award recognizes lawyers who are leaders in the field of maritime law and/or had major successes in 2024 in the field of maritime law. Please submit a 500-word essay describing why this nominee deserves to win and a high-resolution color photo of the nominee, at least 200 dpi. We also request a short Q&A from the honoree that will be published if they are selected.