Leon Jaworski Award Program

LEON JAWORSKI AWARD

2025 Jaworski Award Winner

The Houston Bar Association Auxiliary is delighted and honored to present the
32nd Annual Leon Jaworski Award

David J. Beck

Friday, March 28, 2025

The Briar Club • Magnolia Ballroom

2603 Timmons Lane

Registration begins at 11:00 a.m.

Luncheon begins at 11:30 a.m.

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LEON JAWORSKI AWARD

The HBAA Leon Jaworski Award was initiated in 1988 to honor a lawyer for a lifetime of volunteer service. State and national bar associations reward professional achievement; the granting of the Jaworski Award is based solely on service to the greater Houston community. Success in politics, the military, or professional organizations may contribute to candidacy, but they are of secondary importance in this selection.

Each year, the HBAA Leon Jaworski Award Committee solicits nominations from the entities of the Houston Community whose efforts enhance the quality of life in Houston. A committee of five community leaders, none of whom may be lawyers, considers each nomination and elects the recipient. The award process and procedures were carefully developed to establish and insure the propriety and integrity of the program. A Pat Foley sculpture, "Family", commemorates the award. The sculpture, representing a family enveloped within the protective arm of the law, is a gift from the Auxiliary to Harris County and stands in the downtown Juvenile Justice Center. A small replica of the sculpture, a maquette, is presented to the awardee.

Past Recipients

1988 Thomas D. Anderson

1989 Thomas Davis

1990 Herman P. Pressler

1991 William C. Harvin

1992 Gibson Gayle, Jr.

1993 Gail Whitcomb

1994 Sam W. Davis, Jr.

1995 Wyatt H. Heard

1996 Searcy Bracewell

1997 Charles Saunders

1998 Bruce LaBoon

1999 J. Kent Friedman

2000 E. William Barnett

2001 Daniel D. Arnold

2002 Harry M. Reasoner

2003 Neal Manne

2004 Julius Glickman

2005 Harry Gee, Jr.

2006 Charles Szalkowski

2007 Jonathan Day

2008 Scott Atlas

2009 Ewing Werlein, Jr.

2010 Lynne Liberato

2011 Carol S. Vance

2012 Kelly Frels

2013 Charles C. Foster

2014 Rufus Cormier, Jr.

2015 Bill Kroger

2016 Donna J. Petrone

2020 Stewart Gagnon

2023 Glen Rosenbaum

2023 Jaworski Award Winner

The Houston Bar Association Auxiliary is delighted and honored to present the
31st Annual Leon Jaworski Award

Glen Rosenbaum

Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at 11:30 a.m.

The Briar Club • Magnolia Ballroom

2603 Timmons Lane

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The Houston Bar Association Auxiliary was delighted and honored to present the
30th Annual Leon Jaworski Award

Stewart W. Gagnon

Guest speaker: Joe Jaworski

Introduction given by Harry Reasoner

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

The Briar Club • Magnolia Ballroom

2603 Timmons Lane

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30th Leon Jaworski Award Presentation

The Houston Bar Association Auxiliary proudly announces that the 30th Leon Jaworski Award will be awarded to Stewart W. Gagnon of Norton Rose Fulbright, L.L.P. In 1983, the Houston Bar Association Auxiliary appointed an Ad Hoc Committee to develop an award program to honor lawyers for long-time community service. The award is named for Leon Jaworski whose life and achievements reflected a deep commitment to public service. Today a commemorative sculpture along with a plaque including each award recipient's name are proudly placed in the Harris County Juvenile Justice Center Lobby. Save the date for this year's presentation: Tuesday, March 3rd, 2020, Noon, at The Briar Club, 2603 Timmons Lane, 77077.

Stewart W. Gagnon

29th Leon Jaworski Award Presentation

A History of the Jaworski Award

In 1983, the Houston Bar Association Auxiliary appointed an Ad Hoc Committee to develop an award program to honor lawyers for long-time community service. After five years of planning by the committee, the first award was made in 1988. The award is named for Leon Jaworski whose life and achievements reflected a deep commitment to public service.

The 8-foot, 900-pound abstract bronze sculpture created by Pat Foley was originally dedicated and located in the Family Law Center of Harris County. After almost thirty years and the upcoming transformation of the Family Law Center, it was time to find a new home. Carmela Frels, Jane Larkin, and Sandy Norris lead the way and with the assistance of Judge Robert Schaffer and County Administrator, Clay Bowman.

Today, the original sculpture along with a plaque with each award recipient's name, are proudly placed in the Harris County Juvenile Justice Center Lobby. Addresses were made at a re-dedication ceremony by HBA President, Laura Gibson, Judge Robert Schaffer, HBAA President Wendy Dawson, and the co-chairs of the event, Carmela Frels, Jane Larkin, and Sandy Norris.