The Austin Bar Association has announced the 2024 winners of the Joseph C. Parker Jr. Diversity Award, the Regina Rogoff Award, the Professionalism Award, and the Larry F. York Mentoring Award.
The winner of the Joseph C. Parker Jr. Diversity Award is Manuel Escobar, partner at McGinnis Lochridge.
The winner of the Professionalism Award is V. Blayre Pena.
The winner of the Larry F. York Mentoring Award is Judge Jan Soifer.
The winner of the Regina Rogoff Award is Raymond Winter, inspector general for Texas Health and Human Services.
Joseph C. Parker Jr. Diversity Award: Manuel Escobar
The Joseph C. Parker Jr. Diversity Award is named in honor of Joseph C. Parker Jr., the first African American president of the Austin Bar Association. Blazing the trail for minority lawyers who followed in his footsteps, Parker has spent his life and work championing the equal, ethical, and fair treatment of all people, and raising awareness of the need to diversify our community. The award is presented to a firm or an individual who has led the way in bringing diversity to Austin’s legal community and who exemplifies all that Parker stands for.
Manuel Escobar counsels private companies and individuals across multiple industries, working closely on transactional matters with business owners and senior management. He assists clients with business formation and ownership from entity selection to dissolution, as well in as a broad range of other transactional matters for both for-profit and nonprofit entities, including ownership structure, drafting formation and operating documents, and advising on corporate governance. Escobar has helped a variety of businesses and individuals form, wind down, and buy and sell businesses across Texas.
Escobar’s securities law practice includes working with private placement transactions involving small- and medium-sized companies, including review and qualification for state and federal securities exemptions as well as drafting offering memorandums and related subscription documents. Escobar has also assisted clients with numerous real estate transactions. His experience includes drafting contracts, deeds, deed covenants and restrictions, and easement agreements as well as reviewing and negotiating small and large commercial leases.
Escobar has worked with clients ranging from individual entrepreneurs and small business owners to oil and gas companies and operators, groundwater producers, cooperative associations, hospitals and healthcare providers, real estate developers, property managers, landlords, restaurant owners, doctors, veterinarians, beverage manufacturers, and more.
Escobar counsels private companies and individuals across multiple industries, working closely on transactional matters with business owners and senior management. He assists clients with business formation and ownership from entity selection to dissolution, as well in as a broad range of other transactional matters for both for-profit and nonprofit entities, including ownership structure, drafting formation and operating documents, and advising on corporate governance. Escobar has helped a variety of businesses and individuals form, wind down, and buy and sell businesses across Texas.
Escobar’s securities law practice includes working with private placement transactions involving small and medium-sized companies, including review and qualification for state and federal securities exemptions as well as drafting offering memorandums and related subscription documents. Escobar has also assisted clients with numerous real estate transactions. His experience includes drafting contracts, deeds, deed covenants and restrictions, and easement agreements as well as reviewing and negotiating small and large commercial leases.
Escobar has worked with clients ranging from individual entrepreneurs and small business owners to oil and gas companies and operators, groundwater producers, cooperative associations, hospitals and healthcare providers, real estate developers, property managers, landlords, restaurant owners, doctors, veterinarians, beverage manufacturers, and more.
Professionalism Award: V. Blayre Pena
The Professionalism Award honors a lawyer who best exemplifies, by conduct and character, truly professional traits that others in the bar seek to emulate, and whom all in the bar admire. Those selected for the award are truly role models for the bar, particularly younger or less experienced lawyers.
V. Blayre Pena was nominated by Abigail Ventress, associate at VBPena Law.
“Ms. Pena always checks all the rules and case law and strives to comply with local rules and standing orders,” Ventress wrote in her nomination, specifically citing the civility with which Pena interacts with opposing counsel.
Pena is a former chair of the Austin Bar’s Civil Litigation Section, a former president of the Williamson County Bar Association, and a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation.
Pena is certified in civil appellate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She represents both plaintiffs and defendants in construction disputes, including general contractors, subcontractors, owners, and sureties.
Pena also encourages attorneys at her firm to engage in pro bono opportunities.
Pena’s practice is located in Round Rock, north of Austin, but she has handled cases all over the state, including Dallas, Houston, Lubbock, and McAllen.
“Ms. Pena goes above and beyond to provide the best legal services possible and is constantly working on perfecting her practice,” Ventress wrote.
Larry F. York Mentoring Award: Judge Jan Soifer
The Larry F. York Mentoring Award is given to a local lawyer or judge who has demonstrated exceptional skill and generosity in mentoring younger members of the bar. This award was created to pay tribute to Larry York, who encouraged many young lawyers in Travis County to achieve professional and personal excellence, with integrity, grace, and humor. Nominees must have practiced at least 10 years and have served as role models and counselors to other lawyers, distinguishing themselves as leaders of their profession while fully embracing life’s experiences.
Judge Jan Soifer was nominated by Elliott Beck, staff attorney for the 345th Civil District Court.
“I don’t know anyone else who consistently mentors as many law students and young lawyers as she does, both formally and informally,” Beck wrote in his nomination.
For several years now, Judge Soifer has simultaneously mentored a first-year law student through The University of Texas School of Law’s 1L Mentoring Program; a young female lawyer through the Travis County Women Lawyers’ Association mentoring program; and a young lawyer from the Lloyd Lochridge Inn of Court’s mentoring program.
“Even during the pandemic, Judge Soifer actively served as a resource for these mentees, meeting outside for a chat, going on hikes or bike rides, or chatting on Zoom,” Beck wrote.
Since taking the bench in January 2017, Judge Soifer has recruited law-student interns most semesters and maintains professional relationships with them. She never misses an opportunity to swear in these former interns when they pass the bar, and is always available to provide career advice.
“She gets regular requests from middle and high school classes to speak or, on occasion, borrow her courtroom,” Beck wrote. “Such requests are always met with an enthusiastic, ‘Of course!’”
Judge Soifer also counsels judicial candidates and new judges in how to run strong campaigns and how to approach judging, either in general or regarding specific cases.
“I am awestruck by the patience, kindness, and empathy with which Judge Soifer approaches her role as my boss and as a jurist,” Beck wrote.
Regina Rogoff Award: Raymond Winter
The Regina Rogoff Award is given annually to an attorney in Travis County that has demonstrated outstanding service in the public/non-profit sector. This award was created as a lasting tribute to the career achievements of Regina Rogoff, who started with Legal Aid of Central Texas (now Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas) in 1973 and served as its executive director for 19 years.
Raymond Winter was nominated by David Duncan, senior attorney at the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
“[Winter] has been an exemplary public servant for decades,” Duncan wrote in his nomination, going on to call Winter a fierce and dedicated enforcement attorney at the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, now known as the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
For 15 years, Winter worked in the Civil Medicaid Fraud Division of the Texas Attorney General’s Office, eventually becoming chief of that division.
“[Winter] has also mentored many young attorneys and guided them to successful careers throughout the state,” Duncan wrote.
Winter has also served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army Reserve and the Texas National Guard.
He was appointed inspector general of Texas Health and Human Services on Oct 2., 2023.
“[Winter] will no doubt leave his indelible legacy on that office as well,” Duncan wrote.
Congratulations to all the award winners!