Houston Young Lawyers Association Contact: Julie Paige Baumgarten Law Day Committee Chair Houston Young Lawyers Association 2800 Post Oak Blvd., Level 23 Houston, TX 77056 E-mail: julie.p.baumgarten@williams.com Houston Law Day Luncheon 2001 Activity Summary: On May 1, 2001 more than 400 lawyers, judges and students gathered to celebrate Law Day. The Pershing Middle School Choir entertained guests as they arrived. Centerpieces were created by the children of Texas Children’s Hospital, and Aspiring Youth Program students led the Pledge of Allegiance. Houston City Councilman Chris Bell presented the city’s proclamation, and the Liberty Bell Award was presented to Bob and Gay Smither, founders of the Laura Recovery Center Foundation for Missing Children following the tragic abduction and murder of their daughter. Texas Supreme Court Justice Harriet O’Neill captivated the audience with her keynote address. Activity Narrative: On May 1, 2001 more than 400 lawyers, judges, students and guests gathered for lunch at the Four Seasons Hotel to “Celebrate Your Freedom: Protecting the Best Interests of Our Children,” the theme selected by the ABA. The Pershing Middle School Choir entertained guests as they arrived, and Houston City Councilman Chris Bell presented the city’s proclamation. Centerpieces made by the children of Texas Children’s Hospital decorated the tables, and winning entries from the Houston Bar Association poster contest, including a top winner in the state wide contest, decorated the walls. Students and teachers with winning entries in the poster and essay contests were recognized, and students from the Aspiring Youth of Houston led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. The Houston Young Lawyers Association presented Judge Pat Mizell of the 129th District Court with the Woodrow B. Seals Outstanding Young Lawyer Award. The Liberty Bell Award was presented to Bob and Gay Smither, who founded the Laura Recovery Center Foundation for Missing Children following the tragic abduction and murder of their daughter, Laura Kate Smither. Texas Supreme Court Justice Harriet O’Neill captivated the audience as this year’s keynote speaker, and her speech on Protecting the Best Interests of Our Children won second place in the ABA’s Law Day Speech Contest. The Houston Law Day Luncheon was funded entirely by the generous donations and support of local law firms and companies. Pershing Middle School is an inner city school with students from low to middle income families. All proceeds of the luncheon were donated to the Pershing Middle School Choir to help cover travel expenses for competitions. The Houston Law Day Luncheon involved the participation of a significant portion of the Houston and Harris County legal and judicial communities. In addition, several Houston area businesses also were involved through their donations and attendance at the luncheon. With the involvement of the Pershing Middle School Choir, winners of the essay and poster contests, and the students from the Aspiring Youth Program, approximately seventy students and their teachers participated in the Houston Law Day Luncheon. In addition, the Houston Law Day Luncheon was covered by the media, including the Houston Bar Association Bulletin, Houston Young Lawyers Association Pocket Parts, the University of Houston Daily Cougar and Channel 2. Children were involved in every facet of the Houston Law Day Lunch from the entertainment as guests arrived to the centerpieces created especially by the children at Texas Children’s Hospital and the decorations on the walls. Students prepared materials, Texas Children Hospital materials were distributed to luncheon attendees, and students led the guests in the Pledge of Allegiance. Award-winning students and their parents and teachers were recognized and actively participated in the Law Day Luncheon program. The entire program focused on the theme: “Celebrate Your Freedom: Protecting the Best Interests of Our Children.” A majority of the legal community members attending the lunch are not actively involved in the legal issues of children nor are these types of issues part of their routine legal practices. The keynote speech in particular traced the background of juvenile law, its development over the years and highlighted the necessity for improvement. While informative, the speech was also entertaining and educational for all audience members. In addition, copies of the winning student essay on the theme were distributed, and the essay provided an entirely different perspective on the same topic. By participating in the luncheon, the students and the legal community were better informed of children’s rights and their role in the protecting of the rights. Sample Programs Home | By Audience | By Location | By Sponsoring Organization