ABOTA presents Lifetime Achievement Award to Texas lawyer Patrick C. Simek

2002 National President honored at National Board Meeting with organization's highest honor

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Feb. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Board of Trial Advocates presented its highest honor to former ABOTA National President Patrick C. Simek the ABOTA Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. Simek was honored at the organization's National Board of Directors meeting in St. Petersburg, Fla.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130211/DC58138)

Simek is a longtime ABOTA member and Lubbock, Texas, lawyer. His ABOTA career began in 1991 when he was admitted into the invitation only association. He is a past president of the Lubbock Chapter and in 2005 was named TEX-ABOTA Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Texas chapters of ABOTA. He served as National President of ABOTA in 2002.

Simek joins only six others who have received the Lifetime Achievement Award, ABOTA's highest form of recognition honoring an individual whose leadership efforts have advanced the preservation of the right to trial by jury guaranteed by the Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. As the seventh recipient of the award, he joins Mark P. Robinson (2001), the Hon. William J. Rea (2002), Kermit J. Morgan (2004), Robert D. Barbagelata (2004), H. Gilbert Jones (2009) and Ronald H. Rouda (2011) as the other award recipients.

"We are grateful for Pat's direction and devotion to the rule of law and preserving justice for future generations," said Michael T. Callahan, 2013 National President. "He continues to be active within ABOTA and continues to promote the standards of the organization. He has always looked to the future with a guiding perspective of our past."

John V. Phelps, ABOTA's 2006 National President, introduced Mr. Simek before receiving the award.

"As National President in 2002, he first embraced the idea of a broader and younger and more diverse membership that is still moving forward today," Mr. Phelps said.  "I cannot say enough and have no words sufficient to what Pat deserves." Mr. Phelps described Mr. Simek's "dependability based on honor, a commitment to things beyond one's private welfare, and a life lived with faith and belief in the necessary community of consensus and caring and public service."

He thanked him for his willingness to serve, for defending a constitutional right that protects us all — the 7^th Amendment — and for his continued sense of justice.  Mr. Phelps thanked Mr. Simek's wife, Dinah, "who is conjunctive to the mere mention of either's name.  I never say 'Pat,' I never say 'Dinah,' we always say 'Pat and Dinah.'"

About Patrick C. Simek:

• National President 2002
• Member since 1991
• Diplomate level member (more than 100 trials)
• ABOTA Foundation Senior Life Fellow
• Lubbock Chapter

Committees:

• Financial Accountability and Responsibility Committee
• Investment Committee, chair
• Executive Committee
• Meetings & Conventions
• 7^th amendment & Jury Innovation
• ABOTA Foundation Memorial Committee
• Professionalism, Ethics & Civility Committee
• Chapter relations and Revitalization Committee
• Nominating Committee

Education:  Texas Tech University, BA, JD

ABOUT ABOTA:
The American Board of Trial Advocates, founded in 1958, is an organization dedicated to defending the American civil justice system. With a membership of 7,000 experienced attorneys representing both plaintiffs and defendants in civil cases, ABOTA is uniquely qualified to speak for the value of the constitutionally mandated jury system as the protector of the rights of persons and property. ABOTA publishes Voir Dire magazine, which features in-depth articles on current and historical issues related to constitutional rights, in particular the Seventh Amendment right to trial by jury. ABOTA and the ABOTA Foundation's headquarters are in Dallas.

For more information contact:
Brian Tyson at (800) 932-2682
[email protected].

SOURCE American Board of Trial Advocates