The Judicial Section of the State Bar of Texas recently presented two of its most important awards at the Bar Foundation Luncheon, held in conjunction with the Judicial Education Conference in Fort Worth, on Sept. 8, 2014. Tracy Nuckols, project manager of State Bar sections, received the Friend of the Judiciary Award, and Larry Gist, senior criminal district judge of the Jefferson County Drug Impact Court in Beaumont, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Judicial Lifetime Achievement Award is given annually by the section to a current or former Texas judge who has earned a reputation for judicial excellence. “I am very honored to receive this exceptional award,” said Gist, who is the first non-Supreme Court of Texas justice to receive the award. “I hope it encourages all judges to not only be fair and impartial but to make sure that the perception of fairness is always shown. I am very proud to be a member of the judiciary of Texas and serve with so many outstanding men and women.”
In the presence of about 600 Texas judges, Nuckols accepted the Friend of the Judiciary Award, which has been presented to state lawmakers. Nuckols, who has worked for the bar for 16 years, manages a four-person department that is responsible for helping the 47 sections of the State Bar with their communications, newsletters, websites, and other initiatives.
“It meant a great deal to me that the Judicial Section recognized me by giving me this award,” said Nuckols. “I was very honored—and surprised. But it is mainly a recognition of the people who I work with—they are enthusiastic and they are problem-solvers. I could not do this job without them.”