The National Conference of Bar Presidents (NCBP)has selected Richard Pena as the winner of its 2024 Fellows Award.
This marks the first time a former Austin Bar president has won this distinguished award, and only the second time a bar president from Texas has won. (James Sales of the Houston Bar Association, who subsequently served as State Bar of Texas president, won in 2007.)
The announcement from NCBP is quoted below:
Richard has embodied excellence in the legal profession for over 30 years, made history as the first Hispanic and minority president of the Austin Bar Association and the State Bar of Texas, is a trailblazer in the Hispanic legal community, a trusted and invaluable mentor to many, and has consistently provided the organized bar with stellar leadership and service; to wit:
Mr. Pena’s profound impact on the organized bar is undeniable and will continue far into the future. Mr. Pena was elected as president of the Austin Bar Association in 1990 and the State Bar of Texas in 1998 and successfully led both organizations.
Following his tenures as president of the Austin Bar Association and the State Bar of Texas, Mr. Pena continued serving the legal community as president of the American Bar Foundation, completing multiple terms as a member of the American Bar Association House of Delegates, serving on multiple committees within the American Bar Association, and actively engaging with several other legal organizations. In 2000, Mr. Pena was elected to the National Conference of Bar Presidents’ Executive Council and remained on the council until 2003.
Mr. Pena is an extraordinarily accomplished attorney. He is president and CEO at the Law Offices of Richard Pena in Austin, Texas. He is committed to ensuring the rule of law is available for all. An advocate for learning about the legal systems of other cultures, Mr. Pena has led numerous Texas delegations of lawyers to Turkey, South Africa, China, Tibet, Cuba, Vietnam, Cambodia, Egypt, India, Israel, and Brazil. Mr. Pena’s impact extends far beyond the organized bar. He tirelessly gives his time, serving as a mentor and inspiration to countless lawyers. He is invested in blazing a trail for Hispanic and minority attorneys and has received several honors, including the Spirit of Excellence Award from the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession, recognition as a Trailblazer by the State Bar of Texas, and the Difference Makers Award from the ABA General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Division, among others. Mr. Pena is a phenomenal attorney and bar leader who consistently enriches those around him and adds immeasurable value to the legal community.
THEREFORE, be it resolved, on this 2nd day of February 2024, that the National Conference of Bar Presidents recognizes Richard Pena, by presenting him with the National Conference of Bar Presidents Fellows Award, for exemplifying all that this award was created to celebrate, showing a powerful dedication to the NCBP mission, and a continuing commitment to bar leaders nationwide.