ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kim J. Askew, Esquire, has been selected to receive the prestigious 2015 American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the Fifth Circuit. The award will be presented in early May at the Fifth Circuit’s Annual Judicial Conference by Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart and BG Malinda E. Dunn, U.S. Army (Ret.).
Askew is a partner with the firm of K&L Gates in Dallas, where she leverages her considerable experience in complex commercial litigation to represent clients in a variety of industries. She also represents clients in significant employment matters involving claims of race, disability, gender, and age discrimination; sexual harassment; and in litigation involving trade secrets, non-compete, non-solicitation, and employment agreements.
She is a long-time leader in the American Bar Association and was the first lawyer of color to chair the ABA’s Litigation Section. In 2013, she received the Professionalism Award from the Dallas Bar Association and the Texas Center for Legal Ethics and Professionalism; the State Bar of Texas Section of Litigation awarded her its Luther Soules II Award for professionalism and outstanding service to the profession in 2012. A frequent speaker on discovery, evidence, business litigation, and employment law, Askew has authored numerous publications and presentations.
A member of the Patrick E. Higginbotham American Inn of Court, Askew spearheaded a special program to honor and recognize the judge for whom the Inn is named. She serves on the board of the National Women’s Law Center and has trained Sudanese lawyers to identify evidence and argue human rights issues before the ICC. She is incoming President of the International Women’s Forum in Dallas.
Askew earned her bachelor’s degree summa cum laude from Knoxville College and her J.D. from Georgetown University.
The American Inns of Court Professionalism Awards are awarded in participating federal circuits, to a lawyer or judge whose life and practice display sterling character, unquestioned integrity, and dedication to the highest standards of the legal profession and the rule of law. Recipients are selected from circuit-wide nominations by representatives from the circuit and the American Inns of Court. The award is presented at the circuit's judicial conference and recipients will be recognized in October at the 2015 American Inns of Court Celebration of Excellence at the Supreme Court of the United States. The awards are underwritten in part by Thomson Reuters.
The American Inns of Court, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, fosters excellence in professionalism, ethics, civility, and legal skills. The organization’s membership includes more than 30,000 federal, state, and local judges; lawyers; law professors; and law students in more than 360 chapters nationwide and more than 97,000 alumni members. More information is available at www.innsofcourt.org.
