HOUSTON–LAWFUEL – The Legal Newswire – Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. Partner Stephen Pate has received a prestigious award for his work leading the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel’s development of an e-discovery manual and program to prepare trial lawyers to handle such work.
Pate earned the Joseph R. Olshan Award for his chairmanship of the FDCC’s E-Discovery Task Force. He received the award at the federation’s annual meeting in Sun Valley, Idaho. Pate’s leadership in the e-discovery projects for the organization was considered the most significant contribution to advancing the FDCC’s goals of knowledge, justice and fellowship.
Under Pate’s leadership, the task force produced a 12-author, 131-page manual designed for use by active trial lawyers dealing with e-discovery issues. The group also produced a FDCC program on e-discovery moderated by Fox News commentator Mercedes Colwin. The program included presentations by former Judge Ronald Hedges, author of The Judge’s Pocket Guide to E-Discovery; and Laura Kibbe, e-discovery counsel for Pfizer Industries. The program consisted of a mock client meeting, mock meet and confer session and a mock sanctions hearing. It will soon be presented nationwide.
The Olshan Award was established by the FDCC in memory of Joseph Olshan, longtime executive director of FDCC. The award is presented annually to the chair of a board committee, administrative committee, or special project whose work and dedication as chair has made the most significant contribution.
Membership to the federation is highly selective and limited to 1,100 defense counsel. The organization has an active membership consisting of corporate counsel and executives from the United States, Australia, Canada, Asia, and Europe.
Fulbright’s long history within the FDCC includes three partners who have presided over the organization as president – John Williams, Dudley Oldham and L.S. Carsey. Four Fulbright partners are current FDCC members.
“Steve earned this award due to his hard work and dedication to the work of the FDCC,” Oldham said. “The award is a fitting recognition of his service to the organization and follows a long tradition of Fulbright partners who have supported the organization and its corporate defense efforts.”
Additionally, Pate, a member of Fulbright’s e-discovery practice group, was re-elected as a vice president of the FDCC. Pate is also a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and frequently counsels clients on e-discovery issues.
“Receiving this award is an honor and I appreciate the opportunity to serve this great organization,” Pate said. “Litigation involving electronically stored information is an expanding arena and this project will aid defense and corporate counsel in understanding the legal and technical issues that come together when addressing it.”
Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.
Founded in 1919, Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. is a leading full-service international law firm, with nearly 1,000 lawyers in 16 locations in Austin, Beijing, Dallas, Denver, Dubai, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Munich, New York, Riyadh, San Antonio, St. Louis and Washington D.C. Fulbright provides a full range of legal services to clients worldwide.
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