Awards
Congratulations to David J. Hacker as the 2025 Wiseman Award Recipient
We are pleased to announce David Hacker as the recipient of the 2025 Patrick Wiseman Award for Civil Rights. The award was established to recognize attorneys for their outstanding contributions to the civil rights and liberties of Texans.
David Hacker is Vice President of Litigation and Senior Counsel at First Liberty Institute, where he oversees all of First Liberty’s litigation from state and federal trial courts to the U.S. Supreme Court. Outside his litigation practice, David teaches continuing legal education courses and speaks on religious freedom and free speech topics at universities, law schools, and academic conferences.
He will formally be presented with the award at the 19th Annual Bill of Rights: Litigating the Constitution Course on May 2, 2025 at the Texas Law Center in Austin, Texas.
Patrick Wiseman Award for Civil Rights
The Patrick Wiseman Award for Civil Rights was established by the Civil Liberties & Civil Rights
Section to recognize attorneys for their outstanding contributions to the civil rights and liberties of
Texans.
Nominations are submitted by the Civil Liberties & Civil Rights Section membership and final
selection is made by the Council. Nominees must be a member in good standing of the State Bar
of Texas or an inactive member and have been licensed to practice law in Texas or another
jurisdiction for at least ten years.
In selecting a recipient, the Council considers a nominee’s contribution to civil rights and civil
liberties law; reputation for expertise in civil rights and civil liberties matters; reputation for
professionalism and ethics within the legal community; authorship of scholarly works and
presentations relating to civil rights and civil liberties; significant participation in the State Bar of
Texas, the Civil Liberties & Civil Rights Section, local bar associations, or other legal
organizations; and other significant contributions or experience relating to civil rights and civil
liberties law.
Past Recipients
2025 – David J. Hacker, Austin
2024 – Matthew J. Kolodoski, Dallas
2023 – Allyson N. Ho, Dallas
2022 – Alex Bunin, Houston
2021 – Thomas S. Leatherbury, Dallas
2020 – Bill Holston, Dallas
2019 – Mark S. Whitburn, Arlington
2018 – Chad Baruch, Dallas
2017 – Meijken Westenskow, Dallas
2016 – Eliot D. Shavin, Dallas
2015 – Judge William Wayne Justice, Austin
2014 – Ralph Brock, Lubbock
2013 – Greg Gladden, Houston
2012 – No Award Presented
2011 – Shelia Cheaney, Austin
2010 – Sarah R. Weddington, Austin
2009 – David Dow, Houston
2008 – James Harrington, Austin
2007 – Judge Jerry Buchmeyer, Dallas