ADL Austin is honoring the Honorable Lora J. Livingston with the Jurisprudence Award at ADL Austin’s Jurisprudence Virtual Event. Photo courtesy of ADL.

By Renee Lafair

ADL Austin is honoring the Honorable Lora J. Livingston with the Jurisprudence Award at ADL Austin’s April 13 Jurisprudence Virtual Event. The Jurisprudence Award is presented to an outstanding member of the legal community who exhibits a commitment to equality, justice, fairness and community service. The event is being co-chaired by Geraldine Tucker and Michael Whellan. 

Past Jurisprudence honorees include the Honorable Joe Straus, Pete Winstead, Clarke Heidrick and William Powers, Jr.

“In selecting Judge Lora Livingston, the ADL has chosen a Jurisprudence Award recipient who is extraordinary in her commitment to all four components of the award: equality, justice, fairness and community service. She is currently the longest serving civil district court judge in Travis County. She is not only well-respected by the legal community and her colleagues, who have elected her to serve as our local administrative judge (essentially our chief judge), but is also known and respected statewide and nationally for her tireless work for commitment to increasing access to justice through free legal services to the poor,” explained Judge Jan Soifer.

Livingston is a graduate of the UCLA School of Law. She served as a Reginal Heber Smith Community Lawyer Fellow assigned to the Legal Aid Society of Central Texas before entering private practice. Livingston subsequently began her judicial service by being elected as an associate judge for the District Courts of Travis County, Texas. Livingston was sworn in as Judge of the 261st District Court. She is the first African-American woman to serve on a district court in Travis County, Texas.  

Michael Whellan, ADL Austin civil rights co-chair and event co-chair, explained, “Judge Livingston has demonstrated profound commitment to equality and justice for all. In addition to serving as the local administrative judge for the entire Travis County Civil bench, she has participated in the ABA’s Committee on Pro Bono Services  and – in her spare time – is active in her faith community at St. James Episcopal Church; all with dedication, perseverance and an open heart.”

“We are honored to recognize the tireless and impactful work that Judge Livingston has done for our Central Texas community,” said ADL Regional Director Renee Lafair.