Soo Nam Awarded Donald C. McCleary Gardere Leadership Scholarship

DALLAS, TX, March 30, 2013 (Press-News.org) Steve Good, managing partner of Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, presented the 2013 Donald C. McCleary Gardere Leadership Scholarship to Soo Nam at the Dallas Bar Foundation Fellows Luncheon on March 27.

The scholarship is awarded annually to a second-year law student at the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in memory of former Gardere Managing Partner Don McCleary. Applicants are evaluated on their academics, leadership, character and involvement in both law school and the community. Recipients are chosen based on their excellence in these categories, which shows a demonstration of qualities consistent with the core values embraced by Mr. McCleary.

Ms. Nam is in the top 25 percent of her class and serves as the staff editor of the SMU International Law Review Association, president of the Korean American Coalition, student member of the Dallas Asian American Bar Association, mentor to first-year law students through the SMU Bar Association, and member of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association. Ms. Nam, who is fluent in English and Korean, gives back to the community by providing translation and other pro bono assistance to low-income, elderly and disabled Koreans living in North Texas.

Ms. Nam graduated with honors from The University of Texas with a degree in psychology. She currently works as a judicial extern in Dallas for 5th District Court of Appeals Justice Douglas Lang, who is a former Gardere partner and was a personal friend of the late Mr. McCleary.

"It is an honor to present Ms. Nam with this scholarship," Mr. Good says. "Her academic success along with her civic and community service and leadership are impressive and embody the spirit of Don McCleary."

Mr. McCleary served as Gardere's managing partner from 1991 through 1995, and passed away in 1996. His vision for Gardere included participation in local, state and national public affairs, humanitarian activities and pro bono work. He established many of the community outreach programs that have become the hallmark of the Firm, including the Annual Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition, which this year celebrated its 21st anniversary in Dallas and its 17th anniversary in Houston.

For additional information regarding the Donald C. McCleary Gardere Leadership Scholarship, including a list of past recipients, please visit the Gardere Community page at http://www.gardere.com/Firm_Profile/Community/.

Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, an Am Law 200 firm founded in 1909 and one of the Southwest's largest full-service law firms, has offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston and Mexico City. Gardere provides legal services to private and public companies and individuals in areas of corporate, litigation, energy, tax, real estate, financial services, government affairs, hospitality, intellectual property, labor and employment, and environmental. For more information, contact Dorothy L. Seals at 214.999.4019 or dseals@gardere.com.