Honors and Awards:

• Mr. Beck was honored with the Anti-Defamation League’s 2005 Jurisprudence Award.  The Award is presented each year to legal professionals who demonstrate a devotion to the principles enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, commitment to the democratic values of the United States, and dedication to fair and equal justice for all.

Bar/Professional Activity:

• Mr. Beck recently served as President of the American College of Trial Lawyers (2006-07), a professional association skilled and experienced in the trial of cases and dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice, and the ethics of the profession, and whose membership is limited to the top 1% of the practicing Bar.  He has been named a Fellow in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, an Advocate in the American Board of Trial Advocates, and an "Honorary Overseas Member" of The Commercial Bar Association ("COMBAR"), a preeminent association of English barristers.
• Mr. Beck is also a Past President of the International Association of Defense Counsel ("IADC").  The IADC, which was founded in 1920, is a professional organization of attorneys in the private practice of law, who specialize in representing defendants in civil litigation.
• Mr. Beck served as President of the State Bar of Texas in 1995-96.  He is a past recipient of the prestigious University of Texas Law School Faculty Award and the State Bar of Texas Presidents’ Award.  He also received the distinguished "Honorary Barrister" Award from the University of Texas Law School Board of Advocates.  In 2005, he was named as a member of the Board of Trustees of The Center for American and International Law, in 2007 he was appointed to the Center’s Executive Committee, and in 2009 was named Vice Chair.  In 2007, he received the Leon Green Award from the Texas Law Review Association “for outstanding contributions to the legal profession.”

Scholarly Lectures and Writings:

• Mr. Beck has published numerous law journal articles and has appeared as a lecturer on many bar association and law school continuing legal education programs.  He is the author of Legal Malpractice in Texas, a book which was originally published by the Baylor Law Review, 43 BAYLOR L. REV. 1 (1991), and whose second edition was published in 1998, 50 BAYLOR L. REV. 547 (1998).  He also co-authored the 1999 through 2007 versions of O’Connor’s Annotated Civil Practice and Remedies Code, a treatise widely used by Texas lawyers.  In 2003, he authored “The Legal Profession at the Crossroads: Who Will Write the Future Rules Governing the Conduct of Lawyers Representing Public Corporations?”, 34 ST. MARY’S L.J. 873 (2003).  In December, 2004, he authored “Perspective: Separation of Powers – Is Our Judiciary Under Serious Attack?”, 67 TEX. B.J. 974 (2004).  In April, 2006, he co-authored “The Vitality of Barcelo After Ten Years: When Can An Attorney Be Sued For Negligence By Someone Other Than His Client?”, 58 BAYLOR L. REV. 371 (2006), and in July, 2008, he authored “Judicial Independence:  Woe to the Generation that Judges the Judges”, 71 TEX. B.J. 572 (July 2008).  He has won various awards for his legal writing.

Other Outstanding Achievements:

• In 2004, United States Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist appointed Mr. Beck to the prestigious Judicial Conference Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure.  The Committee’s members include some of the leading judges, academicians, and practitioners in the United States.  In 2007, Chief Justice John Roberts re-appointed him to a 3 year term on the Standing Committee.