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San Antonio Lawyer Recognized With National Award
By:  Alyssa Long and Priscilla Camacho

San Antonio’s David Evans is the 2010 recipient of the American Bar Association’s National Outstanding Young Lawyer Award. This award recognizes a young lawyer who exhibits professional excellence; service to the profession and the bar; service to the community; and a reputation for, or the advancement of, legal ethics and professional responsibility. A shareholder with the firm Langley & Banack, Inc., David works primarily in the litigation section, focusing on employment and general litigation law.

David has devoted much of his life to San Antonio. Taking a brief detour to attend the Centenary College of Louisiana and later the University of Texas School of Law, it did not take him long to return home and thrive in every opportunity to serve the San Antonio Bar and the community around him. As a director and later President of the San Antonio Young Lawyers Association, he worked to increase membership participation dramatically and revamp SAYLA’s website. During David’s year as SAYLA President, SAYLA was recognized for some of its outstanding programs: the SAYLA/SABA Family Fest BBQ, the Lending-a-Hand Project benefitting Eagle Pass tornado victims, and SAYLA’s Phone-A-Lawyer program. In addition to his work with SAYLA, David also serves as an officer on the San Antonio Bar Foundation, member of the local William S. Sessions Inns of Court, active member of Meritas Law Firms worldwide (participating in their inaugural leadership class), and director on the Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors. Much closer to home, David is a vital participant and promoter of the Mahncke Park Neighborhood Association. It is therefore no coincidence that Mahncke Park has become a growing, vibrant part of the San Antonio community.

As noted by his nominees in his nine-page glowing nomination packet, David gives to the community around him and expects nothing in return. Most of David’s good works are not officially documented, but due to the chronicling by his excellent assistant Alicia, many of David’s projects are evidenced by the thank you notes he has received over the years. For example, when told by Bexar County District Court Judge Peden that several of our troops would spend the holidays fighting for our country, possibly without a reminder of the appreciation for their service, David coordinated a package drive with many of the items our troops would most appreciate at the holidays. David helped assemble the packages and organized volunteers to assure that every troop within this platoon received his/her own package. In a letter of gratitude, one soldier wrote:

“David Evans, I can not express to you how much your support and gratitude is appreciated by all soldiers here in 3rd plt, CLO 1-9 IN. The Holidays are difficult times for every soldier having to be away from his family, but the support you generated really made a difference. Each and every soldier looks forward to receiving mail and thanks to you every soldier did. The Christmas cards and care packages made the holidays easier for each soldier. To want to help a bunch of guys who you never met, really shows your kindness. It is people like you who remind us why we are here fighting for our great country’s freedom. You are a true patriot.”

Beyond his work within our profession and social service, David has endeavored to provide mentorship to high school students and law students in an effort to raise awareness and interest in the legal profession and what it means to serve. Whether it is helping to develop a TYLA-funded high school mock trial video or presenting to high school students on the value of peer mediation, David continuously provides local youth with a positive outlook on the legal profession.

Most importantly, David is an amazing husband to his wife Katie, father to 13-month old Sophia, and friend to all who know him. David is undeniably one of the most passionate and humble individuals in our legal community,and inspires each of us to be a better lawyer and a better person. David will be presented with this much-deserved National Outstanding Young Lawyer Award at the ABA Midyear Meeting on Saturday, February 12, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia.