The Texas Center for Legal Ethics, or TCLE, has named David Keltner of Fort Worth as the recipient of the 2018 Chief Justice Jack Pope Professionalism Award. Keltner will be presented with the award by Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht at the annual Texas Supreme Court Historical Society Dinner on September 7 in Austin. The Pope Award, named in honor of deceased Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Jack Pope, is given to a judge or attorney who personifies the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in appellate law. Keltner is an appellate attorney with Kelly Hart & Hallman in Fort Worth. He previously served as a justice on the 2nd Court of Appeals in Fort Worth from 1986 to 1990. Keltner is one of the original drafters of the Texas Lawyer’s Creed and worked with Chief Justice Pope in 1984 to enact the State Bar’s new disciplinary procedure rules. He was chair of the State Bar Board of Directors in 1999-2000.

“David Keltner epitomizes what every young lawyer should aspire to be—an advocate who strives to further the administration of justice in a manner that honors his clients, the attorneys that he works with and against, and the judge before whom he appears,” said Grapevine attorney Jerry Bullard, who was one of the attorney’s who nominated Keltner.

For more information about the Pope Award and the Texas Center for Legal Ethics, go to legalethicstexas.com.