Judge William Sessions Discusses Lawyering in the 21st Century
Judge William S. Sessions will visit Washburn University School of Law as a 2007 Distinguished Visiting Jurist on October 5, 2007. In his public talk, "Lawyering in the 21st Century," Judge Sessions will present his views on current key issues in law practice.
William S. Sessions joined Holland & Knight LLP in 2000 and is a partner engaged primarily in Alternative Dispute Resolution procedures.
Judge Sessions is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and Texas and is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the San Antonio Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the American Bar Foundation, the Judicature Society, the William S. Sessions American Inn of Court and the National Association of Former United States Attorneys. Since June 2002, he has served on the Governor's Anti-Crime Commission in addition to serving as the Vice Chairman of the Governor's Task Force on Homeland Security for the State of Texas. He also participates in the Judiciary Relations Committee for the State Bar of Texas. Additionally, he served as the President of the Waco-McLennan County Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association of San Antonio, the District Judges Association of the Fifth Circuit and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Federal Judicial Center in Washington D.C. He has served as the Initial Chair of the ABA Committee on Independence of the Judiciary (1997) and Honorary Co-Chair of the ABA Commission on the 21st Century Judiciary (2002). Judge Sessions holds the highest rating assigned by Martindale-Hubbell. He was named by his peers to the 2005-2006 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
Judge Sessions currently serves as a member of the American Bar Association's Advisory Commission to the Standing Committee on the Law Library of Congress; Steering Committee of Coastal Texas 2020; the Innocence Project of the National Capital Region and the Innocence Commission for Virginia. In addition, Judge Sessions is listed in The Best Lawyers In America for 2005-2006 for Alternative Dispute Resolution.
Judge Sessions serves as an arbitrator and mediator for the American Arbitration Association, the International Center for Dispute Resolution and for the CPR Institute of Dispute Resolution as a District Panelist, National Panelist of Distinguished Neutrals and on the Arbitration Appeal Panel.
Judge Sessions has served as a member of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday Commission, the Texas Commission on Judicial Efficiency (1995-97) and the Texas Commission on a Representative Student Body (1997-98).
Following 10 years of private practice with the firm of Haley, Fulbright, Winniford, Sessions & Bice in Waco, Texas, Mr. Sessions served as the Section Chief of the Government Operations Section of the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., the United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas, United States District Judge for the Western District of Texas, Chief Judge of that court and as the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Judge Sessions received his bachelor's degree in political science and economics from Baylor University in 1956 and his J.D. from the Baylor University School of Law in 1958. He has received several honorary degrees. Judge Sessions was selected to receive the 2002 Price Daniel Distinguished Public Service Award. This award recognizes his outstanding and unselfish contributions in the field of public service. The Judge was honored by Baylor University Law School as Lawyer of the Year (1988). Judge Sessions has been named by his peers to the 2007 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for both Alternative Dispute Resolution & Corporate Governance and Compliance Law.
