Each year, the Poverty Law Section recognizes outstanding contributions to poverty law through its Noble Award and Impact Award.
Nominations for both awards are accepted each spring. Our Awards Committee reviews the nominations and recommends recipients to the Section Council, which votes on the final selections. Award recipients are announced and recognized at the Poverty Law Section’s annual meeting, held during the Poverty Law Conference in Austin.
Noble Award: The Noble Award recognizes a Texas attorney whose career reflects a sustained commitment to poverty law and public service. The award honors significant professional accomplishments in expanding access to high-quality legal services for Texans with low incomes or protecting and advancing their legal rights.
Impact Award: The Impact Award recognizes a Texas attorney or poverty law professional whose recent work has made a significant difference in the lives of low-income Texans. The award may recognize an important poverty law case, including an appellate decision, court order, or agency decision, as well as a policy change or other legal achievement that has had a broad impact or provided meaningful relief to individuals and communities.
Past Award Recipients
- 2026
- NOBLE AWARD: Larry Spain
- IMPACT AWARD: Gloretta “Glo” Thornton
- 2025
- NOBLE AWARD: Stephen McIntyre
- IMPACT AWARDS: Disaster Task Force Founding Members (Stephanie Duke, Ester Torres, Amanda Bosley, Tracy Figueroa, Brittanny Perrigue Gomez)
- 2024
- NOBLE AWARD: Shelby Jean
- IMPACT AWARD: Jerry Wesevich
- 2023
- NOBLE AWARD: Veronica Jacobs
- IMPACT AWARD: Briana Stone
- 2022
- NOBLE AWARD: Richard Tomlinson
- IMPACT AWARD: Julie Balovich
- 2021
- NOBLE AWARD: Debra Anne Wray
- IMPACT AWARDS: : Brettney Moore, Raul Noriega, Israel Reyna, Guadalupe Canales
- 2020
- NOBLE AWARD: Denise Margo Moy
- IMPACT AWARDS: Gabriel Sanchez, Stephanie Champion, Ann Maldonado Heaps, John Hasley, Wayne Krause Yang
- 2019
- NOBLE AWARD: Jennifer Harbury
- IMPACT AWARDS: Lucille Wood, Laurie Hallmark
- 2018
- NOBLE AWARD: [None awarded]
- IMPACT AWARDS: John Henneberger, Tracy Figueroa, Jerry Wesevich
- 2017
- NOBLE AWARD: William H. Beardall, Jr.
- IMPACT AWARDS: Amanda Chisholm, Lee DiFillippo, Wallace Jefferson, Tom Stutz
- 2016
- NOBLE AWARD: Jaime Sanchez
- IMPACT AWARDS: Erin Gaines, Kelly L. Haragan
- 2015
- NOBLE AWARD: Fred Fuchs
- IMPACT AWARDS: Gene Rollins, Veronica Carbajal
- 2014
- NOBLE AWARD: Rebecca G. Flanigan
- IMPACT AWARDS: John J. Grieger, Andrea Marsh,Christina E. Trejo, Michael E. Urena
- 2013
- NOBLE AWARD: Bruce Bower
- IMPACT AWARDS: Abby Frank, Christopher McGreal, Sharon Reynerson
- 2012
- NOBLE AWARD: Roger Gette
- IMPACT AWARDS: Beth Mitchell, Karen Miller, Julie Balovich
- 2011
- NOBLE AWARD: Brenda Willett
- IMPACT AWARDS: Madison Sloan, John Henneberger, Karen Paup, John P. Salmon, Robert Doggett
- 2010
- NOBLE AWARD: James Harrington
- IMPACT AWARDS: Pamela M. Brown, Martha M. Beard-Duncan, Annette M. Lamoreaux, Angela L. Lee
- 2009
- NOBLE AWARD: Randall D. Chapman
- IMPACT AWARDS: Kevin Dietz, Susanne Seré, Hon. Elliott Naishtat, John Kennedy
- 2008
- NOBLE AWARD: David Hall
- IMPACT AWARDS: Jerry Wesevich, Salvador Gonzales, Martha Orozco