HOUSTON, TX, June 27, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Mr. James Sales with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Mr. Sales celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
James B. Sales attended the University of Texas where he received his B.S. degree in 1956 and received his L.L.B. degree with Honors in 1960. He received the order of the Coif, and in addition, served as an Editor on the Texas Law Review. Following graduation in August 1960, he joined the firm of Fulbright & Jaworski as a trial lawyer in its litigation department. He served as a senior partner and, in 1970, he became head of the firm's Litigation Department, a position he served until his retirement in 2000. During his tenure at the firm, he also served as a member of the Executive Committee. He currently serves as Of Counsel to the firm now known as Norton Rose Fulbright.
Sales was elected President of the Houston Bar Association in 1980 and later would serve as the founding Chair of the Houston Bar Foundation. While serving as President of the Houston Bar Association, he envisioned a program to provide legal help to the working poor in the greater Houston area. With the HBA Board of Directors, he helped launch the Houston Volunteer Lawyer Program to provide legal help to low-income and poor residents in Harris County. To help fund this pro bono program, he proposed an initiative to create a Foundation. In 1983, the HBA's application was formally approved by the IRS and Sales was designated first Chair of the Houston Bar Foundation. The Foundation has grown appreciably and currently provides critical funding for the Houston Volunteer Lawyer Program and its ongoing efforts to help the poor. In 2010, the HBA Foundation inaugurated and presented the first annual James B. Sales Pro Bono Leadership Award.
James Sales was elected statewide to serve as President of the State Bar of Texas in 1988. While president, he led a successful referendum restructure and approve a new code for Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct. During the course of his presidency, he also became concerned with the increasing mental impairment of lawyers, the resulting malpractice and the family disruption attributable to alcohol and drug abuse. As a consequence, he initiated the Texas Lawyers Assistance Program which today consists of a network of lawyer intervention programs to assist and help rehabilitate substance-impaired lawyers in the state. The lawyers helped by this program presented him with a special award to recognize his efforts to help impaired lawyers.
He also recognized a problem created by the absence of women and minority representation on the State Bar Board of Directors. As President, he initiated a program approved by the Board that created three minority advisory Board positions to ensure minority participation in all State Bar-related matters. Several years later, the Texas Legislature amended the State Bar Act to specifically incorporate the minority director positions as part of the State Bar Act.
He was appointed and served as Texas delegate to the ABA House of Delegates, a position he served for 20 years. While serving as the ABA Delegate, he served as a member of the ABA-IOLTA Commission. The ABA Foundation presented him its 2009 Outstanding Service Award for distinguished service to the legal profession and service to the public.
Sales was selected and has been a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers since 1978. In 1993, he was appointed and served as State Chair, and, in 2011, the American College of Trial Lawyers presented him with its Samuel E. Gates Litigation Award for extraordinary contributions to the process of litigation and access to justice. He was also elected as a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers in 1977. Later, he became a charter Advocate of the Texas chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He has received the Lifetime of Excellence in Advocacy Award from the Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists. In addition to authoring numerous law review and journal articles, he is co-author of Texas Torts & Remedies, 6 Volumes (Matthew Bender 1986 – supplements) and is also the author of Product Liability Law in Texas (1986).
Sales' career has been built on a record of leadership, service and accomplishment at the local, state and national levels. In 2005, the University of Texas School of Law presented Sales with its Lifetime Achievement Award. During that same year, the State Bar awarded him its Presidents Award for distinguished service to the profession. In 2006, the National Conference of Bar Presidents recognized him with its National Outstanding Fellows Award. In 2010, the Anti-Defamation League presented Sales with its Karen H. Susman Jurisprudence Award for outstanding service to the profession and to the Houston community. In 2012 Sales received the Texas Appleseed Good Apple Award for distinguished service to the public.
Sales has been included in the roster of the Best Lawyers in America since 1989. At the same time, he was selected by Texas Monthly as one of the Texas Super Lawyers and was named by the Texas Lawyer in its edition of the 100 Legal Legends of Texas.
In 2004, the Supreme Court of Texas appointed Sales to chair the recently created Texas Access to Justice Commission. As Chair, he was directed to design and implement new and innovative statewide programs dedicated to expanding access to the justice system for all Texans, including more than 5 million poor and low-income Texas families. The Commission has committed to insure that all Texans, regardless of economic circumstance or status, have access to the justice system and the rule of law. After six years of service as Chair of the Commission, Sales stepped down as its leader and was designated by the Supreme Court as Chair Emeritus of the Commission. In recognition of his work on behalf of poor Texans, the Commission established the James B. Sales "Boots on the Ground" Award to be presented to lawyers who have devoted a significant part of their professional career helping poor and low-income Texans.
In 2011, the Texas Bar Foundation presented Jim Sales with its Outstanding Fifty Year Lawyer Award. This award is presented in recognition of 50 or more years of distinguished service to the legal profession and to the public. During that same year, the mayor and City Council of Houston adopted a resolution proclaiming May 3, 2011 as James B. Sales Day in Houston.
Aside from his professional career, Mr. Sales celebrates more than 62 years of marriage to Beuna M. Vornsand. They are the proud parents of three children – Mark Keith, Debra Lynn and Travis James – and six grandchildren.
In recognition of outstanding contributions to his profession and the Marquis Who's Who community, Mr. Sales has been featured on the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement website. Please visit www.ltachievers.com for more information about this honor.
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
# # #