Adjunct Professor David Deaconson (JD ’83) Honored as 2022 Outstanding Mentor of Texas

2022 Outstanding Mentor of Texas, David Deaconson (Second from Right) with (L-R) Karen Deaconson, Jeanine Rispoli, Founding Partner of Rispoli & Altman Law, PLLC and Immediate Past President of the Texas Young Lawyers Association, and Stephen Rispoli, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Strategic Initiatives at Baylor Law, at the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting in Houston on June 10th.

WACO

Adjunct Professor David Deaconson, JD ’83, has been honored by the Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA) as the 2022 Outstanding Mentor of Texas. The TYLA honored Deaconson for his dedication to mentoring young lawyers and furthering the importance of mentoring in the legal profession. The Outstanding Mentor Award recognizes one attorney each year who has consistently demonstrated a commitment to mentoring young lawyers in their local legal community. The award ceremony was held during the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting in Houston on June 10th.

Deaconson consistently dedicates hundreds of hours to teaching and coaching students in Baylor Law’s Advocacy Program. As an adjunct professor who also coaches several of Baylor’s award-winning mock trial competition teams, he also teaches at the School of the Trial in St Andrews, Scotland, Baylor Law’s study abroad program. In addition, he is a Jaworski Fellow, regularly volunteering to assist with advocacy exercises, critiquing and mentoring Baylor Law students in Baylor’s famed Practice Court program. Deaconson also volunteers at Baylor Law’s successful Criminal Law Bootcamp, giving Baylor Law students a deep dive into Texas state criminal practice.

“David is richly deserving of this honor,” said Dean Brad Toben, “He works tirelessly with our students and young attorneys to help them navigate their way to successful careers in practice, and specifically in the art and science of advocacy, which is important in all venues of practice.”

Deaconson has also successfully coached dozens of high school mock trial teams and has regularly coordinated several local competitions. Several of his former high school mock trial students are now lawyers or are in law school preparing to become advocates.

He is also deeply involved in several community organizations. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the Midway ISD Education Foundation, and is actively involved in his local church.

2022 marks the third time in three years that a Baylor-affiliated mentor has received the Mentor of the Year award. TYLA honored retired Professor Jerry Powell in 2021 and Judge Vikram 'Vik' Deivanayagam in 2020 with the same award.

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