Stephen C. Dillard, BA ’68, JD ’71, Named 2026 Baylor Lawyer of the Year
Baylor Law School has named Stephen C. “Steve” Dillard the 2026 Baylor Lawyer of the Year, recognizing a career defined by exceptional professional achievement, leadership within the legal profession, and decades of faithful service to Baylor Law School and Baylor University.
The Baylor Lawyer of the Year Award honors an outstanding alumnus or alumna who has brought distinction to Baylor Law School and the legal profession. Honorees are selected based on their sustained and meaningful engagement with Baylor Law School, significant contributions to the legal field, and a demonstrated commitment to integrity, legal excellence, Christian values, and civic and social responsibility.
For more than 50 years, Steve has exemplified those qualities through a distinguished litigation career, influential leadership within one of the nation’s leading law firms, and an enduring commitment to mentoring future generations of Baylor Lawyers.
“Steve’s career reflects the very best of Baylor Law,” said Dean Jeremy Counseller. “He has achieved the highest levels of success in the legal profession while remaining deeply committed to serving others, mentoring young lawyers, and supporting Baylor Law School. His integrity, professionalism, and dedication to excellence have made a lasting impact on the profession and on countless Baylor Lawyers.”
After earning his Bachelor of Arts from Baylor University in 1968 and his Juris Doctor from Baylor Law School in 1971, Steve joined Fulbright & Jaworski, now Norton Rose Fulbright, where he built a national practice in complex commercial litigation. Over the course of his career, he has tried numerous cases to verdict in state and federal courts across the country involving a broad range of disputes including environmental litigation, mass tort and class action cases, and a variety of high-stakes disputes in the energy and construction industries among other complex commercial cases.
In addition to his accomplishments as a trial lawyer, Steve played a significant leadership role within his firm. He served as Chair of Norton Rose Fulbright’s Global Litigation Department, then the firm’s largest practice group, and served for many years on the firm’s Executive Committee. He also chaired the Partnership Compensation Committee, contributing to the strategic direction and governance of one of the world’s leading law firms.
Steve’s professional excellence has earned widespread recognition throughout the legal community. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, an Advocate of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. Throughout his career, he has been consistently recognized by Chambers USA, Benchmark Litigation, The Legal 500, Texas Super Lawyers, including Top 100 Attorneys in Texas, and The Best Lawyers in America, including designation as a Houston Lawyer of the Year in Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants.
His influence extends well beyond his own practice. Through his longtime service on the State Bar of Texas Pattern Jury Charge Committee, including service as chair, Steve helped shape the clarity and precision of jury instructions used by courts across Texas. In that role, he contributed to the fair and effective administration of justice and demonstrated his commitment to strengthening the legal profession for future generations. Steve has served as a deacon and taught Sunday School at his church.
That same commitment to service has been evident in his enduring relationship with Baylor Law School. A lifetime member of the Baylor Law Alumni Association and former member of its Executive Committee, Steve has remained actively engaged with the Law School throughout his career. As a Jaworski Fellow, he has generously devoted his time to evaluating and mentoring student advocates in Baylor Law’s renowned Practice Court program, helping prepare future lawyers for the demands of the profession.
Steve and his wife, Cathie Gilleland Dillard (BA ’69), have long been generous supporters of Baylor University and Baylor Law School. Their philanthropy includes the Stephen and Cathie Dillard Endowed Scholarship Fund in Law, which helps make a Baylor Law School education accessible to future generations of Baylor Lawyers, as well as the Stephen and Cathie Dillard Reception Area, a gathering place for students, faculty, alumni, and friends in the Sheila and Walter Umphrey Law Center. The Dillard family legacy includes Steve’s parents, Allan Dillard, Sr. (JD ’39) and Laura Dillard (BA ’38), his sister, Betty Dillard (BA ’73), Steve and Cathie’s daughter, Shawn Dillard Bergfeld (BA ’96), their son, Brannon Dillard (BBA ’00, JD ’03), plus numerous extended family members.
Those who know Steve best recognize not only his professional accomplishments, but also the qualities that have defined his career: humility, integrity, ethical leadership, professionalism, and faithful service to others. Colleagues, clients, and young lawyers alike describe him as a trusted mentor whose influence has been felt far beyond the courtroom.
“I’m deeply honored to be recognized as the 2026 Baylor Lawyer of the Year,” Steve said. “My sincerest thanks go to the Law School and the Law Alumni Association for this honor. Baylor Law School changed my life and provided me with the best possible foundation for the practice of law. I am forever indebted to the Law School and am committed to repaying that debt for the benefit of future generations of Baylor Law students.”
In recognizing Steve Dillard as the 2026 Baylor Lawyer of the Year, Baylor Law School celebrates not only a remarkable legal career, but also a legacy of leadership, service, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to the Baylor Law community and the legal profession.
About the Baylor Lawyer of the Year: The Baylor Lawyer of the Year Award honors an outstanding alumnus or alumna who has brought distinction to Baylor Law School and the legal profession. Honorees are selected based on their sustained and meaningful engagement with Baylor Law School, significant contributions to the legal field, and a demonstrated commitment to integrity, legal excellence, Christian values, and civic and social responsibility.
