2025 Award Luncheon

April 04, 2025

Location: Hyatt Regency Austin
April 04, 2025

Location Information

Buy Tickets Here
za

At the Center for Women in Law’s Award Luncheon, supporters and allies come together to celebrate the Center’s mission to generate lasting change within the legal profession. Through the Hortense Ward Courageous Leader Award, the Center recognizes one outstanding lawyer who exemplifies Ward’s tenacity, courage, and commitment in their efforts to achieve gender parity in positions of leadership, influence and responsibility in the legal profession. 

Learn more about sponsorship opportunities for the Award Luncheon here. 

For room block reservations, find information here. 

Location

Hyatt Regency Austin
208 Barton Springs Road
Austin, TX 78704

Schedule

11:00 AM: VIP Reception (Zilker Terrace)
11:30 AM: Ballroom doors open (Zilker Ballroom)
12:00 – 1:30 PM: Luncheon

2025 Award Luncheon Keynote Speaker
Katty Kay

Katty Kay

U.S. Special Correspondent for BBC Studios and Award-winning Journalist and Bestselling Author

Katty is a Washington-based award-winning journalist whose unique perspective on American politics and global affairs comes from having lived and worked in the Middle East, South Africa, Japan, Europe, and the U.S. throughout her career.

2025 Hortense Ward Courageous Leader Award Recipient
Casey Ryan

Casey Ryan

Global Managing Partner and Executive Committee Chair, Reed Smith

Casey Ryan is the Global Managing Partner and Executive Committee Chair of Reed Smith.

Award Luncheon Co-Chairs
Katie hobson

Katie Hobson

Assistant Attorney, General Environmental Protection Division, Office of the Attorney General of Texas

Katie Hobson is an Assistant Attorney General within the Environmental Protection Division of the Texas Office of the Attorney General. She represents the State on behalf of Texas agencies in enforcement actions pursuant to state and federal environmental laws.  

SP

Sandra L. Phillips

Senior Vice President, Corporate Resources, General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer, Toyota Motor North America (TMNA)

Sandra Phillips is senior vice president, Enterprise Integrity, chief sustainability officer and chief legal officer at Toyota Motor North America (TMNA), with responsibility for the company’s Legal, Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs, Social Innovation, Corporate Shared Servi

Host Committee

The Hon. Marilyn Aboussie

Former Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals for the Third District of Texas

In 1983, I became the first judge of the newly created 240th District Court, sitting in Tom Green County. In 1986, I was appointed by the Governor to the Court of Appeals for the Third District of Texas, sitting in Austin, the first woman justice of the Court since its creation in 1892.

Alex Wilson Albright

After serving the firm as of-counsel since its founding, while also teaching federal and Texas civil procedure at the University of Texas School of Law — serving many years as associate dean — Alexandra Wilson Albright joined Alexander Dubose & Jefferson full time in 2017.

Deb Coldwell

Deborah Coldwell

Partner, Haynes and Boone LLP

Deb Coldwell is a litigation partner at Haynes and Boone, LLP, and represents franchisors, distributors, joint ventures, limited liability companies, partnerships, and the individuals who run those companies in jury trials, bench trials and arbitrations.

Lisa Atlas Genecov

Lisa Genecov is the national co-chair of Katten Muchin Rosenman's Health Care practice, concentrating on the regulatory, business, corporate, governance, compliance, mergers and acquisitions, and transactional aspects of health care law, with a particular focus in the private equity space.

Marcy Greer

Marcy Hogan Greer is a partner with Alexander, Dubose, Jefferson & Townsend in Austin. She is recognized for her work in federal and state trial and appellate courts throughout the country.

Beth P. Hecht

Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary, Xeris Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Beth Hecht is a Managing Director and Chief Legal and Administrative Officer and a member of the Investment Committee for Auven Therapeutics, a global private equity firm focused on the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries with offices in the United States, Switzerland, U.K., Bermuda and t

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
LEADER
Advocate
Benefactor
Table Sponsors
Small Firm/Individual Table