The Collaborative Law Institute of Texas announced earlier this month that Houston lawyer, educator, and longtime collaborative law advocate Norma Levine Trusch has been named the recipient of the first-ever Gay G. Cox Collaborative Law Award to honor the memory of the late Dallas lawyer.
The award, first announced at the State Bar of Texas’ Advanced Family Law Conference earlier this month, was established to honor a lawyer, financial professional, or mental health professional who is:
- a member of the Collaborative Law Institute of Texas,
- is substantially involved in collaborative practice,
- devotes himself or herself fully to any task undertaken (often going above and beyond the call of duty),
- exemplifies the highest standards of professionalism and ethics, and
- is passionately committed to transforming the conflict resolution process.
Trusch was nominated by an overwhelming majority of Collaborative Law Institute of Texas members, and won the vote unanimously – results reflective of her role as one of the founders of the collaborative law movement, and as one of the greatest advocates for collaborative law not only in Texas, but nationally and internationally.
“Norma was the ideal choice for this inaugural award,” said Dr. Honey Sheff, who chaired the CLI-TX’s Ad Hoc committee creating the award. “She exemplifies the criteria we established to honor Gay Cox’s memory, and I have no question that if Gay herself had chosen the recipient, she would have selected Norma.”
Cox, who, like Trusch, was instrumental in growing the awareness and development of collaborative law across the Lone Star State, as well as nationally and internationally, died this past January following an October 12 accident and a subsequent, three-month-long hospitalization.
The award, in addition to allowing the Collaborative Law Institute of Texas to honor an exemplary member annually, gives the organization a meaningful way to honor Cox’s service to that group and other professional organizations – namely, the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals – committed to collaborative law.
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