Shawn Raymond will receive ADL’s (Anti-Defamation League’s) Karen H. Susman Jurisprudence Award at the Karen H. Susman Jurisprudence Award Luncheon April 18. 2024 at the Hilton Americas Houston, 1600 Lamar St, Houston, TX 77010.
ADL Southwest presents this award annually to an outstanding member of the legal community who exhibits a commitment to equality, justice, fairness and community service ― and Shawn has been dedicated to all those things since even before he became a lawyer. After college, Shawn taught high school in Sunflower County, Mississippi, as a Teach for America corps member. Later, while at UT Law School, Shawn co-founded the Sunflower County Freedom Project, a non-profit which uses the history and spirit of the civil rights movement to provide educational and leadership opportunities to teenagers living in the Mississippi Delta.
Shawn was the first man elected as Board Chair of the Houston Area Women’s Center, which provides life-saving resources to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault; he serves on the school board for KIPP Texas Public Schools, which serves more than 30,000 students in Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio; and he spearheaded the creation of the Susman Godfrey Prize, which is awarded annually to up to 12 law students of color who have excelled academically and have impressive overall achievement. It’s no wonder that Lawdragon has called Shawn, “that rare attorney who is as noted for his goodness as for his courtroom prowess.”
Shawn also has handled noteworthy pro bono matters. Thomson Reuters Westlaw named him and his co-counsel Pro Bono Heroes for winning a unanimous order from the Texas Supreme Court requiring the State of Texas to pay nearly $2 million dollars to a former death row inmate for wrongful imprisonment. Shawn is also responsible for launching Susman Godfrey’s MOBUS (minority-owned business) pro bono initiative that invites small, minority-owned business to apply to Susman Godfrey for pro bono representation.
“We are proud to give the 2024 Karen H. Susman Jurisprudence Award to Shawn Raymond”, said Mark B. Toubin, ADL Southwest Regional Director. “Karen, of blessed memory, was a beloved ADL board chair and attorney who devoted much of her time to improving our community and the world. She would be extraordinarily gratified that the 2024 award will be presented to an individual so dedicated to improving the lives of others.”
Neal Manne and Gregg Costa are co-chairing the luncheon, which will begin with a networking reception at 11:30 a.m. on April 18, with the program to follow at noon. For more information about the luncheon and sponsorships, contact Mary Gentry-Roberts at mgentryroberts@adl.org. For interviews or information for news stories about Shawn or the event, contact Dena Marks at dmarks@adl.org or 832-567-8843.
